San Marcos River Foundation Newsletter - Vol. 9, No. 2
Printed Quarterly on Recycled Paper - April 1, 1999

RIVER AWARENESS MONTH BEGINS ON THE FIRST DAY OF APRIL

Mark your calendars, reserving every Thursday evening in April for FIVE important and very interesting River events. Here is the list, with times, places, and details:

• Thursday, April 1, 6 p.m., San Marcos Public Library - Meeting with SWT about Spring Lake Dam.
• Thursday, April 8, 5:30 p.m., National Fish Hatchery on McCarty Lane near IH35, Tour of Refuge.
• Thursday, April 15, 5:30 p.m., Aquarena, Sculpture Tour of Grounds, Submarine Theatre & more.
• Thursday, April 22, 5:30 p.m., Archeology Tour of Texas Rivers Center area at Aquarena.
• Thursday, April 29, 5:30 p.m., Birding on the River Walk, meet at Greenhouse on IH35 at Riverside.

QUARTERLY BOARD MEETING APRIL 20, AGENDA DETAILS

This meeting will be held at the Old Fish Hatchery Building on the San Marcos River, behind the Chamber on C. M. Allen Parkway at 6 p.m. on the third Tuesday of the month, when SMRF (River Foundation) meetings are always scheduled. Mary Borm, CPA, will report on the annual audit, and the '99 budget will be reviewed. There will be details on the $2000 in mini-grants SMRF is giving to local teachers for outstanding river and aquifer curriculum ideas. Even more educational proposals will be discussed and funded in order to reach students in the region outside of San Marcos. Reports will be heard on the hearings SMRF is involved in, and on the scientific studies being done to defend the River in these hearings. All those who are interested in preserving the flow, natural beauty, and purity of the San Marcos River are urged to attend. The meetings are never dull, since there is NEVER a shortage of controversial topics. More things happen to the River than SMRF can even keep up with each month.

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PRESIDENT'S COMMENTS

River Awareness Month (RAM) will have five choice events this year, and they are even more interesting than usual. San Marcos is lucky to have so many knowledgeable people in the community who are willing to talk about their interesting work in the local watershed, and explain the value of our natural treasures in San Marcos. This is part of SMRF's educational work every year. My pick for the most diverse of our events is the tour of the National Fish Hatchery on April 8, which is actually a refuge where the endangered species of the River are bred and kept in case of disaster. They also are restoring prairie plants on the grounds, attracting Monarchs, and have great birding spots. (See schedule above.)

We also hope to have an informative and helpful meeting on April 1st with the SWT engineers and administration involved in the Spring Lake dam repairs. We strongly feel that the community needs to be a part of SWT's considerations when making any changes to such a historic structure, and this is why SMRF is hosting this meeting. Please come to all the RAM events and learn more about your River! Watch the Record for details about the events, and keep the schedule printed at the top of this page.

Inserted into this newsletter is a survey that is being done of Hays, Williamson, and Travis Counties. (Not possible to have it on the website, sorry.) It was inserted into the Austin American, but so far this has not been done in the local San Marcos Record. It can be mailed back postage-free, or dropped at the HEB in San Marcos. Please take the time to fill it out and add your suggestions. This project is being undertaken by a non-profit group under the auspices of UT's Architecture School, and will try to assess some "quality of life" indicators to help local governments guide future decisions on social issues, environmental concerns, and more. It is a way for your ideas to have influence in the long-range planning circles.

River Foundation members do have influence, don't ever think otherwise. We are having great impact, even outside our watershed, because our group is getting state-wide attention in our persistent defense of our River. Thanks for all you do to defend the River, your voice is more important than ever.

NEW BOARD AND OFFICERS FOR 1999

The three candidates for board positions, who were presented by the nominating committee to the annual membership meeting in January, were elected. Kathryn Chaney is re-elected for her second term,, and Therese Kosary-Whalen and Dana Ray were elected for their first terms. Officers of the Board for the coming year are Dianne Wassenich, President; Charles Blankenship, Vice-President; Deborah Lane, Secretary; Kathryn Chaney, Treasurer; and Mark Boucher, Assistant Treasurer (because Kathryn is gone for several months in the summer). The rest of the board quickly volunteered for various other tasks, and SMRF is off to a great running start for 1999. Kay Moore, who we have come to depend on for our financial advice, is helping us transition to a bookkeeping service for the quarterly financial reports, so that our treasurers can keep the checkbook and make deposits, but not have to do all the work that has become necessary as our organization's budget grows.

