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SAN MARCOS RIVER FOUNDATION NEWSLETTER VOL. 14, NO. 1
Printed Quarterly -- January 4, 2004
PLUNGE INTO THE RIVER ON NEW YEAR'S DAY '04
About 150 attended and about half plunged
in, all together at noon at the 6th Annual Plunge. Since the
air was above 70 degrees, it actually did not require that
much bravery this year. The group enjoyed the swim in the
constant temperature river (about 67 degrees), which was a
clear beautiful blue. The wild rice had many flower heads
above the surface of the water, so everyone avoided that part
of the river.
ANNUAL PARTY AND MEMBERSHIP MEETING
Members and those who wish to join are all invited to the
annual festivities which will take place at the Greenhouse
Interpretive Center on Wednesday evening, January 28, at 6
p.m. After refreshments and partying for an hour, the annual
membership meeting will begin at 7. The slate of nominations
for board members will be voted on, and a quick review of
major projects of the year will be done. The new "Friend
of the River Award" will be presented. Suggestions for
the coming year will be noted by the board at the close of
the meeting. Please come and enjoy being around the people
who make SMRF an organization to be respected---its members.
The Greenhouse is located at Riverside Drive and IH 35, next
door to the Tourist Center, in the riverside park system.
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
As President of the SMRF Board, I wish you all a very happy
and prosperous New Year. We had an exciting and rewarding
year 2003 and hope for an equally rewarding 2004. You will
remember that we prevailed in the Third Court of Appeals on
the "Bed & Banks" case and are waiting to see
if it will be appealed to the Texas Supreme Court.
Our very important water right application and associated
case to protect the flow of the San Marcos River and San Antonio
Bay and estuaries for future generations has been sidetracked
by the TCEQ Commissioners, against the advice of their Executive
Director and staff. However, we appealed their misguided decision
to the State District Court. We hope this court will take
up the case in 2004.
2004 will also see important legislative work in anticipation
of the next legislative session in 2005, when the major issue
promises to be water resources. First, the Instream Study
Commission formed by the Texas Legislature last year, headed
by Senator Armbrister, will begin meeting to study instream
flows and how to handle the need to preserve some flows in
rivers to reach bays. Second the Select Senate Committee appointed
by Lt. Gov. Dewhurst, and also chaired by Sen. Armbrister,
will begin their reexamination of Texas water policy for changes
needed to make the policy more realistic in light of current
conditions. Who knows? They may even address the "right
of capture" rule for groundwater. There will be conflicting
interests battling for control of our water resources. These
studies will require close scrutiny by SMRF to be sure they
consider the importance of our rivers, bays and estuaries
to the citizens of Texas. Because of these issues, 2004 promises
to be a busy year for SMRF in defending the San Marcos River.
The SMRF Board has initiated a new award, the SMRF "Friend
of the River" Award, to be presented to someone who has
made a noteworthy contribution to protect the San Marcos River.
See the invitation on the front page to the Annual Meeting
January 28.
Finally, thanks for those Founding Members who have already
answered my challenge for a renewal of support for SMRF's
goals. Thanks also to all who have contributed time, effort
and dues or donations to support all our programs during 2003.
Hope you will all come to the Annual Meeting in January, meet
each other and hear about SMRF projects and plans for 2004.
Jack Fairchild, President
PRESENTING THE NOMINEES FOR THE BOARD
ELECTIONS
There are three board positions that will be voted on at
this annual meeting, and so the nominating committee chose
three nominees. SMRF offers sincere thanks to all those board
members who have taken the time to serve, and whose terms
are up. Tom Goynes is nominated for a three year term, having
completed a one year term, filling in for a resigned board
member. He is also president of Texas Rivers Protection Association,
coordinator of the San Marcos River cleanups for over thirty
years, and owns the beautiful Pecan Park Retreat with his
wife Paula. He was a SMRF board member in its early years,
over 15 years ago.
John Hohn is nominated for a three year term, in the position
that attorney Jim Blackburn has served in for two years. John
Hohn is an attorney from San Marcos who has been a SMRF member
for many years. He retired from EPA after long years of legal
work in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, and moved to San
Marcos to open his law office. He grew up in South Texas near
Nordheim.
