UTSA

Center for Water Research
Science Building 1.03.04

Projects

Edwards (Balcones Fault Zone) Aquifer Project Webpage
Project Director: Alan Dutton
Project Title:
Project Summary: The Edwards (Balcones Fault Zone) aquifer is a maturely studied karst aquifer with abundant hydrogeologic data. Detailed information on its karst heterogeneities remains scant, of course, in comparison to their importance for water transport. Nonetheless, several numerical models of the San Antonio segment of the aquifer have been developed for both interpretive and predictive purposes. Since 1979 the so-called GWIM model, constructed using the PLASM code, has been commonly used to simulate groundwater resources in the aquifer. In 2005 a new model of the Edwards aquifer, developed using Modflow, was released (here named the GWMAP model). The GWSIM and Modflow models are independently constructed models that differ in many ways, including but not limited to model cell size, model extent, hydrogeologic properties; pumping characteristics, and how recharge rates are assigned. The two models also differ in calibration statistics; the new Modflow model’s calibrations for both hydraulic head and spring discharge generally is improved compared to those of GWSIM.

Simulation of hypothetical pumping scenarios representing aquifer-management options shows that the two models give generally consistent results. Simulated scenarios included a 73,000 acre-foot/yr reduction in pumping for municipal-water supply from the San Antonio pool and a 98,000 acre-foot/yr increase in pumping from the Uvalde pool for pipeline transfer to the big San Antonio municipal market. Scenario evaluation considered impacts on discharge at Leona, Comal, and San Marcos Springs and on water levels at the J-17 and J-27 index wells. Consistent simulation results from multiple independent models provide reliable support policy decisions involving management of groundwater resources.

Project Status: Completed

This project was administered through the Center for Water Research

City of San Antonio Project Webpage

Project Director: Kyle Murray
Project Title: Management Practices for Natural Waterways

Project Summary: This project is supported by the City of San Antonio and represents a collaboration with several agency stakeholders and citizen stakeholders interesting in improving, maintaining and preserving the waterways in San Antonio and the Extra Territorial Jurisdiction (ETJ). The main product will be a report that serves as educational material and guidelines for selecting management practices (e.g., debris removal, removal of invasive exotics, erosion control, tree and understory vegetation management, etc.) within waterways of San Antonio and the ETJ.

Project Status: Active

Student Support: Two students currently supported

This project is administered through the Center for Water Research

San Antonio Water System Project Webpage

Project Director: Kelly Brumbelow (TAMU), Kyle Murray (UTSA), Cheryl Linthicum (UTSA)

Project Title: Audit of Operations and Infrastructure using International Water Association Standards

Project Summary: This project is a multi-disciplinary study of the physical loss of water and losses of revenue for the main water purveyor in the San Antonio area. The project will include faculty and students from three departments Civil Engineering, Earth and Environmental Science, and Accounting.

Project Status: Active - Started March 2005

Student Support: Three students supported

This project is administered through the Center for Water Research

Colorado Department of Transportation Project Webpage (sub-contract from Colorado School of Mines)

Project Director: Kyle Murray (UTSA), Paul Santi (CSM), Jerry Higgins (CSM)

Project Title: Rockfall Hazard Data Management System

Project Summary: This is one of three tasks in a project for the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT). This task focuses on collection of GPS locations for rockfall hazards, compilation of hazard information into a GIS database, and integration of the rockfall hazard GIS database with a CDOT decision support system.

Project Status: Active

Student Support: Partial student support available

This project will be administered through the Center for Water Resear

Water Environment Research Foundation Project (sub-contract from Colorado School of Mines)

Project Director: John McCray (CSM), Eileen Poeter (CSM), Kyle Murray (UTSA), David Morgan (USGS), M. Evans (Univ. of Rhode Island)

Project Title: Modeling Watershed Scale Impacts of Onsite Wastewater Systems

Project Summary: The primary objective of this research project is to develop a user-friendly Guidance Document for the selection and application of watershed modeling tools for simulating impacts of onsite-wastewater pollutants at the watershed scale. We will develop calibrated models for three watersheds that are thought to be potentially impacted from decentralized wastewater treatment systems (DWTS). These watersheds vary in size and have different problems and target contaminants. Each of these three watersheds is expected to be undergoing TMDL application in the next 3 to 5 years.

Project Status: Active

Student Support: Support available

This project will be administered through the Center for Water Research