Restoring the San Antonio River

TWCA Fall Conference

October 25, 2012

Mission Concepción

Mission Espada

Mission San Juan

Mission San José

The Alamo

Photo Credit: opencontent

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Olmos Dam

Bypass Channel

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HILDEBRAND AVE.

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HEAD WATERS

MISSIONESPADA

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SAN JUANMISSION

SAN JOSEMISSION

CONCEPCIONMISSION

SAN ANTONIODOWNTOWN

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ORIGINAL ALIGNMENTSOUTH OF DOWNTOWN

SACIP

Channelized River

Includes recirculation pumps to ensure adequate flow through downtown San Antonio

PROJECTPARTNERS•Bexar County•City of San Antonio•San Antonio River Authority•San Antonio River Foundation•San Antonio River Oversight Committee•U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Project Benefits

• Flood Damage Reduction – Project will maintain or decrease the elevation of the 100 year floodplain.

• Ecosystem Restoration – The changes proposed will increase water quality and the quantity and diversity of plant and animal species.

• Quality of Life – Add to San Antonio’s unique charm and make the city more attractive to residents, visitors, and businesses and provide enhanced recreational opportunities along an expanded linear park system.

• Cultural Connections – Linking people, neighborhoods and cultural resources and celebrating the historical connection of the river to four of the five historic missions in the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park.

• Economic Development – Promote business development along and adjacent to the river. Improvements will also enhance tourism.

Project Partners and BudgetPresented in millions of dollars

San Antonio River Authority (SARA) committed to Operation and Maintenance as construction phases are completed.

 Total City County Private

FundsSAWS USACE

Concept Design $1.0 $0.3 $0.7 - - -

Downtown Reach $13.3 $2.4 $10.9 - - -

Eagleland $13.6 $6.2 $4.8 - - $2.6

Museum Reach Park

$12.6 $11 $1.6 - - -

Museum Reach Urban

$72.1 $52.3 $13.1 $6.5 $0.2 -

Mission Reach $245.7 $6.5 $176.6 $4.7 $6.0 $51.9

TOTAL $358.3 $78.7 $207.7 $11.2 $6.2 $54.5

Museum Reach

• 8 mile ecosystem restoration and recreation project

• Restoring river previously channelized by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for flood control

Mission Reach: Project Limits

Mission Reach Project Budget

Total Bexar

County

Bexar

County Visitor

Tax

City SAWS Private USACE

Mission Reach Project

$245.7 $75.6 $39.7

+ $61.3

$101 total

$6.5 $6.0 $4.7 $51.9

In Millions of Dollars

Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2009: The non-Federal interest for the project may carry out design and construction work on the project in advance of Federal appropriations or may provide funds directly to the Secretary for the Secretary to carry out such work; Provided, That the Secretary of the Army shall reimburse the non-Federal interest for any costs incurred by the non-Federal interest that are in excess of the non-Federal share of total costs subject to the availability of appropriations.

In addition to the $115.3 million of Bexar County Flood Tax and Visitor Tax identified above, Bexar County is contributing another $61.3 million to advance federal funding to keep the project on the optimum schedule. Bexar County’s total contribution to the project is $176.6 million.

San Antonio River Authority is committed to Operation and Maintenance as construction phases are completed.

Pre-Channelization 2008 Channel

1954 USACE Authorized Channelization

Migratory Flyways of NorthAmerica:

CentralFlyway

Image: Texas Parks & Wildlife

Monarch Butterfly Migration

Site Hydrology

1. Upper gage (SAR at Mitchell St.)• Flow max: 14,300 cfs• Height max: 12.94 feet

2. Lower gage (SAR at Loop 410)• Flow max: 79,400 cfs• Height max: 32.57 feet

3. Overall range: 10 - 100,000 cfs

Ecoregions of San Antonio,Bexar County and Surrounding Areas

• Blackland Prairie

• Edwards Plateau

• South Texas Plains

• Post Oak Savanna

Blackland Prairie

Edwards Plateau

Post Oak Savanna

South Texas Plains

Project Elements: Recreational Features

• 15+ miles of hike/bike trails

• 8 street connections• 89 benches• 137 picnic tables• 5 overlooks with shade

structures• 9 water edge landings• 6 foot bridges • 4 pavilions

Project Elements: Mission Portals

Project Elements:Formal Landscapes

• Street Connections• Mission Portals• Pocket Parks & Plazas

Project Elements: Restoratio

n Plantings

Mission Reach Ecosystem Restoration

* Per USACE study; based on scale with 1 as extremely degraded and 10 as pristine; proposed condition rating is at 50 year maturity period

