NewsDrop-Winter-2021

Photo: First limestone wall at the EOC.

Drains were cut into the concrete floors to catch any splashes and a utility sink was installed in the staff room in preparation for the four aquarium tanks that will be placed on display. The aquarium at the Education Outreach Center will house native and non-native species found in the Edwards Aquifer System. Endangered species such as the Texas Blind Salamander and the Fountain Darter will reside here, along with common species, including turtles, crayfish and more. In September, several EAA Staff members went on the hunt for the perfect piece of limestone rock to set upon a pedestal. Visitors will be able to touch and see what the aquifer is made up of- up close!

Another exhibit in the making will compare the root structures and transpiration rates of native vs. non- native grasses. Intern Roxanne Eguia spent some time cleaning and pressing the plant specimens in preparation for the exhibit. Graphic panels about the Edwards Aquifer Authority, the Habitat Conservation Plan and the Geology of the Edwards Aquifer will dress up the walls. Some will have video screens and other interactive displays built in. In November, the first shipment of exhibits and materials came into the EOC. The first item to be installed included the reception desk and surrounding area.

Painted and sculpted on site, the walls of the EOC theatre will be textured to look and feel like the inside of an Edwards Cave. Seating inside the theatre will resemble large chunks of limestone rock and limestone ledges. Window dressings and blinds have been hung in place to give just the right amount of darkness to the “cave” and to slow the growth of algae on the walls of the aquarium tanks. Video screen and graphic panel mounts were installed on the walls in anticipation of the second shipment. The second (and final) shipment of exhibits and displays will come in late January. The second shipment will include interactive elements such as the Permeability Tubes, the Micro-Eye, and the Wells exhibit. The finished graphic panels and video screens will also be installed in this second phase and the finishing touches will go in, leaving plenty of time to prepare for a Spring 2022 opening.

Photo: Geology wall at the EOC.

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