Recharge Estimations for Laguna Pond at Freeman Ranch, San Marcos, Texas

Abstract

Laguna Pond is an irregularly shaped pond located on Freeman Ranch in the Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone of south-central Texas. To determine the potential usefulness of Laguna Pond for the management of Freeman Ranch, the pond's drainage area, storage capacity, and yearly water budget were determined using a Global Positioning System unit and geographic information systems analytical tools. Preliminary analysis of the data revealed a negligible drainage area and a storage capacity of 3.71 acre-feet (161,608 cubic feet or 1,208,908.79 gallons) with a surface area of 0.29 acres (12,632 ft²). The preliminary water budget revealed a deficit of approximately 29 in per year, which would require the ranch to pump 8.97 af/year (2, 921,529.604 gallons/year) to create a perennial pond. The exorbitant amount of water required to maintain the pond makes the Laguna an unlikely candidate for utilization as a stock pond or source of recreation for the ranch.

Keywords:

• drainage area
• pond
• storage capacity
• water budget
• water resources

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Erin Dorothea Dascher

ERIN DOROTHEA DASCHER is a graduate student in the Department of Geography, Texas State University, 601 University Drive, San Marcos, TX 78666. E-mail: [email protected]. Her research interests include water sustainability and environmental geography.

Harrison Flores-Ortiz

HARRISON FLORES-ORTIZ is a graduate student in the Department of Geography, Texas State University, 601 University Drive, San Marcos, TX 78666. E-mail: [email protected]. His research interests include environmental geography, land use planning, watershed management, and solid waste management.