In the architectural world, there's this thing called mimicry: structures that are inspired by nature. There's biomimicry, such as at Antoni Gaudi's ethereal (started in 1881 and still under construction!) cathedral in Barcelona: Tree-like columns inside Gaudi's Barcelona cathedral (via Wikimedia Commons) There's also geomimicry, such as Jean Nouvel's stunning National Museum of Qatar inspired by … Continue reading hydrogeomimicry: a visit to san antonio’s confluence park
there’s still a gusher in Sulphur, Oklahoma
I loves me a well that squirts water from the ground! We'll let the Freudists debate precisely what that means psychologically, but for me, it's hydrogeology come alive in a magical display of hydraulic head higher--sometimes substantially higher--than the land surface. Water! Flowing "uphill"!!! Sadly, many of the early gushers have long dried up due to … Continue reading there’s still a gusher in Sulphur, Oklahoma
a big ole well in a big ole aquifer
I was fortunate enough to attend an eight-state conference on the Ogallala Aquifer up in Garden City, Kansas, a couple of weeks ago. Whenever I head to Kansas, I check on how close one of my hydrologic bucket-list items—The Big Well in Greensburg—will be. With Greensburg an hour forty from Garden City; I had just … Continue reading a big ole well in a big ole aquifer
a trip to the (flowing!) comanche springs
Hunting for crawfish in the canal just downstream of the pool. The salt rim on the sides suggests a waning flow. Comanche Springs (originally named Awache, Comanche for "wide water") was a Comanche stop into and out of Mexico (and surely a pre-historic stop for water in a land where water iss scarce). Later, the … Continue reading a trip to the (flowing!) comanche springs
du ponts’ artesian well in louisville, kentucky (1858)
After Mulot imported Chinese cable-tool drilling to the western world and successfully sank a flowing artesian well in Paris, water wildcatters worldwide slowly began chipping into the depths in search of artesian water. The du Ponts drilled one such well in Louisville, Kentucky; a well nicely described by Professor J. Lawrence Smith of the University … Continue reading du ponts’ artesian well in louisville, kentucky (1858)
happy V-day from the wellhead!
Water! Plenty of It: Enough for one thousand homes
Neat advertisement for a development in East Dallas spouting off (so to speak...) about its flowing artesian well. Vickery Place as a development began in 1911; this enticement was published in the Dallas Morning News on June 11, 1911. According to "The Geology of Dallas County" by Ellis Shuler, the Vickery Place well intercepted sands at … Continue reading Water! Plenty of It: Enough for one thousand homes
yapping about artesian wells (and water conservation) in Austin
I'll be yipping and yapping about the history of artesian wells on February 1st (8a to 3:30p at the Canyon View Event Center in Austin) at the Central Texas Water Conservation Symposium. The title of the symposium is "Future-Focused Water Conservation--Past to Present: What's Next on the Horizon?" My presentation is past-focused with the historical tidbit that … Continue reading yapping about artesian wells (and water conservation) in Austin
Oldie but Goodie: Underground waters of the Rio Grande Plain and Edwards Plateau (Hill and Vaughan 1898)
"Geology of the Edwards Plateau and Rio Grande Plain Adjacent to Austin and San Antonio, Texas, with Reference to the Occurrence of Underground Waters" by Robert T. Hill and T. Wayland Vaughan published by the U.S. Geological Survey in 1898 (works volume 4, annual report volume 18, part 2, pages 199-321 with plates) captures the … Continue reading Oldie but Goodie: Underground waters of the Rio Grande Plain and Edwards Plateau (Hill and Vaughan 1898)
IRISYDHT: The Fourth National Climate Assessment Report
(IRISYDHT = I Read It So You Don’t Have To) Human-forced climate change is a delicate topic in many policymaking circles in Texas. I half-jokingly refer to the state of the discussion in the state as an unspoken “Don’t-Ask-Don’t-Tell” policy.” Some folks clearly adhere to the science, some folks clearly don’t, and others have a … Continue reading IRISYDHT: The Fourth National Climate Assessment Report
