NewsDrop-April-2024

ISSUE 2 - APRIL 2024

Yanta Farms | Hay Sprigging

TABLE OF CONTENTS

W A T C H EAA BOARD MEETING ON FACEBOOK LIVE:

AQUIFER UPDATE

EAA GENERAL MANAGER’S MESSAGE STEWARDSHIP CAN MEAN DIFFERENT THINGS TO DIFFERENT PEOPLE But at the most basic level stewardship is managing or taking care of something on behalf of someone else or for the benefit of others. PAGE 4

FEATURE STORY HAY SPRIGGING | COLE YANTA AND SCOTT YANTA The EAA region has a rich history in farming and agriculture production given that almost 50% of Edwards Aquifer permits to withdraw water from the Edwards Aquifer are involved in agriculture irrigation. PAGE 6

EAA OUTREACH AGRICULTURE HAY SPRIGGING OUT WEST & JUNIOR LANDSCAPING CHALLENGE RECAP The Junior Landscape Challenge is a contest where students from all over the state compete by showcasing their knowledge about landscape practices...

SCIENCE RESEARCH NOTHING ARTIFICIAL ABOUT THIS COLLABORATION Global climate models can provide projections of future climate, but integrating those projections into the EAA’s computer-based models of the Aquifer is quite a challenge. PAGE 10

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An aquifer conditions update is reported every month at the EAA board meeting to inform board members and the public about the status of the J-17 Index Well, J-27 Index Well, the Comal Springs

and the San Marcos Springs springflows.

These index wells and springs are indicators of the health of the aquifer and critical to drought management.

EDUCATION OUTREACH CENTER LANDSCAPE SOLUTIONS AT THE EAA EOC Want to see native grasses up close before wildscaping your yard? Visit the EOC to see our new native grass demonstration beds! PAGE 12

HABITAT CONSERVATION AN ENVIRONMENTAL MAKEOVER WINS AN AWARD This year the City of New Braunfels received the Park Development Innovations Award for its Landa Park Aquatic Complex parking lot renovation... PAGE 14

EAA GROUNDWATER PROTECTION EAA IDENTIFIES ABANDONED WELLS FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY’S BANDERA ROAD SUPERFUND SITE (EPA) The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) held a ribbon cutting in Leon Valley, Texas. PAGE 16

EDWARDS AQUIFER CONSERVANCY FEAST & FELLOWSHIP PRICELESS FREEBIES The EAA’s dedication to giving back is truly inspiring, reminding us all of the impact of collective generosity.

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The EAA board meeting takes place every second Tuesday of the month at 1 p.m. You can watch the meetings on Facebook Live or click the link below:

https://edwardsaquifer.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx

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GENERAL MANAGER’S MESSAGE

By: Roland Ruiz General Manager

BUT AT THE MOST BASIC LEVEL STEWARDSHIP IS MANAGING OR TAKING CARE OF SOMETHING ON BEHALF OF SOMEONE ELSE OR FOR THE BENEFIT OF OTHERS. STEWARDSHIP CAN MEAN DIFFERENT THINGS TO DIFFERENT PEOPLE

Indigenous peoples were probably the first stewards of the Edwards as waters emanating from the aquifer fed springs and streams, providing resources from which they drew water for their communities. For generations, farmers too have known the value of stewardship, relying on the Edwards to raise crops in a semi-arid climate to sustain the food supply of their families and of this region. As population growth turned rural areas into urban areas over the 20th century, municipalities also came to value stewardship to protect economic investment and sustain community health and well-being by responsibly using resources. AT THE CORE OF OUR MISSION, THAT’S WHAT WE DO AT THE EAA.

Today, the EAA stewardship mission to man age, enhance, and protect the Edwards Aquifer system continues to evolve. The next genera tion vision of aquifer stewardship is grounded on the importance of protecting and enhancing the quantity and quality of water recharging and moving through the Edwards for everyone’s bene fit. This stewardship approach is multi-faceted as

demonstrated within the pages of this newsletter. Examples include efficient irrigation practices in agriculture; landscape and soil restoration, espe cially across the vast watershed to the system; addressing abandoned wells to prevent the intru sion of pollutants into the aquifer; and evaluating the effects of an increasingly variable climate on the future availability of our water resources.