Existing Riverine System Rating = 1.2*

Existing River Channel Proposed River Channel

Proposed Riverine System Rating = 8.2*

• 8 miles river length• ~113 acres• Riffles, runs & pools• ~13 acres embayments (marshes)• 2 river remnants restored• Aquatic plants:

• 20 species• Emergent, submersed & floating

leaved

Restoring Aquatic Habitat Features

• ~334 acres• Herbaceous Groundcover:

• 60+ native grass & wildflower species• Over 10,000 pounds of seed

• Woody Plants:• 44 native tree & shrub species• 23,000+ young trees & shrubs

Restoring Riparian Woodland

Restoring Trees & Shrubs

over 23,000

Draft Tree Planting Plans

Representation of 25 Year Progression

Mission Reach: Phase 1

• ~1 mile section

• “Soft Opening” Dec 2010

• Grand Opening June 25, 2011

• SARA O&M

• ~3,000 trees/shrubs planted Dec 2011, survivorship monitoring Spring 2013

Mission Reach: Phase 2• ~ 1 mile section

• Grand Opening June 25, 2011

• SARA: all non-vegetation O&M

• Contractor: vegetation management to meet performance criteria

• ~ 2,000 trees/shrubs to be planted Nov-Dec 2012

Mission Reach: Phase 3• ~ 6 mile section

• First segment opened June 2012

• Second segment opening October 27, 2012

• Third segment opening Spring 2013

• Final segment opening by Fall 2013

• ~18,000 trees/shrubs to be planted in 2014 and 2015

Operations & Maintenance: Balancing Storm Water Conveyance, Habitat Restoration and Recreational Uses

General O&M Task Prioritization

1. Safety 2. Structural failures3. Impediments to recreational uses,

particularly trails (e.g. fallen trees on the trail)

4. Vandalism, particularly highly visible areas

5. Routine activities (e.g. vegetation maintenance, litter, etc.)

Landscape Scale Ecosystem Restoration is a

Slow Process & Land Management is Critical to Achieve Goals

Year 1 Representation Year 25 Representation

General VegetationManagement and

Monitoring• Keep the good areas good

• Reduce invasive non-natives

• Encourage increased coverage by natives

• Replant as needed and feasible

• Maintain native species diversity

Plant communities changeover time and management must adapt to changes

• Seasons• Weather conditions• Plant succession• Disturbances

Spring Wildflowers Fall Grasses

Plant Community Dynamics

Plant Community Dynamics

May 2009 May 2010

O&M Challenges• Weather• Urban storm water runoff • Access for equipment• Ongoing/new projects• Good & bad plants together• Bad plants providing benefits• Pet & yard waste• Pedestrian traffic•

Herbaceous: 213 species• native: 165 (77%)

• planted: 93• volunteer & existing: 90

• non-native: 48 (23%)

Woody: 86 species• native: 73 (85%)

• planted: 55• volunteer & existing: 44

• non-native: 13 (15%)

Vegetation – 299 species documented

44

GOVERNMENT AND GOVERNMENT AND COMMUNITY COLLABORATIONCOMMUNITY COLLABORATION

San Antonio River Oversight Committee

(SAROC)• 22 member citizen’s oversight committee

formed in 1998

• Co-Chairs Lila Cockrell (former mayor) and Irby Hightower (architect)

• Remaining 20 seats filled by participating groups/organizations

• Museum Reach, Eagleland and Mission Reach Committees– Park, Urban and River South sub- committees

Educational Outreach

Community Events

MISSION REACH – LEADING THE NATION IN URBAN

ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION

SAN ANTONIO RIVER IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT

For More Information:Steven Schauer

210-302-3644

sschauer@sara-tx.org

Lee Marlowe

210-302-3624

lmarlowe@sara-tx.org

www.sanantonioriver.org

www.sara-tx.org