Julia G Germany
germa...@aol.com
-----Original Message-----
From: San Marcos River Foundation <i...@sanmarcosriver.org>
To: germanyj <germa...@aol.com>
Sent: Mon, Dec 5, 2016 1:56 pm
Subject: Voting, sinkholes and salamanders
Voting, Sinkholes, Salamanders Dec. 5,
2016
Dear SMRFers:
VOTE PLEASE! It is astonishing how few people remember that a Mayor and two
Council Members runoff election is going on, so talk it up among your family
and friends this week especially. Wear your "I Voted" sticker every day, send
emails, facebook posts, text messages and just plain call your family and
friends too. Tell people remember to vote TODAY, Monday, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
at the Government Center, or Tuesday through Friday this week from 8 a.m. to 5
p.m. at that site. Also, today from 7 to 7 is the last day the Broadway Early
Vote site will be open for early voting! And then tomorrow Tues and Wed, from
11 to 7 the campus early voting will be going on at the LBJ Student Center.
Then the actual Election Day is next Tuesday, Dec. 13th but do not wait for
that. Please early vote this week, in case something interrupts your day on the
13th, preventing you from voting! Voting in these local elections is
extremely important in the issues that affect you personally the most, right
here in San Marcos. http://www.Vote411.com still has these 3 races posted,
with answers from candidates there from the LWV questionnaires distributed in
Sept. .
SINKHOLE: We heard of a sinkhole just west of IH 35 at 410 by listening to the
news from San Antonio this morning. Last night there was this big sinkhole
formed in SA which swallowed two cars. It just looked like a puddle of water in
the dark, but it was a deep hole. One man was rescued, but a female deputy
(and the police vehicle) have not yet been recovered from the hole. One report
was that it was a sewer line which caused the sinkhole, which is very
frightening news indeed. Stay tuned to SA stations to learn more. Apparently
there were four major sewer line overflows yesterday there. Often water line
breaks cause sinkholes, because of the force of the leaking water tearing away
at the soil, but in this case, perhaps the rains caused a lot of inflow into
sewer lines, where there are breaks, and this caused the problem. We will know
more later about whether this is on the recharge or contributing zone.
BLIND SALAMANDERS MISSING: One of the articles about this Thanksgiving Day
mystery mentioned that the SMARC staff are investigating whether some predator
like a raccoon could have fished the salamanders out of the aquariums. But they
did not find any obvious evidence of that, in the first day the salamanders
were missing. Since then the investigation process is keeping the SMARC and
police from being talkative about the work they are doing on the case. The
blind salamanders disappeared over Thanksgiving, and the police were called in
to investigate, since these are very precious salamanders. They are aquifer
dwellers underground, and are often are ejected from a spring and captured
because they cannot survive in the creeks and rivers. They are kept at SMARC
so that research can be done on how to keep them healthy, reproducing and
growing well in captivity. The refugium at SMARC is just that---a refuge that
is charged with keeping this endangered species alive if the aquifer is
polluted or dries up. If that happened some salamanders might have to live in
aquariums at SMARC for a while. Then once the natural habitat improves or is
cleaned up, that species could be reintroduced to its natural habitat. I know
that everyone at the refugium is doing all they can to be sure this case is
solved, and most of all, prevented from ever happening again. Even the
salamanders at the Meadows Center are now being locked up, in case there really
is someone taking them. The practice of keeping the species at SMARC, and
doing research on what foods have to be raised to feed them well, and how to
create just the right darkness or light, temperatures and water quality to
encourage them to reproduce and thrive, is essential if we are to really
protect them from going extinct. San Marcos is particularly lucky to have found
so many endangered species in its springs---these species are all that stand
between the river flowing well and the river being allowed to dry up
completely. The aquifer pumping regulations are based on leaving enough
springflow to fill the river, even in drought, so that the species can be
healthy. Other springs and rivers are not so lucky, especially in Texas, and
in many other states as well. We can thank all the scientists who spent their
lives researching our endangered species. Dr. Francis Emery on wild rice,
comes to mind. And Dr. Glenn Longley and many others at Texas State, who
studied salamanders and fish and other species. And many at Texas Parks and
Wildlife, and US Fish and Wildlife, and also Edwards Aquifer Authority and the
local Edwards Aquifer Research and Data Center. We owe them all a big debt,
for preserving our beautiful river, which is still here and flowing mainly
because of their research and work on all the endangered species.
PLANTING DAY TUESDAY 10 a.m. to noon. Friends of SMARC and the HCP volunteers
will be having a planting day at the river tomorrow morning, Tuesday, Dec 6th.
Expect good sunny weather for one day at least. Big freeze coming Thursday
night. The riverbank native planting will occur at Ramon Lucio Park in San
Marcos. The planting site is tucked away, so if you arrive late - text Leah at
(512) 820-2635. Park in the parking lot inside the park by the baseball fields,
which you enter at C. M. Allen Parkway and the IH 35 feeder road, then circle
back around the ball fields to get to the parking lot. Last year this same area
was planted with the Phoenix Academy volunteers on the day before the Halloween
flood, and the flood washed out almost every plant! So this is a second
attempt at this. They provide plants and tools. Wear shoes that can get muddy
and wear long sleeves, long pants and socks to avoid poison ivy. Wash well
with hot water and soap after you leave, especially your face if you touch it
with your gloves, and wash your clothes and shoes, too. They will have gloves
there too.