In the end, perhaps it was author and former UK government official Michael Barber who put it most succinctly when he said, “Stewardship is leaving a system better than you found it.” For us, leaving the system better than we found it means our legacy will be an aquifer that is sustainable as a water supply for all uses and users for gener ations to come.

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HAY SPRIGGING WITH COLE AND SCOTT YANTA

By: Isabel Martinez EAA Senior Permit & Conservation Coordinator

AGRICULTURE OUT WEST

The EAA region has a rich history in farming and agriculture production given that almost 50% of Edwards Aquifer permits to withdraw water from the Edwards Aquifer are involved in agriculture irriga tion. In Medina and Uvalde Counties, agriculture producers rely on Edwards Aquifer groundwater to grow various crops such as corn, cotton, sorghum, and hay as well as raise various livestock. For gener ations these crops have continued to provide a way of life for these families, sustenance for our com munities, and commodities for various industries.

What better way to tell the stories of these farming communities than to take you out West with us as we meet with these agriculture produc ers who turn their acres of land into bountifully rooted farms. The EAA’s “Agriculture Out West” series will feature some of the crops that are raised in these communities as well as highlight the people who are responsible for continuing the legacy of their agribusinesses.

Tune into our first highlight on this hay crop, which is a vital food source for livestock animals.

For this issue, we hit the road, and arrived at a farm owned by fifth generation farmer, Cole Yanta. This farm was in the process of beginning hay sprigging to grow coastal bermudagrass. This crop is a popular grass variety used to make hay bales, which are eventually purchased by farmers and ranchers to feed their horses, sheep, goats, and cattle due to its high fiber content. It is a

perennial crop, meaning it only needs to be planted once and will continue to grow when given proper care. The hay grass is allowed to grow for approximately one month and then it is cut and allowed to dry. Once dry, it will be baled and shipped to feed stores in the San Antonio area and Hill Country.

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JUNIOR LANDSCAPING CHALLENGE RECAP

By: Isabel Martinez EAA Senior Permit & Conservation Coordinator

EDUCATING YOUTH THE EDWARDS AQUIFER AUTHORITY (EAA) WAS THE PROUD SPONSOR OF THE JUNIOR LANDSCAPE CHALLENGE AT THIS YEAR’S SAN ANTONIO STOCK SHOW & RODEO.

Educating youth on the importance of water efficiency and proper land scaping on residential and commercial properties instills awareness about socio-environmental issues and how they can make a difference. It is esti mated that over 45% of water used within Texas urban areas is used for outdoor landscaping. Large cities in Texas promote the incorporation of drought-tolerant native plants due to their low maintenance and water requirements. The EAA promotes landscape management practices that incorporate water saving methods in landscape irrigation and landscape design among munici pal and industrial permit holders. Industrial users who landscape irrigate are

encouraged to develop landscape surveys to familiarize themselves with the types of plants that are on their property and develop irrigation schedules for these zones. It is recommended that the irrigation schedules should be devel oped to meet the plant’s reference evapotranspiration rate, also known as ETo, which is the amount of water needed by the plant to continue to thrive. Another useful strategy for industrial users is to ensure that landscape irriga tion systems are functioning properly. Municipal water providers are encouraged to provide customer support, incentives, and education opportunities that help homeowners and commercial property owners to water efficiently and maintain in-ground irrigation systems.

The Junior Landscape Challenge is a contest where students from all over the state compete by showcasing their knowledge about landscape practices and then create an actual landscape plot. The goal of the contest is to promote landscape design, simulate vendor-customer interactions, and promote the value of landscape on one’s property. Teams develop a project plan based on a hypothetical customer and their landscaping desires. This year’s project plan required teams to incorporate water-saving plants and

outdoor water restrictions while meeting the customer’s expectations. The winning team earns scholarship monies for their post-secondary educa tion. Supporting the Junior Landscape Challenge allows the EAA to support agriculture (Ag), Career and Technical Education (CTE), and Science, Tech nology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) students and help them gain awareness about the importance of water efficiency and the role water has in various careers, in this case the landscape industry.

