Endangered Species and San Solomon Springs
San Solomon Springs in Balmorhea State Park is the largest group of springs issuing from the San Solomon Springs system. The system includes Phantom Lake (a.k.a. Phantom Cave Spring), Giffin, and East and West Sandia springs.
San Solomon Springs was considered the ninth largest spring in Texas (based on volume of water produced). Now it would rank as the fifth or sixth largest spring in Texas, given the decreased (or ceased) flows from Goodenough (was third), San Antonio (was sixth), Hueco (was seventh), and Comanche (was eighth) springs.
San Solomon Springs provides important habitat for two freshwater springsnails (Gastropoda : Hydrobiidae), the Phantom springsnail (Pyrgulopsis texana) and the Phantom tryonia (Tryonia cheatumi); one crustacean, the Diminutive amphipod (Gammarus hyalleloides); and two species of fish, the Comanche Springs pupfish (Cyprinodon elegans) and the Pecos gambusia (Gambusia nobilis) that are unique to West Texas.
Solomon Springs is the largest spring in the Balmorhea area, and the habitat at Balmorhea State Park is very important for conserving these species.