CRADDOCK EXTENSION AND ROADS MASTER PLAN: We received some copies of letters
written by SMRF members to the Council and staff about the Craddock extension,
that are full of scientific research references and data. And good common
sense. SMRF also sent Council a letter with a link to the Edwards Aquifer
Authority studies about dye tracing tests. These tests were done in areas
around the San Marcos Springs, which are in the same spots where this road
would be built, above Spring Lake Preserve, across the deep and wide Sink Creek
canyon. To see those maps and read about flowpaths, and how long the rain
that goes into the ground then takes to come out in the bottom of Spring Lake,
go to this link:
www.edwardsaquifer.org/documents/2012_Johnson-etal_SanMarcosSprings-Flowpath.pdf
. If this link does not work when you click on it, please copy and paste it
into your browser, or go to the EAA website and look under Documents or use
their search blank to look for "Dye". Some of our readers reported problems
with the link to the transportation Master Plan map last week, so please look
for it again this week at this link. Again, copy and paste it into your
browser window if it does not work at first click. Here is the city website
link to the road maps: http://www.ci.san-marcos.tx.us/index.aspx?page+1168.
Go ahead and write the Council and staff about your thoughts on removing
Craddock Extension over the recharge zone above our springs, even though their
official deadline has passed. It will be a few weeks before the Council has it
on their agenda anyway, and we'll try to find out when that is. Use these
addresses: mayor_council_i...@sanmarcostx.gov and c...@sanmarcostx.gov. When
you write them, you could mention the increased flooding San Marcos will see if
the hills above Spring Lake are developed, the water quality and clarity that
will be harmed, and the damage to our recharge zone that would mean less water
would flow from our springs during dry times. The cost of building such a huge
bridge is also a concern. We have invited the Council to take a field trip with
us, including the city manager and any staff members who want to view the Sink
Creek canyon, to see how expensive and damaging it would be to build such a
bridge.
CORRECTION ON GOYNES LAWSUIT WORDING. Tom emailed us to edit our paragraph
last week about the lawsuit agreement being superseded by the WORD bill, if it
passes. He explains, "The WORD will not supersede the agreement, until either a
WORD or a state park is established that mandates the same conditions that are
included in our settlement. In other words, the WORD will have to be up and
running and include the conditions that the Goynes family and the two
outfitters all agreed to."
He also gave us the language from the agreement:
"This Order expires on the earlier of: five (5) years, by agreement of the
parties, by a subsequent order of the court, or by the creation and
implementation of a WORD District, State Park, or similar governmental
designation or oversight provided the WORD District, State Park, or similar
Governmental designation, or oversight contains the provisions of this order
and is funded and staffed."
(What this also means is that if a WORD bill passes which does NOT include the
items that Goynes and the two outfitters included in their agreement, then
their agreement will remain standing in force for five years. If the WORD bill
does not even pass in this session, then the Goynes and outfitter agreement
will also stand for five years. No other outfitters are included in the
agreement. Note the Float Fest hearing Dec. 20th in the calendar item below
the photos in this newsletter.)
ART SHOW BY SALLY CUMMINGS: Many beautiful paintings of all sizes, of local
fields and trees, and San Marcos and Blanco river scenes, are depicted. All
would make wonderful gifts. View this art show at the Tea Room cafe at the
Price Center, open every weekday and Sunday too, and now decorated for
Christmas by SMRF volunteers. Sales benefit SMRF and the Price Center.
Weekday lunches are served at this Tea room/cafe from 11 to 2. On Sundays a
buffet Sunday brunch is served 10 to 2, with omelets made to order as well.
Other rooms of all sizes are decorated upstairs and downstairs, and are
available to rent for parties as well. Call Clay deStefano 512-392-2900 for
more info. See photos below.
THANKS to the crowd of volunteers who showed up to help us erect
three big trees, hang garlands and lights, craft centerpieces and wreaths, and
decorate the entire building Thanksgiving weekend, at our office at the Price
Center. Several wonderful volunteers even came two or three days in a row to
help, and we had a good time. The Price Center is now ready for parties and
festive lunches. Chef Ray is ready too.
Upcoming Events
PARKS BOARD THURSDAY NIGHT 12/8: This week Thurs night, Parks Board 5:30 at
the Activity Center in the Multi Purpose Room, lots of updates on what is
happening with the trails under IH 35, the parks master plan, and many other
projects underway in the Parks Dept. affecting river parks. Please attend, any
of you who have time, and take good notes for SMRF since we cannot be there.
THE ANNUAL BLUE GOAT BAZAAR with hand made gifts this Saturday, Dec. 10th, 1
to 6, at 910 Stagecoach Rd. off Hunter Rd. There will be items for both men
and women including Art, Books, Wearables, Carved Wood, Pottery, Hand made
Soaps and Salves, and much much more. Many of these artists and crafters help
with SMRF's silent auction each February, so we want to help them with their
holiday bazaar.
