Pool Era field notes
Pool care in the Hill Country: water, weather and wildlife
Owning a pool out here means hard water, drought rules, freezes, storms and August heat. These field notes cover each one, with the agency sources linked.
Care and ownership
Field notes on care and ownership
Pool Water During Hill Country Drought RulesCare and ownershipHow drought stages work, and what they mean for filling and topping off.Read field note 
Hard Water and White Scale on Pool TileCare and ownershipWhy white crust builds up on tile, and how to slow it down safely.Read field note 
Is My Pool Leaking or Just Evaporating?Care and ownershipHow to run a bucket test, and the signs that point to a real leak.Read field note 
Freeze Week: Protecting Pool Equipment in a Hill Country Cold SnapCare and ownershipA plan for the days before a hard freeze, the night of and the morning after.Read field note 
Keeping a Pool Cool in a Texas AugustCare and ownershipWhy pools heat up by August, and what helps: shade, night fountains and chillers.Read field note 
Salt or Chlorine: Choosing a Pool System in the Hill CountryCare and ownershipHow salt and chlorine pools differ, and what hard water and limestone change.Read field note 
After a Hill Country Storm: Debris, Runoff and Cloudy WaterCare and ownershipWhat to check first after a storm, and how to clear muddy, cloudy water.Read field note 
Critters Around Hill Country Pools, and How to Keep Them AwayCare and ownershipFrogs, scorpions and snakes near the pool: what each one means and the simple habits that keep them away.Read field note
How we write these
Sources you can check
Each field note links the public agency, trade group or maker page behind its facts, and shows the date we last checked them. Read our editorial standards to see how posts are researched and fact-checked.