Dr. Alan Groeger has served two consecutive terms and thus
according to the bylaws is not eligible for another term.
SMRF's board appreciated having a scientist like Dr. Groeger
to help assess projects and problems involving the river,
so the nominating committee chose to nominate another scientist,
Dr. Tim Bonner. Dr. Bonner is an ichthyologist, a fish specialist,
who is an assistant professor at Texas State Biology Department.
He has lived in San Marcos for three years with his wife Marion
and two children, who enjoy fishing and playing on the river.
Dr. Bonner previously lived in Louisiana and grew up near
Weatherford. His primary research interest is with stream
fishes in Louisiana and Texas, and his B.S. in Wildlife and
Fisheries Science is from A&M, his M.S. in Biology is
from Texas State, and his Ph.D. in Fisheries Science is from
Texas Tech.
Nominations can be made in writing in advance, or from the
floor by members at the annual meeting if they want additions
to this slate of three nominees for the three positions. Call
Executive Director Dianne Wassenich at 393-3787 to receive
a copy of the bylaws that address those kinds of nominations
before the annual meeting on January 28. All members are invited
to attend, and many pay their 2004 dues at the meeting. Children
are welcome at the event.
Photo of Dr. Tim Bonner, near the ponds behind
the Freeman Building which will be used for the reroute of
Sessoms Creek. The project is being done to remove sediment
from the construction projects often happening in the watershed,
before the sediment reaches the San Marcos River. It isa joint
project between the City, the University, and U.S. Fish &
Wildlife.
IMPORTANT MEETING JAN 15 ABOUT PURGATORY
CREEK 500 ACRES
There will be an important public meeting
to gather input for the Purgatory Creek greenspace master
plan for trails and other uses on Thursday night 1/15, 6:30
to 8:30, Activity Center. This is an important one for citizens
to go to, to make sure that the new greenspace is used in
a way that is environmentally sound, and useful to the public.
The Edwards Aquifer Authority gave a grant of a half million
dollars to help pay for this land, since it is on the recharge
zone and important for aquifer water quality. These greenspaces
may be the only undeveloped land around for future generations,
as San Marcos is rapidly being platted out for explosive growth
in the next ten years. Enough housing has already been platted
and approved, or is near approval, to double the size of the
city's population. And these new residences will be around
2/3 apartments. So the saving of a few greenspaces is more
important than ever before. Please attend or call the Parks
Department at 393-8400 to see how to do an emailed or written
comment if you miss this initial meeting. Tell them what you
would like to see in this 500 acres of hill country rocks
and cliffs and woods.
FILL IT OUT TODAY--- JANUARY 21 DEADLINE
FOR WATER ISSUES SURVEY
SCTWPG (an acronym for our area's water planning
group) is also called Region L. Whatever you call the water
planners, they have recently released a Water Policy Issues
Survey that the public can fill in and send back to the planners,
so they know what is most important to discuss during their
planning process. It has items like bay & estuary flows,
water quality, agricultural and rural water, interbasin transfers,
desal, brush management and much more on its list for people
to rate in importance. It is vital that ordinary citizens,
and not those who stand to benefit financially from selling
water, express their opinions in this survey. If you do not
have a computer to look up the survey, call 393-3787 and we
will get you a copy. If you have a computer, try looking up
www.watershedexperience.com and then click on Document Library,
and then Water Policy Issues Survey. It is a pdf file. You
can fill it out online and send it in that way if you have
Excel, or you can print it out and send it in by fax or mail.
Please take the time to do so if you live in Hays, Bexar,
Caldwell, Guadalupe, Comal, Calhoun, Karnes, Gonzales, Kendall,
La Salle, Medina, Refugio, Uvalde, Victoria, Wilson, Atascosa,
DeWitt, Dimmit, Frio or Zavala Counties. Deadline is Wednesday,
Jan. 21st.
RIVER
CLEANUP MARCH 6 -- JOIN IN THE FUN!
The annual river
cleanup will be the first Saturday in March again, March 6.
There are vast amounts of trash, especially downstream of
San Marcos, so there will be plenty for all. Call Tom Goynes
at 392-6171 to speak up for a section of the river or a road
crossing, if you have a group that wishes to participate.