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NOTHING ARTIFICIAL ABOUT THIS COLLABORATION

By: Paul Bertetti , EAA Senior Director, Aquifer Science Research & Modeling

OF THE FIRST 2 YEARS LED TO MORE LOFTY GOALS AS THE COLLABORATION MATURED.

SUCCESSES

THE EDWARDS AQUIFER AUTHORITY (EAA) MUST EVALUATE THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON THE AQUIFER SYSTEM TO SUPPORT THE EDWARDS AQUIFER HABITAT CONSERVATION PLAN INCIDENTAL TAKE PERMIT RENEWAL PROCESS & TO PROVIDE INSIGHT ON THE SUSTAINABILITY OF THE AQUIFER.

• Development of XAI models to estimate water levels and spring flow in the Edwards Aquifer under future climates. • Developing XAI tools to characterize and eval uate the effectiveness of aquifer management mitigation strategies. The future of the EAA/UTSA partnership looks bright. EAA is currently funding a longer-term project to advance the modeling of the Aquifer to include additional data, estimating historical pump ing, and incorporating weather data on a broader spatial scale. Leveraging the talent from a nearby university is a desire for many organizations. Often, universities conduct leading edge research, but there is a dis connect in the practical application of that research. Hakan and Debaditya have led the way in setting an example of the advantages of beneficial coopera tion and support between our two organizations. Not only will the technical results be important, but the examples provided via the collaboration effort may be just as beneficial.

links the models use produce projections from training data—often these models are referred to as “black box” models. With the XAI framework, how ever, Dr. Chakraborty can provide quantitative mea sures of the relative importance of model inputs and reveal how the input parameters are related to each other within the model. These explanatory results help investigators understand the important compo nents of the model and aid in interpreting some of the physical processes driving the results. The EAA/UTSA collaboration began modestly with funding of Dr. Chakraborty’s time during the summer months. Still, the partnership produced important results right away. Debaditya and Hakan developed ways to estimate evapotranspiration, per haps the most important part of the water balance in our semi-arid environment, using limited weather station data. They also used climate model results to evaluate the effects of climate change on the energy requirements needed to cool office buildings in the future. The successes of the first two years led to more lofty goals as the collaboration matured. Hakan and Debaditya identified a range of Aquifer system top ics and questions that could be addressed. And they

have since developed multiple projects and worked with several other research teams to advance the science and application of AI/ML. In fact, funding from EAA combined with successful funding grants from other agencies enabled Dr. Chakraborty to hire two post-doctoral fellows to expand UTSA’s capabil ities. Dr. Chetan Sharma is a researcher specializing in climate change impact assessment and an expert in AI/ML modeling, and Dr. Icen Yoosefdoost spe cializes in water resources engineering with a strong focus on environmental sustainability. Both of these excellent researchers have been engaged in EAA-re lated projects for the past couple of years. Recent results and published papers demonstrate the high quality of work accomplished by Dr. Chakraborty’s team and EAA modelers. The list of topics addressed through our modeling efforts is too vast to cover here, but some of the most important contributions include: • Using XAI models, historical weather data, and climate models to characterize and project droughts in semi-arid regions. • Developing applications for predicting soil moisture.

Global climate models can provide projections of future climate, but integrating those projections into the EAA’s computer-based models of the Aquifer is quite a challenge. One of the ways in which we might address this challenge is to use alternative modeling approaches that correlate spring flows and water levels directly to climate parameters like tempera ture and precipitation. One promising alternative approach includes the use of machine learning (ML) models, which are a subset of artificial intel ligence (AI) models. Of course, AI models have been all the rage in news cycles of late, but the

AI/ML models of interest to EAA represent a dif ferent class of models. These have been shown to have great utility in representing time-series data like daily temperature and springflow. As the leader of the modeling group at EAA, Dr. Hakan Başağaoğlu has made it a priority to engage with regional entities to create partner ships in research. When he was hired back in 2019, one of Hakan’s main tasks was to deter mine if computer-based modeling techniques, using AI/ML methods, could help EAA assess the impacts of future climates. A fruitful outcome of Hakan’s efforts over the past few years is the

development of a working relationship with AI/ ML modeling experts at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Starting in 2019, EAA has worked with Dr. Debaditya Chakraborty to develop approaches to modeling the Edwards Aquifer system. Debadi tya is an assistant professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio and an expert in applied AI/ ML research. One innovation of Debaditya and his group of researchers is the development of eXplainable AI/ML models (XAI models). In the past, use of AI/ML has been criticized because of a lack of transparency in the calculations and

