Meadows Center for Water and the Environment (aka Aquarena Center)

Today we met Chris and Milt in San Marcos at the Meadows Center for Water and the Environment (aka Aquarena Center) and took a Glass Bottom Boat tour. The water is so clear, it's easy to see down to the bottom. This lake is filled by hundreds of little aqueducts. Where ever we saw white sand, that was where a vent was. The water filters up through limestone, so every vent is covered by a thin layer of white limestone sand that bubbles and swirls as the water pushed through. 

Our guide told us that the plant life here can grow up to a foot a day, so about once a week they mow it down. We saw a lot of fish and turtles, and Randy spotted a few of the secretive gar.

Our boat cruised over some divers at the bottom, who were part of an ongoing research project. 

When we finished the boat tour, we walked over to the aquarium, where they have some indigenous critters, like the Texas Blind Salamander.

But my favorite part was the topographical display. An shallow box about the size of a card table was filled with sand. Overhead a projector shines down on it, creating the illusion of land and water, complete with topographic lines. When you move the sand around, the projecter makes the appropriate changes in the display. Cool!