Exploring the nature of Blanco Road Cave in San Antonio, Texas.

Blanco Road Cave is one of San Antonio’s lesser known caves located in the Edwards Plateau. Not too much is known about this cave. Blanco Road Cave is unique and interesting cave due to the many vertical entries and unsaturated Edwards Limestone. This news article will explain the nature and geology of Blanco Road Cave which is located in San Antonio, Texas.

Blanco Road Cave extends through the Edwards Limestone to the Glen Rose Formation due to being located in the Edwards Plateau. Now this cave is filled with unsaturated Edwards Limestone. Blanco Road Cave is a strange vertical cave with many vertical entries. (Ref: https://www.edwardsaquifer.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/2010_Johnson-etal_PantherSpringsCreekBasinFlowpaths.pdf)

The local depth of groundwater indicates that Blanco Road Cave most likely extends through the Edwards Group limestone to the Glen Rose Formation limestone. Faults up to 104 m of vertical displacement do not impede groundwater flow. This cave does had faults up to 104 m. (Ref: https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/books/book/2156/chapter/122265150/Tracer-testing-in-the-Edwards-Aquifer)

The Edwards Aquifer lies underneath Blanco Road Cave. This is significant because the two aquifers are regulated differently by agencies from the City of San Antonio and State of Texas. (Ref: https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/books/book/2156/chapter/122265150/Tracer-testing-in-the-Edwards-Aquifer)

In addition to recharge potential throughout the Classen Ranch property, surface drainage from this property drains into the Panther Springs Creek and in turn the Blanco Road Cave which has repeatedly shown a direct and immediate connection to the Edwards Aquifer. (Ref: https://webapp9.sanantonio.gov/FileNetArchive/%7B8815C407-ACC7-4ED9-8770-3A2CFFBAA454%7D/%7B8815C407-ACC7-4ED9-8770-3A2CFFBAA454%7D.pdf)

Blanco Road Cave is located near Blanco Road and Calico Landing, San Antonio, Texas, US. (Ref: https://gsw.silverchair-cdn.com/gsw/content_public/books/2156/parts/mwr215-24/8/mwr215-24_f05.jpeg)