Conservation
All known populations of the Georgetown salamander occur in an area that is undergoing rapid urbanization. Current threats to the salamander include depletion and pollution of the Edward's Aquifer, which supplies the springs and caves in which the salamander occurs. Increases in impervious cover associated with urbanization decrease recharge of the aquifer and increase runoff and introduction of pollutants into the aquifer. Pumping of groundwater further depletes the aquifer. Sedimentation associated with land clearing and construction is another threat to the salamanders, as the salamanders are critically dependent on the presence of interstitial spaces that are eliminated by sediment.
At the present time, only one population of the Georgetown salamander is located in a protected preserve. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality regulates activities affecting water quality for the Edwards Plateau; however, TCEQ's regulations do not address such aspects as land use, impervious cover limitations, non-point source pollution, or application of fertilizers and pesticides over the recharge zone. All of these represent threats to the Georgetown salamander's habitat.
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