Edwards Aquifer

High school (ages 12+)
Environment & Earth

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/edwards-aquifer

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the location?Eastern edge of the Edwards Plateau, Texas, USA
2. What is the primary water source for?Approximately 2 million people, agriculture, and industry in Central Texas
3. Why is the Edwards Aquifer important for people?It supplies clean water for about two million people, helps cities grow, and supports farms and factories. Without it, many people would not have enough water.
4. How does the Edwards Aquifer help animals and plants?It feeds springs and rivers that keep many plants and animals alive, including rare salamanders and fish that live only in this area.

Hydrogeology: The study of the movement and distribution of groundwater, including its occurrence and quality.
Artesian System: A confined aquifer where groundwater is under sufficient pressure to rise above the top of the aquifer, sometimes to the surface.
Endemic Species: Organisms that are native to and found only in a specific geographic region, making them particularly vulnerable to habitat changes.
Recharge Zone: An area of land where surface water infiltrates into the ground to replenish an aquifer.