Free canoes are provided by TG Canoe Livery and Spencer Canoes,
but usually only experienced canoers will be allowed to cover
the stretch below Stokes Park at Thompson's Islands. Novice
canoers will be able to work in the park system down to Rio
Vista Dam or IH 35. But there is always plenty of trash on
the riverbanks for walkers all along the river, and picking
it up is great exercise.
Meet at City Park
at 10 a.m near the Lions Tube Rental to be counted for the
dinner that night and to get trash bags. Wear long pants and
long sleeves and sturdy shoes and socks. Watch out for poison
ivy which does not have its leaves yet, so it is difficult
to see. Just assume it is along the banks of the river and
so you must wash with hot water and soap as soon as you get
home. Snakes are not usually out when it is cool, but beware
if it is a warm day. Watch out for sharp objects and wear
gloves. There is plenty of trash out in the open, so you do
not need to get into the brush for all of the work. If you
can only give an hour, just pick a spot where trash funnels
into the river from Purgatory Creek, Sessoms Creek, or Cottonwood
Creek and clean that up. Any roadsides near the river could
use a good cleaning as well, since rainfall washes it all
into the river.
The entire river,
down to Gonzales will be cleaned up by the many canoeing clubs
that come from other cities. Join the fun that evening at
Shady Grove Campground in Martindale when SMRF gives a barbecue
dinner to thank the hundreds of volunteers who come from all
over the state to help. (There's always a vegetarian option
available.) Please plan on baking some desserts, if that is
your expertise, to help with the dinner, and call 393-3787
to learn where to deliver them, and let us know how many to
expect.
MEETING
DATES, KEEPING UP WITH THE NEWS
SMRF's board will
meet with newly elected board members in early February to
elect officers and settle on a monthly meeting day. It is
currently the fourth Wednesday, but that could change if new
board members have conflicting commitments. To be sure to
keep up with any changes, and the weekly river news, join
the SMRF email list. Email wassenich@sanmarcos.net and ask
to be added. The meetings are usually at 6:30 p.m. in the
Freeman Building on the campus across Sessoms Drive from Joe's
Crab Shack.
LOOKING
FOR A LOGO FOR SMRF
SMRF needs a logo
for the newsletter masthead and maybe for t-shirts. We use
a flowing stream below the name of the foundation for our
letterhead, but maybe there are other ideas out there. Credit
will be given to the artist who devises one suitable for use,
and a prize will be awarded to the best one. Please come up
with some designs and submit them to P. O. Box 1393, San Marcos
TX 78667-1393.
SUPERFUND
SITE NEAR WILLOW CREEK AND IH 35
TCEQ recently mailed
out notices to people in the area of Willow Creek and IH 35
to inform them of the continued studies by TCEQ of the PCE
contamination of the ground and springwater in that area.
The pollution is diminishing with time, and fish have not
been found to have any of the pollutant in their tissues.
They will continue to study the issue. Their records of their
tests of wells and fish, and spring water, are at the Public
Library for people to review.
GAME
WARDENS HELPING OUT ON THE RIVER
Texas Parks and
Wildlife game wardens met with riverside landowners at SMRF's
invitation in December at Pecan Park Retreat, around a big
campfire, to discuss problems with underaged drinking and
public disturbances on the river that have become a growing
problem over the past two years between San Marcos and Martindale.
Many think that the floods of summer 2002, which closed down
the Guadalupe for tubing, brought new people to the San Marcos
below Westerfield Crossing, and the word has spread. Some
internet sites have even advertised tubing and drinking on
the San Marcos, and the crowds get larger each year. Many
riverside landowners suffered with increased trespassing,
trash, public nudity and yelling all night long during this
past summer, as tubing went on all hours of the day and night.
SMRF requested
that the game wardens come and help the landowners make a
plan with them to get the laws about underaged drinking, public
intoxication, and trespassing enforced. Another meeting will
be held in February and law enforcement agencies in the area
will be invited as well. The objective is to keep the river
a clean and safe place to enjoy river recreation for all ages.
Portaging around dams and rapids is perfectly permissible
under Texas law, but wandering around and using private land
for picnics, or leaving human waste and trash, is not. Sign
up for the weekly email river news update to learn about the
February meeting date on this issue.
