Comal Springs ( ) are the largest concentration of naturally occurring freshwater springs in
Texas. They are located in the city of
New Braunfels and are the result of water percolating through the
Edwards Aquifer formation.
History
The springs were historically a magnet for the indigenous population of the region, often
Tonkawas. The first
Spanish explorer to visit the springs was Damián Massanet in 1691. The site was later home to a Spanish mission. Spanish settlers eventually called the site "Las Fontanas". The area has been home to a mixture of recreational and commercial endeavors, including Landa Park.
Geology and natural history
The Comal Springs are fed by the
Edwards Aquifer, a large
karst
Karst is a topography formed from the dissolution of soluble rocks such as limestone, dolomite, and gypsum. It is characterized by underground drainage systems with sinkholes and caves. It has also been documented for more weathering-resistant ro ...
aquifer that runs through most of central Texas. The aquifer consists of porous, water-bearing
limestone features which channel rainfall and
surface runoff
Surface runoff (also known as overland flow) is the flow of water occurring on the ground surface when excess rainwater, stormwater, meltwater, or other sources, can no longer sufficiently rapidly infiltrate in the soil. This can occur when th ...
from the aquifer's recharge zone down to various discharge zones, including the springs.
The Comal Springs are home to a variety of unique plant and animal life. One notable example is the Fountain Darter (Etheostoma fonticola). In addition to the association of groundwater availability with this locale along the Balcones Fault, the area is also considered an ecological dividing line for occurrence of some species; for example, the
California Fan Palm, ''
Washingtonia filifera
''Washingtonia filifera'', the desert fan palm, California fan palm, or California palm,Flora of North America Association. ''Flora of North America: North of Mexico Volume 22: Magnoliophyta: Alismatidae, Arecidae, Commelinidae (in Part), and Zi ...
'' occurs only at or west of Comal Springs, i.e. Balcones Fault zone.
[C. Michael Hogan. 2009]
See also
*
Comal River
*
Guadelupe River
References
* Gunnar Brune. 1981. ''Springs of Texas'', Vol. 1, Fort Worth: Branch-Smith
* C. Michael Hogan. 2009
''California Fan Palm: Washingtonia filifera'', GlobalTwitcher.com, ed. Nicklas Stromberg* . 2008
Line notes
External links
Edwards Aquifer AuthorityDetailed video tour Comal SpringsDetailed video and narration of Comal Springs on Youtube.com
{{Texas
Rivers of Comal County, Texas
New Braunfels, Texas
Springs of Texas