On a cold but sunny and breezy day, we toured a conservation easement property to learn more about the management practices and projects that Dr. Kevin Theusen oversaw with priorities to Austin water quality. He was a fantastic educator of the space — giving us interesting prompts before explaining more about the different natural features of the property. From sinkholes, to porcupines, to a scenic view of the grasslands and prairie…There was so much to see.

 

 

A view of the woody forest and grassland (Photo taken by Margaux Ordoveza)

Wouldn’t you think we would first see water when we learn about protecting the aquifer? We didn’t and actually learned about the soil profile of the grassland a few miles away from the creek. We learned that there were different thickness of mollisol type soil and that the surface vegetation was crucial in the thicker layer, which had invasive plants. They handle this through prescribed burns, but were not able to do so due to the windy weather. Safety always comes first when handling fire!

The exposed quarry and the upland above (Photo by Max Heimlich-McQuarters)

Kevin toured us to understand the anthropogenic scene by the riparian zone of the dry creek, then took us deeper into the aquifer (literally). This was one of the most fascinating spots we visited because of the gorgeous color of the water and the vast plane space making the area look like a canyon. However, don’t be fooled by its beauty! The staff keep this land away from the public as this is a sensitive area that should have been covered with rock and maintaining water levels. It was found to be part of the aquifer after old-time excavations and hydrology indicators. Now, they have a daring plan to tackle the next big water event by channeling the aquifer from a creek upland. To do this, they made an artificial ramp down the quarry that will hopefully guide the water to this aquifer. This has potential to help maintain the water levels of the porous sponge underground, which is crucial to our aquifer’s water quality and source!