Our monthly Austin Sierra Club meeting will be online via Zoom.
We’ll start off with Announcements on current events… Tonite’s main program is “Our Impact on Groundwater and Local Climate in Central Texas – What We Are Learning”, with Nico M. Hauwert.
Nico Hauwert’s passion for studying the water cycles over the Edwards Aquifer arose from his exploration of the forests and underground frontier of Austin beginning in 1979. His groundbreaking Austin-area studies included conducting the first direct groundwater tracing to discover groundwater flow across the aquifer occurs within days versus years, the first detection of widespread groundwater contamination in the Edwards Aquifer in 1994, and most precise measurement of recharge over the Edwards Aquifer in the Austin area using a climate tower coupled with other methods of verification. Since 2016, he has served as Program Manager for the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve Program, a department of the City of Austin’s Water. Nico taught geology for four years as adjunct professor with Concordia University. From 2000 to October 2016 he served as senior environmental scientist for the City of Austin Watershed Protection Department. From 1993-2000 he conducted research on the Barton Springs Segment as Assessment Program manager and senior hydrogeologist for the Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District. He fought wildfires as a summer ranger at Crater Lake National Park in Oregon in 1987. He has served as President of the Austin Geological Society. Nico completed his Ph.D. in 2009 from the University of Texas, received an M.S. in Geology from University of Toledo in 1991, and obtained a B.S. in Geology from University of Texas in 1984.