A short-lived surge offered a glimpse of hope at the once-popular Texas swimming destination.

Four years ago, on a clear summer day, Jacob’s Well in Hays County looked like something out of a postcard. A deep blue window into the Trinity Aquifer framed by limestone rocks and cypress trees.

Jacob’s Well, one of the Hill Country’s most iconic swimming holes, is nearly gone and social media is exploding over it. Hays County Parks and Natural Resources shared a Facebook post on Sunday, ...