Goodenough Springs Exploration Project - News Release

[chucknoe]

Del Rio, TX – July 20, 2008 – Cave divers from the Goodenough Springs Exploration Project surpassed their previous exploration efforts Sunday by successfully penetrating this high-flow underground aquifer to a record depth of 515 feet. This dive confirms Goodenough Springs near the U.S. / Mexico border as likely the deepest explored underwater cave system in the United States. Through its nine years of existence the all-volunteer team fought torrential currents to work their way past a tight restriction in the cave nearly 200 feet underwater before they were able to venture even deeper. Project Director Chuck Noe was surprised upon discovering an abrupt change in the tunnel’s structure. He related, “After descending more than a hundred feet down a steep, deeply-eroded passage the cave turned 180 degrees under itself and headed off in a more gentle slope of loose pea-gravel”. By his account the cave continues even deeper, though not at such a rapid rate. The self-funded GSEP also maintains an array of scientific instrumentation in the cave to aid researchers from Texas A&M and Texas State Universities in addition to governmental agencies. A more-detailed description of the dive and related photos are available online at the project’s website – Goodenough Springs Exploration Project.

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

515', pretty friggin amazing by any account.

Just curious, but I'm guessing thats from the surface of the lake and not the depth past the cave entrance, correct?

 

[ianr33]

Just curious, but I'm guessing thats from the surface of the lake and not the depth past the cave entrance, correct?

Correct.