After years of collaborative study and work, Dr. Walter Den has completed a project designed to help protect one of the region’s most critical and vulnerable natural resources.
Den is a professor in Texas A&M University-San Antonio’s Department of Natural Sciences and program coordinator for the Water Resources Science and Technology Program, which helps develop workforce-ready graduates for in-demand water industry positions.
Working with various city stakeholders, Den in 2019 started working on a multifaceted plan on how to preserve the Edwards Aquifer, San Antonio’s main source of drinking water and the principal source of water for the region’s agricultural and industrial activities. The end result is a training manual and other educational materials for first responders, offering best practices on how to eliminate or reduce risks of pollution discharge into the aquifer because of potentially catastrophic emergencies such as fire, flood, high wind, and explosions.
Stretching some 180 miles across 10 counties in south central Texas, the aquifer has sections of cracked and porous rocks and limestone, a potentially vulnerable area where runoff, chemical spills, and other pollutants can infiltrate and contaminate the aquifer.
For example, parts of the aquifer run along heavily developed stretches of Loop 1604. The manual provides guidelines on how to respond if a fire breaks out at a large commercial space like a home improvement store where there are toxic chemicals and materials.
The situation is not as straightforward as simply dousing the flames with water, Den explained, because the runoff could lead to hazardous chemicals entering the aquifer.
“Contaminating the groundwater could create bigger problems and health risks than any air pollution caused by a fire,” Den said. “In some cases, it’s safer to let the fire burn. Our project provides the processes and tools to make those kinds of on-site decisions.”
Ben Urbancyzk, principal regulatory inspector for the Edwards Aquifer Authority, worked with Den in establishing some of these processes and tools. Using geographic information system software, Urbancyzk said the Authority analyzed and mapped out spatial data, identifying features like sinkholes, crevices, and fractures that connect to the aquifer’s surface. This critical information helps first responders decide where, how, and if to extinguish a fire.
“We also have a database identifying and mapping facilities that store hazardous chemicals that are located along the aquifer’s recharge zone,” said Urbancyzk.
Mark Black, a retired battalion chief with the San Antonio Fire Department, also collaborated on the project. He said part of the training manual’s objective is to help first responders reorient their existing skillset to effectively address fires or other emergencies that could potentially threaten the aquifer.
“In a large-scale fire, it’s critical to know about the type of development in the area. What's on site? How does the topography work? Where will the runoff go?”
It’s this kind of information that first responders use to make on-site decisions. In some scenarios, the safest option is to let the fire burn, Black said. In other scenarios, when extinguishing a fire is required, the information helps firefighters determine where and how to effectively “dike and dam” in order to divert and capture any runoff and protect the aquifer.
“Once we capture all this water, then we bring in the experts, test it, and decide how to dispose of it,” Black said.
Den’s project is part of the City of San Antonio’s voter-approved Proposition 1, the Edwards Aquifer Protection Venue Project. The city contributed about $219,00 for Den’s project, while the University secured $78,000 in in-kind contributions and $10,000 in annual management funding.
Den’s report brings together a complex set of guidelines and strategies and coordinates multiple regional organizations. He helped convene a group of stakeholders last spring, including the San Antonio Fire Department, San Antonio River Authority, Edwards Aquifer Authority, and several nonprofit environmental organizations to finetune the report in a final workshop.
Over the summer, Den and his collaborators presented the project to the San Antonio City’s Conservation Advisory Board, which approved the project’s completion. The project is now under review by the city for final approval and adoption.
The report is a notable accomplishment for Den as he oversees the Water Resources Science and Technology Program, which offers a Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Arts and Sciences, and Master of Science degrees. The University launched the program in 2019 in response to the rapid population growth in Texas and the growth in industry jobs with utilities, water treatment plants, conservation districts, watershed authorities and engineering firms.
“Our livelihood and economy depend entirely on the availability of a clean water supply,” said Den. “The mission of the Water Resources program is to revive the talent pipeline for the water industry and elevate the quality of education for professionals already in the industry so that we can help ensure that the nation’s economy can continue to grow sustainably.”