Chetan Sharma, Ph.D., is a post doctoral researcher specializing in climate change impact assessment, artificial intelligence, and hydrology. Dr. Sharma has developed innovative methodologies to analyze large-scale geospatial data and develop predictive models for climate extremes and groundwater sustainability.

Icen Yoosefdoost, Ph.D., is a postdoctoral researcher specializing in water resources engineering with a strong focus on environmental sustainability. Her research covers a broad spectrum of topics, from enhancing water distribution and agricultural planning using advanced programming techniques to investigating the impacts of climate change on agriculture and water reserves.

Debaditya Chakraborty, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor at UTSA’s School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and Construction Management. He is at the forefront of applied Artificial Intelligence research and is spearheading research in developing an innovative eXplainable and counterfactual AI/ML framework.

[Figure 1] Some of the collaborative effort has produced quantifiable ways to compare historical droughts with each other and to use that information to characterize future droughts. Here, drought intensity of recent droughts is shown relative to the 1950’s drought.

[Figure 2] Spring discharge at Comal Springs can be effectively modeled using only temperature, precipitation, and historical data using XAI modeling approaches. Advances to improve the models and their predictive capability are underway.

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LANDSCAPE SOLUTIONS AT THE EAA EOC

By: EOC Staff

Tips from the pros include:

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Do not compost meat, dairy, or greasy foods in your backyard composting bin.

Break up any food scraps to hasten the decomposition process.

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Keep a small bin in your kitchen— possibly in the freezer— to collect compostable food scraps.

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Keep some brown organic material available to cover up any green layer you add.

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IF THERE WERE A WAY TO NATURALLY RESTORE OUR EARTH’S LANDSCAPE AND SOILS... WOULD YOU HELP?

Planting Native Grasses Want to see native grasses up close before wild scaping your yard? Visit the EOC to see our new native grass demonstration beds! This spring, the EOC is adding two native grass beds featuring Little Bluestem and Buffalograss grown from seed. Both species are warm-season, perennial grasses. Little Bluestem grows in dry to moderate soil mois ture in full sun, is a foundation species for tall- and short-grass prairies, and may enhance commercial and residential landscapes. Buffalograss grows in clay soils in moderate-to low-rainfall regions, tolerates

as vegetable and fruit scraps, coffee grounds and paper filters, grass clippings, and even crushed eggshells. As you add new, alternating layers to your bin, immediately cover up any “greens” with a “brown” layer at least four times as thick. Since essential components of the decomposi tion process are oxygen and moisture, “turn” or mix the bin contents occasionally with a garden fork or shovel to aerate--and keep the contents wet, but not soaked. After a few months, when all added material has broken down and the compost looks and smells earthy, it is ready for use! Try mixing it into the top six inches of your garden or sprinkle a thin layer on your lawn annually to help replenish organic nutrients. We are patiently wait ing to enhance the EOC Native Plant Demonstra tion Garden with compost from our bin!

alkaline soils, is important in short- and mixed-grass prairies, and may be used in low-traffic areas instead of non-native grasses such as Bermuda grass, St. Augustine, and Zoysia. Native grasses tend to be drought- and heat-resis tant, require little water to survive, and have long roots which stabilize soil and enable the plant to access moisture and nutrients from deep under ground. We welcome you to visit the EOC to see the native grass beds and demonstration compost bin and to leave inspired!

