GOVENRMENT CANYON: Protecting land that protects 
water ... learn more on Passport to Texas ... 
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Passport to Texas ... from Texas Parks and Wildlife 

Roughly twenty miles northwest of downtown San 
Antonio, Government Canyon State Natural Area offers 
visitors thousands of acres of unspoiled surroundings.

"You might call us a very, very large urban park. And our primary focus 
is on protecting the resources out here."
 
John Keopke is a peace officer and interpreter at the site. 
An outstanding destination for nature lovers, and a 
valuable resource in its own right, Government Canyon 
plays a critical role in protecting a precious resource.

"The main resource that we're protecting is the karst preserve of the 
Edwards aquifer. This is a section of the Edwards aquifer recharge 
zone." 

An aquifer, of course, is an underground layer of earth, 
gravel or porous stone that yields water. 

"And to give you an idea of how much of it we are helping to 
protect ... .our site currently is 8,622 acres ... and of that ... nearly 
76-hundred acres of that is direct recharge zone for the 
Edwards aquifer. And for those that may not know it, the 
Edwards aquifer is the primary source for all the fresh water for 
San Antonio and surrounding communities." 

Government Canyon is a day use facility, and has plenty 
of trails, picnic areas, and a state park store. Visit the 
TPWD website for more information about this site.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife ... I'm Cecilia Nasti.