Edwar's Aquifer

Robert Elizalde

March 26, 2008

Humanities

Edward’s Aquifer

The Edward’s Aquifer is one of the greatest water resources in the world. It provides water for domestic needs of almost two million users in south central Texas. Now that alone is amazing. The aquifer is one of the largest aquifer in North America and is 160 miles long and as much as 40 feet wide. The Edward Aquifer is between 300-700 feet thick. The Aquifer is between five to forty miles wide at the surface. We are America’s 7^th largest city and the Aquifer supports us all and more. It can really work miracles. For since I can remember San Antonio and many other cities in the surrounding San Antonio were able to grow and prosper without developing surface water or other water resources because of the Edwards Aquifer. It extends to cover the major part of five counties like, Uvalde, Medina, Bexar, Comal and Hays. It goes into three major rivers like Nueces, San Antonio and Guadalupe. The Edward Aquifer also provides life for more then humans. There is great water life too and there are many species living in it like Texas blind salamander. Many live in caves so are blind or there eyes are really not useful so it’s like being blind. San Antonio and surrounding cities all depend on the Aquifer and it would be really difficult with out it. The springs fed from the aquifer are also home to many unique species.

The Edward’s Aquifer also has a big recharge zone. It is 1,250 square mile area that has a bunch of limestone and surface, letting a lot of water to go into the Edward’s Aquifer. About 75-80% of recharge occurs when streams and rivers go up on top of the surface and then goes back under the ground. I think that what makes the recharge zone so neat. Out of now where all of a sudden you see water that is usually clear and really pretty, but then I can disappear under the ground again. The recharge zone solely relies on rainfall water to determine how much water is passing through it. You can easily tell if there was a recharge zone if there is limestone that is higher then the bed itself. There was not water enough water so instead of eroding the limestone it goes back underground.

There is also land called Transition Zone where there is a lot of limestone’s that overlies the Edwards and makes caves and sinkholes, so it is possible that surface water can still go into the Edwards limestone below. There are nice springs and wells that are made in these kinds of areas. The aquifer supports so many people on its own. So I think that the Edward’s Aquifer is an amazing thing that nature has created for us so that we can live and prosper.