FLOOD VIDEO DONATED TO PUBLIC LIBRARY

The video from GBRA (Guadalupe/Blanco River Authority) that was shown at the annual membership meeting was donated by SMRF to the San Marcos Public Library. Any card holder can check it out to view it at home. The Guadalupe River flooding pictured was unbelievable.

COTTAGE KITCHEN LUNCHEON A SMASHING SUCCESS

Thanks to all those who came to lunch, not to speak of all the cooks, servers, and bakers for the event. SMRF served 100 lunches, and deposited a tidy sum in the Heritage Association's checking account, a small way to thank them for their years of financial support to SMRF. There is one 9x13 glass dessert pan left from the event, unclaimed, if a reader is missing one. Do eat at the Cottage Kitchen every Friday---great food at a good price, and for a good cause---preserving San Marcos history.

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FEBRUARY RIVER CLEANUP ACTUALLY HAPPENED TO HAVE GOOD WEATHER!

Good weather for a River cleanup--not normal in the early spring--but that is what the volunteers had this year. Hundreds of participants, mountains of trash, lots of recycling done by Green Guy Kyle Hahn, lots of fun canoeing and shuttling donated by TG Canoes and Spencer Canoes. Then SMRF provided great barbecue catered by Woody's at Shady Grove Campground in Martindale, and hundreds of desserts were donated by all the local bakers.

Many people traveled from Houston, Dallas, and points beyond to gather trash that the Great Flood of '98 brought to the River. They picked up all they could lift, some even worked till dark. Ninety miles of river was cleaned. Some creeks like Purgatory were cleaned as well. A second, more diver-oriented cleanup of the City happened in March, and even more trash was taken from the bed of the River. There is still more work to be done, especially on the brushy tributaries like Sink, Willow, and Purgatory Creek, but great progress has been made. It will take years to fully recover from the flood.

Thanks to all who took the time to help clean up on that beautiful warm Saturday, or bake or otherwise support the workers. The biggest thanks of all goes to the Goynes family of Pecan Park Retreat who coordinated the event, as they have for 27 years now!

SMRF GETS TWO MORE VERY USEFUL GRANTS

The Vaughn Foundation and the Wray Trust both decided to continue to support the legal work/scientific study that SMRF is doing to clean up pollution in the River while making sure that the River's flow is protected as well. A total of $4,500 was received in early '99 from these two foundations, and combined with the interest income from SMRF's endowment fund to cover the legal bills and lab fees, etc. that SMRF is steadily incurring in its battles for the River. (Over $20,000 was spent last year.)

These two foundations supported SMRF's work in the past to get the City wastewater discharge into the River cleaned up, at a time when SMRF's endowment fund interest was not nearly enough to get by on. They are interested in water quality issues in general, with a special interest in the San Marcos River's unique ecosystem and natural beauty. SMRF's board is eternally grateful to the Vaughn Foundation and Wray Trust, and strives to live up to their confidence in our organization.

REMEMBER THAT SMRF MEETS EVERY MONTH ON THE THIRD TUESDAY

The meetings are at 6 p.m. in the Old Fish Hatchery Building on the River Walk behind the Chamber on C.M. Allen Parkway. Please attend to catch up on River news. Third Tuesday each month.

RINGED KINGFISHER SIGHTED IN SAN MARCOS ON RIVER WALK

The rare (for this area) Ringed Kingfisher that San Marcans were on the alert for this mild winter finally was sighted clearly by Wilfred and Bridget Webb on the power line over Purgatory Creek right on the entrance drive into Playscape at the San Marcos River Walk. Green and Belted Kingfishers are seen often along the River Walk and at Aquarena, and even elsewhere on ponds outside of town, but the Ringed has been elusive. A photo is still hoped for, or even a good photo of one of the other two kingfisher types with a San Marcos River background, so that an article can be sent to national birding magazines about this wonderful possibility of visiting San Marcos and seeing kingfishers! Take a camera when birdwatching. Be sure to attend the Stroll for birders that Dr. Dave Huffman is leading on April 29, along the River Walk, beginning at the Greenhouse on IH35 near Herbert's on Riverside Drive.