Composting Recreate this natural decay process for organic materials in your backyard by buying a compost bin or by repurposing wood, wire, or cinder blocks to make one. Choose a bin location with good drain age and nearby access to water. Concerned about rodents and other pests? Ensure your bin has floor, a secure cover, and no large holes or gaps that pests could enter. Once your bin is constructed, add “brown” (car bon-rich) and “green” (nitrogen-rich) organic material to your bin in alternating layers. Start with a few inches of lightweight “browns” to help absorb liquid and to allow for air circulation. Dead leaves, untreated wood chips, and twigs make a perfect “brown” base layer. A thin “green” layer may be added next using organic materials such

For more composting details and a complete list of what foods should and should not be composted in a backyard bin, check out reliable resources at: https://www.epa.gov/recycle/ composting-home

At the Edwards Aquifer Authority’s Education Outreach Center (EAA EOC), you can learn about two easy ways to give back to our earth: composting and planting native grasses. While both processes take time, finished results may include a drought-resistant, grassy landscape and a natural, fertilizing mulch to use as a supplement in your garden, on your lawn, and in homemade potting soil mixtures.

References: United States Environmental Protection Agency; San Antonio Food Bank; Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

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AN ENVIRONMENTAL MAKEOVER WINS AN AWARD

By: EAHCP Staff

Every year, the Texas Recreation and Park Society (TRAPS) recognizes excellence of organizations across the State of Texas advancing and protecting recreational services offered at Texas parks. This year the City of New Braunfels received the Park Development Innovations Award for its Landa Park Aquatic Complex parking lot renovation completed in spring of 2023. The long-standing and highly-used parking lot that serves the Aquatic Com plex received a major upgrade due to the Edwards Aquifer Habitat Conserva tion Program (EAHCP), the City of New Braunfels TCI Department and the City of New Braunfels Public Works Department (Watershed Management

Division). The renovation project included a complete replacement of the parking surface as well as an environmentally friendly bioretention system and drainage structure that filters out pollutants and sediment that run off of the parking lot toward the Comal River during rain events. That major project had been on the City of New Braunfels’ drawing board for a while, but it wasn’t until the EAHCP stepped in to financially jump start the project that it got the green light to proceed. The EAHCP’s interest was that pollutants from that aging parking lot would negatively impact the threatened and endangered species living in the Comal River over time.

“The Aquatic Center’s parking lot is only a stone’s throw away from where federally protected endangered species thrive in the Comal Springs and new channel of the Comal River,” said City of New Braunfels Watershed Coordi nator Phillip Quast. “Once we started talking with the EAHCP team, we knew that we could elevate this typical parking lot repaving into a water quality enhancement type project. And so with the infusion of EAHCP funding and the EAHCP team’s planning and administrative assistance, we were able to move the project forward.”

Congratulations to the City of New Braunfels and EAHCP for this award-win ning, collaborative project which will enhance the Comal River and Comal Springs ecosystem for many years to come. The Texas Recreation and Park Society (TRAPS) is a nonprofit educational and professional organization founded in 1937 to advance the profession of parks, recreation and leisure services in Texas.

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EAA IDENTIFIES ABANDONED WELLS FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY’S (EPA) BANDERA ROAD SUPERFUND SITE

By: Roger Andrade EAA Groundwater Protection Manager

This past January the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) held a ribbon cutting in Leon Valley, Texas, for the Bandera Road Superfund Site where they featured the completion of their construction, testing of the soil vapor extraction wells, and the in-situ bioremediation injection wells.

Both soil vapor extraction, or “SVE,” and air sparging extract (remove) con taminant vapors from below the ground for treatment above ground. Bioreme diation is the use of microbes to clean up contaminated soil and groundwater. Throughout this project, the Edwards Aquifer Authority’s (EAA) Groundwater Protection team has provided the EPA and its contractors with support in its efforts to manage the contamination at this site by helping identify abandoned wells. This assistance provided by the EAA helped reduce the resources it takes to search for the abandoned wells and allowed the wells to be uncovered and properly plugged by the EPA.

In total, the EPA plugged about 20 wells near the property. This assistance provided by the EAA helped reduce the risks to water quality posed by aban doned or destroyed wells. EAA efforts assisted with not only identifying aban doned wells but also efficiently locating and uncovering destroyed wells for proper plugging by the EPA contractors. This project has been collaborative in nature with several agencies playing a part in various aspects of the pro cess, including the City of Leon Valley, United States Geologic Survey (USGS), Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS), and Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).

