Rebecca Smyth, M.A., P.G., Bureau of Economic Geology, UT-Austin
Rebecca C. “Becky” Smyth is now a part-time retiree at UT Austin BEG. She grew up in Dallas, TX and Richmond, VA, earning a B.S. in Geology from Va. Tech (Go Hokies!) in 1980. She returned to Dallas via the Big Apple to work in Core Laboratories Petrology Division, but moved back to Austin within a few years. Here she tried becoming a chemist and took graduate classes in geology while working two part-time jobs (BEG and USGS Water Resources). In 1985 she and geologist-husband moved in with military family in England then took to the road in a VW van for 1.5 years across western and eastern Europe, Scandinavia, and USSR, ending up as farm laborers in Israel for three months. Back in Austin again, Ms. Smyth went to work in groundwater consulting then earned a Master’s in Geology at UT Austin (Hook ‘Em) in 1995 (“Porosity and Permeability Controls in the Santana Ash Flow Tuff, Trans-Pecos Texas”); darling Joanna was 4-yrs old by then. Back at BEG from 1997 through 2017, she investigated lands impacted by oil and gas production (1997-2000), airborne laser mapping (lidar) (2001-2006), and geologic CO2-sequestration (2007-2017). In 2018 she returned to BEG part-time to work on the Balmorhea-area springs project, and a few other water-related studies (TCEQ, Travis County).
Abstract
Trans-Pecos Texas is dryer now than it has been since the early aughts and beyond. Fortunately, many of the springs along the north side of the Davis Mtns, between Ft. Davis and Pecos, TX are still flowing, albeit less than they were when the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) began reporting on them in the 1930s-1940s. Since the start of BEG research in 2018, the only significant rainfall in the region was in Fall 2022. By significant rainfall I mean an amount needed to affect brief, but measurable “freshening” in the pool at Balmorhea State Park in Toyahvale, TX. An example of freshening of pool water from >2,000 milligrams per liter total dissolved solids (mg/L TDS), almost down to drinking water standard of 500 mg/L TDS, came after multiple 1-2-inch regional (~5,000 mi2) rainfall events between August and November 2022. From whence the rainfall comes that is recharging one of the five (maybe six) candidate aquifers that are thought to contribute flow to the Balmorhea-area springs is still being studied. Great work by Jack Sharp and students, and the Texas Water Development Board, among others has been helping answer the question: Can existing and future industrial scale production of groundwater take place without more seriously impacting spring flow discharge? We at BEG, and others, think more work is needed.