through the aquifer and contaminate down-gradient water sources in a short period of time (hours to days). Aquifers can be easily contaminated when pollutants enter the recharge zone. Because of this vulnerability to contamination, organizations have formed to protect the Edward's Aquifer recharge zones. Anthropogenically sourced pollutants (pesticides, VOCs, and synthetically derived compounds) can be found within the Edwards Aquifer at minuscule levels. Ecology The Edwards Aquifer supports a wide variety of organisms, and several endemic species. The ecosystem is one of the most diverse subterranean aquatic ecosystems in the world. The widemouth blindcat (Satan eurystomus), a unique species of blind catfish, has been pumped out of wells almost 610 meters deep along the FW-SW boundary. However, all aquatic-dependent plants and wildlife in the Edwards Plateau area rely on the aquifer to support essential components of their habitats. Currently, the terrain is dominated by oak – juniper parks. The dominant woody plant on the Edwards Plateau is Ashe juniper (Juniperus ashei). Edwards Aquifer is home to a large number of invertebrate species, 40 of which have been described. The most diverse groups are the prosobranch gastropods and amphipod crustaceans. The Edwards Aquifer has the highest recorded diversity of stygobites in the world. In the United States, only the fauna of the Edwards Aquifer of Texas has a significant component of marine-derived species. Of the major karst regions in the United States, it is the only one with a significant marine component. Of the 64 stygobionts known from the Edwards Aquifer, 17 are marine relics. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) consider the Comal and San Marcos Springs ecosystems to have one of the greatest known diversities of organisms of any aquatic ecosystem in the Southwestern United States. This is due in part to the constant nature of the temperature and flow of the aquifer waters that have created unique ecosystems supporting a high degree of endemism. The Edwards Aquifer is the sole environment for the rare Barton Springs salamander (Eurycea sosorum), which is a federally listed endangered species. At Comal and San Marcos Springs, their openings and in the rivers and lakes originating from the springs, one threatened and seven endangered species have been listed by USFWS under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. The San Marcos salamander (Eurycea nana) is listed as threatened. The San Marcos gambusia (Gambusia georgei), Texas wild rice (Zizania texana), fountain darter (Etheostoma fonticola),