| 7:00 PM-9:00 PM, San Antonio, Texas: |
CANCELED: The Edwards Aquifer of South-Central Texas
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| Primary Leader: Geary M. Schindel |
| Leader(s): John Hoyt, Charles Kreitler, E. Calvin Alexander Jr, George Veni, Steven B. Johnson, Ronald Green |
| Field Trip Description: The Balcones fault zone Edwards Aquifer in south central Texas is one of the most permeable and productive karst aquifers in the United States. The aquifer extends from Del Rio, east through San Antonio and then north through Austin towards Waco for a distance of more than 200 miles. The aquifer ranges from 5 to 40 miles wide and is more than 3,000 feet below the surface in some locations in the deep artesian zone. The Edwards Aquifer serves as a water source for approximately 1.7 million people in the region and is also a major resource of water for agriculture, industry, and recreation. The Edwards discharges through a series of large springs in the region that provide the aquatic habitat for a number of endangered species. This field trip will visit a number of locations in the recharge and artesian zones in and around San Antonio. These include sinkholes and cave entrances, flowing artesian wells, a hazardous materials spill site, Comal Springs, the largest spring in the southwest, and various rock outcrops. The locations will be used to discuss new theories on aquifer genesis, regional data collection and research programs including well logging, water chemistry, tracer tracing, stratigraphic and structural controls, water quality and urban development, and water resource management. |
| Field Trip will span: 2 days |
| Sponsor(s): Edwards Aquifer Authority, Southwest Research Institute, National Cave and Karst Research Institute, LBG-Guyton Associates, University of Minnesota |