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LATEST UPDATES ON THE TWO RIVER HEARINGS

The Fish Hatchery hearing is on hold while the State rearranges its permit schedule. SMRF is using this time to further study the content of the fish hatchery waste discharge, by hiring an algae expert from Austin and giving her samples that were taken with the hatchery staff's permission. The computer model run by Dr. Fairchild, Water Issues Chair, and also checked by a consulting engineer, shows clearly that the State stream standards cannot be met by the currently drafted permit for the hatchery. The State has not yet accepted that fact, but SMRF hopes they will in time to prevent a costly hearing. Meanwhile, there are two bills in the legislature that will increase funding for Texas Parks & Wildlife, who runs the hatchery. These bills will help maintain State Parks and allow TP&W to build treatment facilities for their hatcheries, which currently discharge untreated waste. SMRF members can talk to their state representatives about their opinions on these two important TP&W funding bills.

The Bed & Banks hearing is nearing a conclusion. The hearing examiner decided to allow the permit, but with many restrictions (thanks to SMRF) on the amount of water that the City could take from the River in exchange for their sewer plant discharge into the River. The wastewater goes into the River near Thompson's Island, and the place the City wants to take water out of the River is at Westerfield Crossing. Another set of legal briefs were filed since that decision, in which the City's attorneys vehemently objected to the restrictions, continuing to threaten the State with a lawsuit for "taking their private property", as they refer to their aquifer water which becomes wastewater. SMRF's attorneys continue to hammer on the illegality of even calling this private water, and also on the banning by the State of any hearing testimony about the polishing, or diluting of the sewage with River water, illegal in the Texas Water Code.

The City claimed under oath in the hearing that the Canyon Lake water, that they would soon be using, would increase the flow of the River after it is discharged from the sewer plant, but now there is a new plan to sell that wastewater to a huge power plant that is coming near the mall, so those claims seem to have been forgotten. The final decision on this Bed & Banks permit may be made in late April by the three commissioners in charge of protecting the natural resources of Texas. Watch the local paper for news about that, or take a look at SMRF's website, which has a Hot News button for updates on legal issues, written by Dr. Fairchild. See the website at www.sanmarcosriver.org and keep up with the news.

A NEW WAY TO KEEP UP WITH SMRF'S WORK FROM DAY TO DAY

There is a new email list, which is the SMRF Board's day to day communication on issues and general work of the group. If you wish to receive these emails, which can sometimes amount to a page or two a day, please notify wassenich@sanmarcos.net and you will be able to keep up with volunteer opportunities as they happen, and more than you ever wanted to know about SMRF's projects.

TEXAS RIVERS CENTER AT AQUARENA

Texas Parks & Wildlife recently announced preliminary plans for their new Texas Rivers Center at Aquarena, and continues to negotiate with SWT on those plans. The hotel may be closed and used for offices. The new building may be built on the site of the swimming pool near the hotel, since that is one of the few spots out of the flood plain. The rest of the buildings and parking lots on the peninsula between the slough and the lake may be slowly removed, and grassy meadows and wetlands restored in the floodway and flood plain. All of this will take years, if the two parties come to an agreement to build, and SWT will then operate the educational center.

SMRF members will hear more about the archeology work already done on this site, and to be done in the near future to preserve the valuable artifacts during the planned construction, at the Strolling Lecture on April 22. (See page 1, River Awareness Month Events.) The existing Aquarena Center, managed by Ron Coley, has become quite an educational center, reaching over 50,000 schoolchildren with great programs last year. The April 15 Stroll in the new sculpture garden and art exhibit in the Submarine Theatre is listed on page 1, RAM events. The well established native plantings of grounds manager Jay Cody will be worth seeing that day, as well as the huge indoor aquarium and aquifer cave. This and the movies about the River and aquifer are all free, anytime visitors stop by. Glass bottom boats run all day for a nominal fee.

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