These are Corpus Christi's water restrictions in the current drought

Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect that the city’s Stage 1 drought restrictions don’t end until the combined capacity of Lake Corpus Christi and Choke Canyon reaches 50%, and the combined capacity is currently 45%.

Credit: Angela Piazza/Caller Times

Caller Times
Kirsten Crow, Corpus Christi Caller Times
June 13, 20123

Despite ongoing drought restrictions, rules on how − and how often − you can water your lawn are not expected to tighten further in the near future, according to city officials.

Although restrictions aren’t expected to increase, current regulations are also not expected to end soon, said City Manager Peter Zanoni.

In a region nicknamed “wild horse desert,” repeated – and sometimes severe – droughts are a distinct feature of the climate.

By policy, drought restrictions don’t conclude until two of the city’s water resources – Lake Corpus Christi and Choke Canyon – reach a combined capacity of at least 50%, Zanoni added.

As of late last week, capacity measured about 45%.

Citing summertime precipitation patterns, heat-driven evaporation and shifts of sunbaked soil, the strategy in the coming months will be “to manage the water we have now to get us to the fall, which is when our chances for rain become better,” Zanoni said.

How are drought restrictions decided?

In Corpus Christi, the current Stage 1 drought restrictions limiting the ways and how often lawns may be watered kick in when the combined capacity of two of the city’s four water resources – Lake Corpus Christi and Choke Canyon – shrink to 50%.

Restrictions strengthen as capacity declines. Stage 2 restrictions go into effect when the combined capacity drops to between 21% and 30%, and for Stage 3 – considered a critical storage – 20% or less.

What is allowed under Stage 1?

Allowed anytime: Watering by hand with a bucket, a hose with a shut-off nozzle or a drip-irrigation system. Also permitted is using well water or an aerobic septic system for watering, according to the city’s site.

Allowed once per week: Watering with sprinklers or an irrigation system between the hours of 6 p.m. and 10 a.m., only on your trash pick-up day. Any other times outside those windows would be considered a violation.

Violations

Last year, fines for violations were issued without warnings – that approach has since been revised, and now allows for a warning before issuing a citation.

There a few select exceptions to the restrictions, but only if a request formally submitted to the city is approved.

Among those are “new plantings (for up to 60 days), vegetable gardens, athletic playing fields, and botanical gardens,” according to the city’s site.