http://m.mysanantonio.com/news/local/article/From-the-sky-this-sinkhole-looks-like-an-abyss-7858627.php

Private land where a creek disappears. As long as water is still going in, we need rain....

I don't recall where we were, but I was on an Association of Engineering Geologists field trip and visited a similar spot. For the life of me, I wish I recalled what creek we were on and where it was.

I agree though, as long as that creek isn't flowing downstream, we need rain. And San Antonio and others areas net to curb their insatiable thirsts

Almost certain that's the record buck ranch, near utopia.

Hunted it a few times and lodged there many times.

If it is that ranch, it's Seco Creek

Video here:

http://www.wideopencountry.com/edwards-aquifer-sinkhole/

Yeah....don't fall in THAT!

I don't think that creek ever flows "downstream". That sink hole IS downstream. That's the book end.

If that was on my place, I think I might have it fenced or something.

After watching that video it does appear to have a fence of some kind; presumably to keep large objects from getting sucked in.

Wow. That's impessive. So I'm assuming all the fish that get swept underground can't survive, right?

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Yeah....don't fall in THAT!

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No kidding. Thats a one way express ticket straight to the aquifer. I could have nightmares about falling into that thing.

I want to drop a wire line camera down there and check it out.

That's on the Seco. Worked on that ranch may times

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I want to drop a wire line camera down there and check it out.

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I believe it drops a couple hundred feet down there but they have divers that come out and go down there. I want to say they're checking some endangered or protected species and something like that.

an old man named Darby once told me there were little people who lived down there

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That's on the Seco. Worked on that ranch may times

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Is that one a ranch that at one time had a name that started with a V?

That is terrifying.

Double T ranch, I believe

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I don't recall where we were, but I was on an Association of Engineering Geologists field trip and visited a similar spot. For the life of me, I wish I recalled what creek we were on and where it was.

I agree though, as long as that creek isn't flowing downstream, we need rain. And San Antonio and others areas net to curb their insatiable thirsts

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Just check your field book. You did take a field book and take notes ,yes? Who needs an email....matthewson, heaney, or johnson?

I feel so old with Mike Heaney teaching field camp now. He was a TA for my field camp under Brann Johnson.

It would have been Mathewson. I believe I said it was an AEG trip after all. I'm not in the same city as that field book currently.

4 spring breaks in Mason and three consecutive summers at field camp... just gotta find the right book.

http://www.beg.utexas.edu/staffinfo/paine-pubs/jgp_seco.pdf

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I don't think that creek ever flows "downstream". That sink hole IS downstream. That's the book end.

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It actually looks like the stream was dammed and diverted into the sinkhole.

That is not a natural recharge point, it was man made and the creek was diverted to it. There are some farmers/ranchers down stream that were left without surface water. The San Antonio and Austin area use too much groundwater and are not willing to build additional reservoirs, North Texas is 20 years late on expanding their storage.

The sinkhole is on a ranch formerly known as Valdina Farms, later renamed Triple R Ranch and just recently became a part of the Nooner Ranch north of D'Hanis.

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That is not a natural recharge point, it was man made and the creek was diverted to it. There are some farmers/ranchers down stream that were left without surface water. The San Antonio and Austin area use too much groundwater and are not willing to build additional reservoirs, North Texas is 20 years late on expanding their storage.

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I would assume the hole itself is natural, but I would agree that the channel going to it appears man made.

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That is not a natural recharge point, it was man made and the creek was diverted to it. There are some farmers/ranchers down stream that were left without surface water. The San Antonio and Austin area use too much groundwater and are not willing to build additional reservoirs, North Texas is 20 years late on expanding their storage.

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I would assume the hole itself is natural, but I would agree that the channel going to it appears man made.

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Yep, and yes is was Valdina farms at one time.

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The San Antonio and Austin area use too much groundwater and are not willing to build additional reservoirs, North Texas is 20 years late on expanding their storage.

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Can't speak for Austin but San Antonio has been a role model / poster child for water conservation. They haven't built wasteful reservoirs and continue to reduce ground water use. They use less water per person today than they did three decades ago and as a whole are maintaining (and in some instances) reducing total water demand despite a surging population.

North Texas is one of the greatest water wasters in the US (maybe even the world) and a new major reservoir to serve them is unlikely

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The San Antonio and Austin area use too much groundwater and are not willing to build additional reservoirs, North Texas is 20 years late on expanding their storage.

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Can't speak for Austin but San Antonio has been a role model / poster child for water conservation. They haven't built wasteful reservoirs and continue to reduce ground water use. They use less water per person today than they did three decades ago and as a whole are maintaining (and in some instances) reducing total water demand despite a surging population.

North Texas is one of the greatest water wasters in the US (maybe even the world) and a new major reservoir to serve them is unlikely

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There is already a major project in the works for North Texas that links 8 major reservoirs to supply water.....

http://www.iplproject.com/

Good. Our existing reservoirs are under utilized. I'd stand behind any infrastructure improvement that would obviate the construction of new reservoirs

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The San Antonio and Austin area use too much groundwater and are not willing to build additional reservoirs, North Texas is 20 years late on expanding their storage.

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Can't speak for Austin but San Antonio has been a role model / poster child for water conservation. They haven't built wasteful reservoirs and continue to reduce ground water use. They use less water per person today than they did three decades ago and as a whole are maintaining (and in some instances) reducing total water demand despite a surging population.

North Texas is one of the greatest water wasters in the US (maybe even the world) and a new major reservoir to serve them is unlikely

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Along with the IPLmentioned, there is also a rather large reservoir and distribution pipeline e going in for North Texas Water. We are doing a lot of work forthat area, as well as for SAWS.

Yep that's the ranch formerly known as Valdina Farms. I was there last summer right after it was bought by it's new owner. Rode out there with Eric(the owner) and the place is incredible with a lot of history. The main house is something like 20,000 sq ft up on a huge hilltop and has a bunker in it to keep safe from the Cuban missile crisis. One of the original houses on the property has an underground bar that was around during the prohibition days with a tunnel that leads out underground to escape from authorities. Eric's also got documents from the family of the original owners and supposedly there's buried gold out there was was lost because the owners who buried it were killed in either a plane crash or hit by a train in their car (can't remember). We scavenged the main house and found a lot of really interesting historical documents.

Also, because of that "sinkhole" Eric made back most of his money that he purchased the place for. Shortly after he bought it, the city of San Antonio approached him and wanted to purchase the water rights to the place. He made back a huge chunk...everything that guy touches turns to gold. Pretty crazy.

Very weird seeing this place like this, because when I was there it was all brown and dried up.

http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/news/us_world/article_912b3151-4ef2-5c42-afe7-fcc2ba902ade.html?fb_action_ids=10208665941993352&fb_action_types=og.recommends&fb_ref=.V0dhJHaG8LM.like

View from huge house on the hill that was built in the 50s I believe.


One of the old horse barns. He turned one of them into a hunting lodge.




Mural done some time before that was in the old ranch headquarters. Shows the history of the place.


This was the only water on the place when we were there. Looking this direction leads to the sinkhole. Opposite direction leads to 50-60 foot cliff side bluffs.