The Edwards Aquifer Authority manages, enhances, and protects the Edwards Aquifer, one of the major groundwater systems in Texas serving approximately 1.7 million people. This expansive, natural underground water resource extends 180 miles from Brackettville in Kinney County to Kyle in Hays County. While the Edwards Aquifer serves as the primary source of water to a growing region of south central Texas, it also supports a unique ecosystem of aquatic life, including several threatened and endangered species. Cities, towns, rural communities, and farm and ranch lands all depend on the aquifer's water for household, agricultural, industrial and recreational purposes. This diversity of uses illustrates the vital role the aquifer plays in sustaining the lives and livelihoods of residents in the Edwards Aquifer region.