To watch the EPA’s “Investing in America – Bandera Road Superfund Site Ribbon Cutting Event”, please visit: https://youtu.be/AWsEpwSgue8?si=efQBQYGmHPVZh_Wd

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EAC | EDWARDS AQUIFER CONSERVANCY

PRICELESS FREEBIES SMALL ITEMS YIELD HUGE DIVIDENDS TO OUR EAA MISSION

By: Nikki Young , Sr. Community Engagement Administrator

FEAST & FELLOWSHIP EAA VOLUNTEER LUNCHEON SERVES UP GRATITUDE AND GOOD TIMES!

In the bustling world of community events, one thing stands out amidst the excitement: promotional swag! Yes, those quirky, cool items handed out for free that make you smile and give you a little boost of Dopamine. And nobody does it quite like the Edwards Aquifer Authority!

wizard. But wait, there’s more! How about eco-friendly goodies that say, “Hey, let’s save our corner of the planet together”? EAA promotional items aren’t just handouts, they’re ‘brandouts’. For example, our phone chargers serve as more than just a practical tool – they’re gentle reminders of the importance of the Recharge Zone of our unique Edwards Aquifer system. Each charger not only energizes devices, but also symbolizes our commitment to preserving our community’s vital resources.

Imagine snagging some eclipse glasses just in time for a once-in-a-lifetime cosmic show or scoring a nifty rain gauge to channel your inner weather

Pictured right: Trish Mick from the EAA Administrative team is all smiles while volunteering at the SAWS Spring Bloom along with co-worker, Maggie Veliz, from the Accounting team.

Paesano’s in Lincoln Heights was the place to be on February 23rd as the Edwards Aquifer Authority (EAA) threw a Volun teer Appreciation Luncheon that rocked! Nearly 40 folks came together to celebrate over 1000 hours of volunteering – from park cleanups at our Field Research Park to spreading cheer at the annual H-E-B Feast of Sharing and more. “Volunteering with the amazing staff of the EAA is a blessing!” exclaimed Trish Mick who joined the Administrative team of the EAA in May of 2023, capturing the infectious energy of the event. “And the icing on the cake was receiving a delicious meal as a token of appreciation!”

But the real MVPs of our freebies are the Texas Native seed packets guests receive when they visit our Education Outreach Center (EOC). Each compli mentary packet of Texas native seeds distributed is a gift of a deeper connec tion with our environment. It’s a small gesture with a big impact, spreading seeds of awareness and fostering a deeper appreciation for our native flora.

So next time you’re out at a community bash and someone from the EAA hands you a promotional product, don’t just take it—embrace it! Because it’s not just about the swag – it’s about extending our reach, sharing our message, and invit ing you to be a steward of the Edwards Aquifer.

With laughter echoing and friendships blooming, the luncheon was a reminder of the power of community spirit. As Maya Angelou famously said, “Giving liberates the soul,” and boy, did we feel liberated! The EAA’s dedication to giving back is truly inspiring, reminding us all of the impact of collective generosity. In conclusion, as we reflect on the delightful meal and cherished connec tions made during the Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon, let’s carry forward the spirit of community and continue making a positive impact together. Here’s to many more moments of joy and unity ahead.

Learn more about future volunteer opportunities by visiting https://www.eaconservancy.org and exploring the Contributing Zone page under the “Get Involved” tab.

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CELEBRATE EARTH AT THE EOC! DAY

Support for School Field Trips The EOC is free to attend. We also offer travel support for school field trips. Please apply on the EOC website at https://www.eaaeoc.org/travel-support/ Call us with questions at (210) 547-2222. We look forward to your school field trip! Language Options We have Spanish speakers on staff. If you would like to schedule a field trip to the EOC in a language other than English, please do not hesitate to ask!

Visit the EOC website: https://www.eaaeoc.org/

BOUT US A

The mission of the EAA is to Manage, Enhance, and Protect the Edwards Aquifer. The Edwards Aquifer Authority is a regional water management agency that regulates with integrity, transparency, respect, and commitment to sustainability of the aquifer. NewsDrop is a production of the EAA Communications and Development Department with helpful assistance from EAA Staff.

Edwards Aquifer Authority 900 E Quincy St • San Antonio, TX, 78215 www.edwardsaquifer.org

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