HOW
TO VOLUNTEER TO HELP REMOVE EXOTIC PLANTS
There are two projects
going on to remove exotic plants from the San Marcos River.
One is downstream of San Marcos, where the water trumpet project
is finishing up a removal and revegetation project. The water
trumpet is spreading faster than the USFWS staff plus volunteers
have been able to remove it with a large dredging suction
device. At this point, they are just trying to record how
much they removed, how well their newly planted native plants
take hold, and just gather data to figure out what can be
done next. This water trumpet is from Sri Lanka, and was probably
dumped from an aquarium. It is often sold at aquarium suppliers.
To volunteer to help with this project, call Paula Power at
353-0011. And tell everyone to NEVER dump an aquarium with
plants, snails or fish into the river.
The other plant
removal and replanting project going on is at Aquarena, where
the area around the boardwalk is being worked on. Recently
volunteers that needed community service hours were removing
floating water lettuce and water hyacinth with dipnets in
small flat-bottomed boats. Email Minette Marr to volunteer
to help at mmnaca@earthlink.net , since she is the botanist
who is working part time to maintain the native plant nursery
there and propagate native plants to be planted in the wetland
area. Native plants provide food and shelter for birds and
other wildlife, so they are preferable. Often they help hold
the banks and prevent erosion also. Keep these two projects
in mind, and let them know that you are a SMRF member or heard
about the projects from SMRF. Sometimes volunteers can help
in small ways, unloading or loading trucks, using wheelbarrows
to transport plants, or taking notes while staff members measure.
WANT
TO BE A RIVER RANGER?
Call 557-7571 to
get on the list of those wanting to go to the next training
session the San Marcos River Rangers hold. These volunteers
test the San Marcos River regularly at sites from Aquarena
to Luling, and many have been doing this for years. New slots
are available though, as people move away from the area, so
call today to get their training schedule. There are several
openings right now around San Marcos. There is nothing like
the satisfaction of being involved in protecting the river
with a hands-on project.
BED
& BANKS NEWS IS GOOD NEWS AGAIN
A Court of Appeals
opinion was re-issued in January about the Bed & Banks
case that SMRF has been involved in for about 8 years with
the City and TCEQ. It confirmed the August decision by that
court to deny the City permit to take water from the river
without a water right. The City asked for a re-hearing to
clarify some legal issues in its suit against TCEQ, so the
court reviewed their opinion but did not re-hear the case.
We heard the City intends to go to the Texas Supreme Court,
so we are waiting to see if this 8 year old case continues.
It would be good to get it settled so we can move on to other
issues and work with the City to take care of the river. Thanks
to all the members who have called and emailed to thank SMRF
for sticking with the case for so long, and to Texas River
Protection Association who helped pay legal fees on this case
in the last two years. And certainly thanks to our good lawyers
for their dedication.
SMRF
MEMBERS WORK TO MATCH $10,000 DONATION FROM WCCA
The fundraising
effort to match the $10,000 donation from Whooping Crane Conservation
Association continues, and almost every dues paying member
has enclosed a few extra dollars for the match. The deadline
is March 31, so keep it in mind. At the end of March, if SMRF
fundraising efforts are on track with the budget predicted
for Meadows Foundation, SMRF may receive another installment
of the Meadows grant. So any donations can essentially be
matched twice. $10 becomes $40, and $100 becomes $400, with
the WCCA and the Meadows grants. A very good investment. If
you donate, be sure to note if you want the donation for the
Water Right Project match.
REMARKABLE
WAY TO DONATE, PAINLESSLY
Another way to
help out SMRF is to tell all your friends and relatives who
shop at Randall's or Tom Thumb to get a Remarkable Discount
card and have SMRF's code #1808 be entered on the card. From
then on, 1% of all grocery purchases will be donated to SMRF
at no cost to the purchaser. In fact the purchaser gets discounts
instead. This is not a credit card, just a discount card that
is run through the cash register at the time of each purchase.
Tell everyone you know about it, especially in towns where
Randall's has stores. SMRF's work helps rivers all over Texas,
so others may want to help if they just know how easily it
can be done.
