The Search for Water: Replenishing Watersheds in the Texas Drought
Texas has a long history with droughts. Appreciating their causes, and how to better prepare for them, requires understanding complex interactions between the natural world and human activities. The Search for Water: Replenishing Watersheds in the Texas Drought immerses participants in a journey from outer space to Dallas to explore how the availability of water in Texas is impacted by the behavior of global weather patterns and local ecosystems. It highlights the value of design and planning for the long-term health of our communities, and how simple steps can help to ensure the wellbeing of current and future generations.
This event originally took place at the Perot Museum’s “Portable Universe” planetarium (Dallas, TX) on September 14, 2013.
Program kit
Script and storyboard, installer, and the data sources used.
Script & Storyboard
- Read the storyboard (web page)
- Open the script and storyboard (opens in a new tab) (Google Doc)
Installer
Uniview Installer Files
- wvn12_perot_FINAL.msi (35MB)
- Windows installer. Requires Uniview 1.5 (opens in a new tab)
Data Sources
- Digital Universe Atlas (opens in a new tab)
- Blue Marble Next Generation
http://neo.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/view.php?datasetId=BlueMarbleNG-TB (opens in a new tab)
http://neo.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/view.php?datasetId=GEBCO_BATHY (opens in a new tab) - US Drought Monitor (opens in a new tab)
- PRISM precipitation maps (opens in a new tab)
- Texas precipitation, riverse, etc.
http://www.twdb.state.tx.us/mapping/gisdata.asp (opens in a new tab)
http://nhd.usgs.gov (opens in a new tab)
Videos and visualizations related to the program.
Decline of Lake Meredith Time Lapse
- The Habitable Planet: A systems approach to environmental science (opens in a new tab)
- Texas Water Development Board: State Water Planning (opens in a new tab)
- Texas Water Development Board: Drought Report (opens in a new tab) (PDF)
- Texas Water Development Board: Drought (opens in a new tab)
- Texas Drought Information (opens in a new tab)
- Texas Water Smart (opens in a new tab)
- Texas Drought photos (opens in a new tab)
- Texas Aquatic Science: A guide for students grades 6 through 12 — From molecules to ecosystems, and headwaters to ocean (opens in a new tab)
- John Bunker Sands Wetland Center (opens in a new tab)
- Water Calculator (opens in a new tab)
- Texas Stream Team (opens in a new tab)
- Texas Amphibian Watch: Become an Amphibian Spotter (opens in a new tab)
- Texas Mussel Watch: Become a Texas Mussel Watch Volunteer (opens in a new tab)
- National Drought Mitigation Center: Water Conservation (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Drought Portal: Education (opens in a new tab)
The people and organizations behind the program.
Partners
- Perot Museum of Nature & Science (opens in a new tab)
- John Bunker Sands Wetland Center (opens in a new tab)
- NOAA Office of Education (opens in a new tab)
- The Elumenati (opens in a new tab)
Funders
Presenters
- Rachel Thompson (Perot Museum of Nature & Science)
- Schelly Corry (Perot Museum of Nature & Science)
Scriptwriters
- Rachel Thompson (Perot Museum of Nature & Science)
- Schelly Corry (Perot Museum of Nature & Science)
- Ned Gardiner (NOAA)
- Kathi Koontz (CAS)
- David McConville (The Elumenati)
Science Advisors
- Rachel Thompson (Perot Museum of Nature & Science)
- Schelly Corry (Perot Museum of Nature & Science)
- Jason Treadway (Perot Museum of Nature & Science)
- Jessie Crowley (Perot Museum of Nature & Science)
- Hannah Moots (Perot Museum of Nature & Science)
- Linda Dunn (John Bunker Sands)
- John DeFilipo (John Bunker Sands)
- Ned Gardiner (NOAA)
GIS & Visualizations
- Ned Gardiner (NOAA)
- Kathi Koontz (CAS)
- Cynthia Powell (CalFlora)
- Ka Chun Yu (DMNS)
Creative Direction
- David McConville (The Elumenati)
Production Coordination
- Kathi Koontz (CAS)
Technical Support
- Ka Chun Yu (DMNS)
- David McConville (The Elumenati)