 |
2007 Ground Water Summit |
Tuesday, May 1, 2007 : 10:00 a.m.
Evaluation of the Uvalde Pool of the San Antonio Segment of the Edwards Aquifer, Texas
The San Antonio segment of the Edwards Aquifer is a prolific karstified limestone aquifer that provides the water resources for 1.7 million people in south-central Texas. It has been estimated that 46% of the total average groundwater recharge of the San Antonio segment can be attributed to the Uvalde pool located at the western end of the San Antonio segment. Groundwater systems associated with the Uvlade pool were investigated to develop an updated conceptual model to define the hydraulic and hydrogeologic relationship between the Uvalde pool and the San Antonio pool of the San Antonio segment. The study was based on an integrated hydrologic, geochemical, and geologic assessment. The study concluded that the Edwards Aquifer in Kinney County is essentially hydrogeologically separate from the Uvalde pool and that most of the groundwater from the Kinney County pool is discharged to the south via springs and river and stream floodplains rather than to the east as contributory flow to the Uvalde pool of the Edwards Aquifer. The study also concluded that as much as 270,000 acre-ft/yr flows through a high capacity channel in the Edwards Aquifer near the community of Knippa east from the Uvalde pool to the San Antonio pool.