UCRA | Center for Creative Energy

Filtration Ponds a big hit in Drought Cities by Joe Navarro

San Diego, California and San Angelo, Texas are alike in certain ways. For example, the San Diego Safari Park has filtration ponds just like the ones we have behind the Museum of Fine Arts. Filtration ponds uses plants to absorb bacteria and nutrients out of the water. When bacteria and nutrinets are left in the water, algae grows taking oxygen from the water. When the algae dies, the decomposers eat it and then reproduce. They take even more oxygen from the water until finally water creatures start dying. Grants funded the building of the filtration ponds at the Safari Park. These ponds helped move water creatures around the pond system. The water got cleaner by using the filtration ponds. The old system sent the water to the top of a hill and as it slid down the bacteria and nutrients got trapped in the ground plants. Way to go San Diego for improving your water quality! They also have two mini reserviors where the water is saved just like our three reserviors; Twin Buttes, O.C. Fisher, and Lake Nasworthy. Creatures live in and around the reserviors year around such as pelicans and deer. The city of San Diego has the San Diego River running through it just like San Angelo has the Concho River running through it. They’re even going through a drought, like us, and they have to conserve their precious natural

This filtration pond helps to keep the water clean from bacteria and nutrients.

resource…water. For more information on how to conserve water tune in for more Aqua Squad updates.

Comments (2)

Aqua Squad: Making a Splash for Change in West Texas

Meet Aqua Squad! We are 7th and 8th grade students from the San Angelo Independent School District. We are water ambassadors!

What do we do?

We speak for water!

canoeing the Concho River and hearing what it has to say

We educate the public!

Learning about water quality with Chuck Brown from the UCRA

We explore!

Exploring waterless O.C. Fischer Lake in San Angelo

We design!

our ideas for exhibitions and programs to educate the public about water

We need YOUR help!

Fish can't live without water. Neither can we!

West Texas water is in trouble.

We need to work together to conserve our water for us,

our families,

and our future!

Come along with us to explore ways to save our water.

Farewell Art/Science Fusion Spring 2011

Thanks for being such a great group of 2nd graders! Here’s a special message from the staff at the Center for Creative Energy! Have a safe and fun summer, everyone!

Comments (2)

Where Art and Science Connect

Welcome to the Center for Creative Energy! We are stationed in San Angelo, Texas on the banks of the Concho River prepared and excited to kick off a great year of Art and Science programming for San Angelo students.

Monday is the first session of our Art/Science Fusion program. Santa Rita will tour the new All About Texas exhibition and experiment with some basic sketching techniques.

Our staff will be updating this site as the 2011 Center for Creative Energy programs get underway. You can learn more about what the Center for Creative Energy offers in the About Us section.

Be sure to visit later this week to see photos and updates about the tour! We’ll also be posting lesson plans, art/science musings, and entries from guest contributors as the year progresses.