Best Management Practices and Standards, Training, and Tools to Increase Resilience of the Edwards Aquifer Water Supply During Emergency Fire Control

In 2019 the Institute for Water Resources Science and Technology at Texas A&M University-San Antonio began work funded by the Proposition 1 Edwards Aquifer Protection Venue Project to develop Best Management Practices (BMPs) for protecting Edwards Aquifer water supplies from inadvertent contamination by HAZMAT in water runoff during emergency response-related firefighting. Results of this work are now available for your use. Technical information is available for use in developing and updating emergency response planning documents (i.e., City of San Antonio Hazard Mitigation Action Plan and the Bexar County Emergency Management Plan), educational curricula can be used for training and public outreach, and BMPs along with associated tools are now available for on-site and post-event management and hazard mitigation. These have been developed for use in Bexar County and other areas where the aquifer is susceptible to contamination from disaster response on the land’s surface.https://digitalcommons.tamusa.edu/water_books/1008/thumbnail.jp

Protection of the Edwards Aquifer during Emergency Response

This video is the recording of a presentation by Texas A&M University-San Antonio as part of the training sessions for first responders. The karstic Edwards Aquifer in south-central Texas, classified as a sole source aquifer by the Environmental Protection Agency, provides potable water for more than two million residents and businesses in the fast-growing San Antonio area. Because of its karstic nature, the aquifer is vulnerable to runoff contamination, including those generated during emergency responses in the sensitive aquifer recharge zone. The U.S. Department of Agriculture funded Texas A&M University-San Antonio to develop Best Management Practices and provide training to first responders, health and safety officials, agricultural producers, and other stakeholders

Water Resources Science and Technology Fall Seminar Series: Steven Siebert (San Antonio Water System)

Mr. Steven Siebert gave the audience an in-depth introduction of the mission and service capacity of San Antonio Water System (SAWS), as well as SAWS water planning for the next 5 years and beyond. He touched on the local, regional, and state level water policy, management, and governance, and how SAWS partners the various agencies to reach its planning parameters

Water Resources Science and Technology Fall Seminar Series: Dr. Gizelle Luevano (Edwards Aquifer Authority)

Dr. Gizelle Luevano, Lead Hydrologic Data Coordinator for the Edwards Aquifer Authority, introduces the basics of the Edwards Aquifer\u27s geohydrology and its vulnerability, the history of regulation to protect the sustainability of the aquifer, and her experience with using GIS to manage data

Water Resources Science and Technology Fall Seminar Series: Geary Schindel (Karst Works LLC)

Geary Schindel is a world class karst hydrologist and is currently the president of Karst Work LLC. Before his retirement in 2022, he served as the chief technology officer for the Edwards Aquifer Authority. In this talk, he introduces karst formation, hydrology, and dye tracing techniques for tracing contaminants in the extremely heterogeneous karst aquifers

Water Resources Science and Technology Fall Seminar Series: Tonya Ramey (Texas A&M University-San Antonio)

Dr. Ramey is a field ecologist and has a passion for nature. Here he shares some of the fieldwork she has been involved in during her studies at the University of Arizona, the University of British Columbia, and Texas State University

Water Resources Science and Technology Fall Seminar Series: Thomas Marsalia (Edwards Aquifer Authority)

Thomas gave us an introductory look at the sustainability practices and research work at the Field Research Park of the Edwards Aquifer Authority

Water Resources Science and Technology Fall Seminar Series: Gregg Eckhardt (San Antonio Water System)

Mr. Eckhardt is a true veteran of the San Antonio Water System. A native of San Antonio, he has a passion for the history of the Edwards Aquifer and the role it plays in the water management framework for San Antonio as the area developed over the years

Water Resources Science and Technology Fall Seminar Series: Purshotam Juriasingani (Tetra Tech)

Mr. Juriasingani is a Program Director for Research and Development of innovative PFAS treatment technologies (and other emerging contaminants). He shared some of the updated regulation and mitigation methods as well as the challenges to removing these contaminants from water and soil