Research on the recharge zone has continued at the EAA Field Research Park in a big way this season with LiDAR drone surveys conducted by a PhD student from the University of Texas to help identify landform changes over time, EAA Scientists working with graduate students from the University of Texas at San Antonio to describe and log drill cuttings from research boreholes, and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) for detecting water in the unsaturated zone of the Edwards Aquifer by characterizing soil and rocks that the water is stored in.

On this episode, hosts Ann-Margaret and Brent are joined by EAA Senior Hydrogeologist Dr. Gizelle Luevano. She’s conducted countless water quality samplings, from wells, rivers, and springs. Hear her field stories and how water quality sampling technology has evolved over the years as she’s collected data from all across the EAA’s jurisdiction!

ET, in this case evapotranspiration, is the elusive process by which water moves from earth’s surface into the atmosphere, and hosts Brent and Ann-Margaret discussed this with EAA’s Principal Geoscientist Marcus Gary. Learn about eddy covariance towers, and how they play an important role in understanding a myriad of observations occurring in the atmosphere and from the soil.

As this region is in the middle of a drought, hosts Brent and Ann-Margaret sit down with EAA General Manager Roland Ruiz to discuss drought management at the EAA. This episode includes a discussion about critical period management, aquifer conditions, and revisit the EAA’s recently implemented strategic plan which focuses on furthering the long-term sustainability of the Edwards Aquifer through a responsible balance of regulatory, education and conservation-focused programming and partnerships.