SMRF
RECEIVES GRANT FOR EDUCATION PURPOSES
Texas Parks and
Wildlife recently notified SMRF and Aquarena Center that $30,000
had been granted to cover bus fees and some staff costs to
bring children from underserved and economically disadvantaged
areas around San Marcos to Aquarena for a meaningful educational
field day. The funds come from the TPWD Community Outdoor
Outreach Program, and will help the youth have an enjoyable
lesson outdoors while they learn important information about
their drinking and recreational water supply. The programs
will go on during 2004 and Jane Moore is coordinating the
schedules for the schools and bus companies. They are similar
to the 2003 programs that Aquarena Center offered with a similar
grant from TPWD.
HEART
OF TEXAS BIRDING AND WILDLIFE TRAIL MAPS
Watch for the roadrunner
silhouette on highway signs going up in coming months around
central Texas. They will note the location of sites on the
Heart of Texas Birding and Wildlife Trail Maps. SMRF nominated
many sites in the San Marcos area in hope that the map would
lead birders here. The maps are available at the local Tourist
Center on Riverside and IH 35, or by calling 1-888-900-2577.
They can also be ordered online easily at www.tcebookstore.org.
Ask for the Heart of Texas EAST trail map for this area.
EAA
TO ALLOW MORE PUMPING FROM THE AQUIFER DURING WET TIMES
The Edwards Aquifer
Authority board did vote 8-7 in December to allow increased
levels of pumping, above what their original legislation specified,
but only during wet periods. It remains to be seen how this
will be implemented, which will be critical during the periods
when the aquifer levels are dropping quickly. The latest news
at EAA involves the task force that will start meeting this
month under the chairmanship of John Sharp to get opinions
from all stakeholders in the region about the water quality
protection in the recharge zone. Senator Armbrister wanted
to remove EAA's ability to have strict rules to protect water
quality in the last legislative session but Representative
Puente and others stood firm in defending the original legislation
that did give EAA that job. Their first meeting will be Jan.
20, 3 p.m., at the EAA headquarters in San Antonio. City Planning
Department Director Carol Barrett will represent San Marcos,
but Hays County has not yet appointed their representative.
MEMORIALS
CONTINUE TO COME IN
Memorial donations
came in recently for two people that our members want to remember.
One was for Rice Harrington, a well loved art teacher at San
Marcos High School. And another for Butch Crouch of Abilene
who loved car racing, and whose family is long involved in
caring for injured wildlife and birds in Amarillo, and have
protected land there permanently for wildlife. These kinds
of memorials are much appreciated and reinforce SMRF's commitment
to protect and preserve the river for future generations,
beyond our lifetimes.
WATER
CONSERVATION TIPS
Consider
getting a rain barrel and hooking up rain gutters to it. The
water is great for plants and lawns and ponds, and can be
used instead of chlorinated city water for these outdoor uses,
saving money too. There are how-to books at the library or
bookstores, and videos also available to learn about rain
harvesting. If there is a place on your property that runs
like a creek during rainfall periods, learn how to place rocks
in the stream or on slopes to slow the runoff. Use fallen
logs to create small tiers or dams to slow the water and trap
sediment. If everyone slowed the water in our own yards, more
water would be stored in the soil and roots of plants (or
rainbarrels), and less would rapidly run off and cause erosion
problems downstream. Rainfall speeds up when it falls on roofs
and sidewalks or driveways rather than vegetation, and then
its speed can tear away soil and roots. Lawn grass is not
very effective at slowing it down, it usually takes clumping
grasses or brushy vegetation to do that. Watch what the rainfall
does on your property next time it rains.
SERIES
BY JOE NICK PATOSKI ON TEXAS WATER ISSUES IN GUADALUPE BASIN
AND BAYS
San Antonio
Current ran a series of articles about the Guadalupe by Joe
Nick Patoski, covering issues at the headwaters around Canyon
Lake to Victoria and rural areas, and on to the Gulf Coast,
in December. Tom Stehn, whooping crane specialist at the Aransas
Wildlife Refuge, is on the cover of the fourth in the series.
This 12/24/03 issue also mentioned the SMRF application for
water rights to keep the rivers flowing all the way to the
bays and estuaries. The series is archived on their website
at www.sacurrent.com.
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