The San Antonio River Walk - Museum Reach - at Pearl

Partnerships & Stakeholder Involvement

Regional Partnerships

Bexar Regional Watershed Management Program

The Bexar Regional Watershed Management (BRWM) program is an inter-local agency partnership between Bexar County, the city of San Antonio, the San Antonio River Authority (River Authority) and 20 suburban cities. This program started in 2003 to more efficiently manage regional stormwater issues within the limits of Bexar County. Communication and trust between staffs, delegation of defined agency roles and adequate program funding have been the key elements to the BRWM’s success. County-wide Digital Flood Insurance Rate Maps (DFIRM) have been created, watershed master-planning efforts are underway and focus groups in areas of project development, policy, water quality, operations and maintenance (O&M) and geographic information system (GIS) databases are functioning and creating a common goal among the regional partners. The BRWM is an ideal structure to introduce a Natural Channel Design (NCD) program into the area of Bexar County and eventually the entire San Antonio River Watershed.

URBAN WATERS PROGRAM

 


The San Antonio River Authority is developing an inventory of stream sites in the San Antonio River Watershed throughout the River Authority’s district (Bexar, Wilson, Karnes and Goliad Counties) that are eroding or have poor aquatic and riparian function. This assessment is being developed primarily based on aerial photography with field verification when appropriate.

Public input is a vital component to making stream restoration a success. The public has intimate knowledge of sites “next door” and in its backyard. Information provided by the public regarding stream sites for potential restoration, enhancement or even preservation is always welcome. Sites that the public identifies will be included in a watershed database. Citizens and organizations are encouraged to add specific site information to this database using the stream-team-assessment-form The River Authority is interested in a variety of sites, from rural to urban, small dry creeks to large flowing rivers, public or private property and highly modified channels to streams in their native condition. However, the public should be aware that the submittal of an Assessment Form is for data purposes only, and it does not indicate that the site will be visited by River Authority personnel.

Information provided by the public regarding stream sites for potential restoration, enhancement or even preservation is always welcome.

Impacted Streams

Impacted creeks and streams have one or more of the following characteristics: unstable banks, sediment buildup, headcutting, incision, soil erosion, poor water quality, lack of riparian vegetation or abundance of invasive vegetation. Stream instability that is endangering a structure, roadway or utility is of special importance.

Preserved Streams

The San Antonio River Authority is also interested in data that can be obtained from creeks and streams that are in good, stable condition to use as reference areas for impacted streams in the region. Some of these sites will be used to develop important empirical design and monitoring data for impacted streams in the region.