Two hundred years ago, when American Indians camped along the Hill Country stream that would come to be called Cypress Creek, the powerful artesian spring that formed the creek, gushed a 16-foot wide geyser of water 7 feet into the air almost continuously. This artesian spring, which became known as Jacob's Well, is one of the natural wonders of the Hill Country.
The aquifer is at least 300 feet deep, although no one has ever found the bottom. (Over the years 6 known and possibly 12 divers have lost their lives in its labyrinthine passages.) The spring is on private property, but has long been a popular swimming site complete with a large boulder that serves as a diving rock.
From Jacob's Well, the cold, clear waters of Cypress Creek flow past towering cypress trees on its way to join the Blanco River. It was the site of American Indian encampments for centuries. Then, beginning in the 1840's, homesteads, mills, farms, and summer campers began coming. These days some 15,000+ people are living in the area and thousands more are coming to stay.
In July 2000, in the midst of a lingering drought and with relentless development closing in on all sides, Jacob's Well stopped flowing for the first time in known history. "It's a numbers game," says David Baker, director of the Wimberley Valley Watershed Association (WVWA). "Even if everyone saves 30% of their water per year, if you have 18% growth every year, it won't matter. Jacob's Well is like a canary in a coal mine. When the spring stopped flowing, it was a wakeup call for everyone. We don't want Jacob's Well to become Jacob's Cave."
WVWA promotes Jacob's Well's environmental message to governmental agencies, organizations, and the public. Land surrounding the well continues to be placed in conservatory. Scientists and environmentalists from UT and other academic institutions, plus organizations like the Sierra Club, Nature Conservancy of Texas, and others have joined in the effort to keep the well flowing and address pollution issues.
Artists find their way to the remote, privately owned, but quietly shared well that Indians revere as sacred ground. WVWA hosts a music and art filled festival each spring, attracting local celebrities like Willis Alan Ramsey. Oscar and Grammy-winning singer/songwriter Jennifer Warnes has released a CD entitled "The Well". The title song (co-authored by Dole Bramhall II) was written during a stay at Dancing Waters Inn located by Jacob's Well.
"Jacob's Well is the essence of life, creating water everyday for thousands of years", Baker says, "but it also is a mystery. Some are frightened by that and some are drawn to it."