DEC. 8 WATER SUMMIT, by Guadalupe Basin Coalition in the New Braunfels Civic
Center (see the link to flyer
http://www.guadalupebasincoalition.org/documents/THCWSummit_2016_flyer.pdf).
This will be the second one, the first conference in 2014 drew 225
participants, so this is a larger meeting hall. The $50 registration fee
includes live music and a BBQ lunch. Students $25. Here are the main themes of
the conference:
A) Current Water Conditions and Outlook for 2017;
B) 2015 Central Texas Floods: How Bad Were the Floods and What Have We Done to
Prepare for the Next Flood;
C) What Water Issues are Likely to Dominate the Federal Government and State
Government in 2017; and
D) The Latest on Water in the Hill Country & Texas
Speakers include TWDB Chairman Bech Bruun, State Climatologist John
Nielsen-Gammon, TCEQ Executive Director Richard Hyde, US Army Corps of
Engineers District Commander Calvin Hudson and many other water experts.
Please see the full agenda here,
http://www.guadalupebasincoalition.org/documents/THCWSummit_2016_agenda.pdf).
Click here to register now at www.guadalupebasincoalition.org.
December 10 Bug Walk, Saturday, starting 2 p.m. at Meadows Center, sponsored by
SM Greenbelt Alliance. Insect identification by local expert, may be a regular
nature walk in the future similar to the Stephen Ramirez birding walk.
Dec. 10 is Brushy Waste drop off day for SM residents, take a utility bill with
you for i.d. and unload your own brush, leaves, tree limbs etc, 750 River Road
behind Animal Shelter.
Dec. 10: Saturday is also the Art Squared monthly celebration of artists on the
courthouse square 9-5, and the Farmer's Market is also there in the morning.
And then, Santa is on the Square every Saturday till Dec. 24th.
MEMORIAL TREE PLANTING: Dec 12, noon at Rio Vista dam (on the swimming pool
side), for Arindam Goswami, whose wife, Meghalee Das is graduating this month
at Texas State. Both her family and Arindam's family from India are here for
the memorial tree planting and her graduation Arindam was very athletic and
loved canoeing, and he was practicing for the Water Safari when he passed away
two years ago. His many friends in this area raised funds at the time to
donate to SMRF in his memory, to help preserve the river he loved. His wife
waited for this time, when all the family members could be together here in San
Marcos, to have the planting and attend her graduation . His many friends are
also welcome, so help us let them know.
FLOAT FEST HEARING December 20th, 1:30 p.m. in Seguin. Here is the link to the
info and location. If it does not work, copy and paste it into your browser
window.
http://www.co.guadalupe.tx.us/commcourt/Postings/special/2016_12_20OMF.pdf
HOLD THE DATES IN 2017: Note these dates below in your new calendar and if you
want a beautiful one for a gift or for yourself, go to
www.hillcountryalliance.org and order one quick!
JANUARY 26: LWV Annual Wine and Beer Tasting Fundraiser on Thursday, January
26, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Quail Creek Country Club. Their only
fundraiser during the year to fund multiple Candidates Debates and Voters
Guides throughout the year -- State, School Board and City Council -- both in
San Marcos and Wimberley. Wine and beer choices to be announced soon. Call
512-787-6392 for tickets.
FEBRUARY 25: SMRF ANNUAL MEMBERS PARTY, dinner, silent auction and meeting. 6
p.m. Price Center. Be sure to put on your new calendar now.
REGULAR WORKDAYS: Note that there are regular days for volunteers at the
SMARC, the McCarty Lane refugium for endangered species where they are growing
native plants for our riverbank plantings, every Wednesday morning. Email
leah_mur...@fws.gov for details on that. This Friends group is also working on
the bird blind on the birding trail at the SMARC lands between IH 35 and
Hunter, on McCarty Lane.
Also Thursday afternoons are native plant sales at the Discovery Center, next
to the Tourist Center in SM. On Tuesday mornings there, the Master Naturalists
and other volunteers care for the gardens there, and welcome you volunteers.
And as always, our SMRF 4th Saturday workdays are at the Meadows Center every
month year round, removing invasives or maintaining and planting native gardens
there. 9 a.m. to noon, meeting near the ticket booth building. We bring
gloves and tools, but if you have loppers or nippers, those are handy since we
do not have enough.
SMRF also needs to do a lot of work on the wire cages around our memorial
cypress trees in the river parks, damaged in fall floods, so we could put
together a small crew to work on those as well. Just let us know when you are
available each week, if you want to start on those in January.
Contact Us
Reliant Energy has been a great supporter of SMRF and Earthshare of
Texas, to which SMRF belongs. Reliant has provided funding for our work for
many years and in return, we let our members know about their Ecoshare program
which allows customers to buy carbon credits. Not yet available in San Marcos,
we still want to spread the word to friends and family in the state who DO get
to choose their energy provider. Reliant's success in growing EcoShare allows
them to support many environmental groups in Texas doing amazing work.
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