San Marcos River
The San Marcos River originates in San Marcos, Texas, from the San Marcos Springs, which also houses Aquarena Springs. Many threatened or endangered species live in the springs, including the Texas blind salamander, fountain darter, and Texas wild rice. Tubing, canoeing, swimming, and fishing are all popular activities on the river.
Course
The Edwards Aquifer feeds the river, which begins at San Marcos Springs and runs into Spring Lake. Access to much of the headwaters is restricted due to the delicate environment and many endangered species. The upper river, which passes through San Marcos, is a popular recreational location. It reaches the Blanco River after four kilometers and runs through Luling and Palmetto State Park. After 75 miles, it empties into the Guadalupe River near Gonzales (121 km). The Texas Water Safari begins with this segment.
History
The river’s history and naming are rather hazy. Although Alonso de León’s journey in 1689 may have discovered it, some academics believe they discovered the Colorado or Navidad Rivers. The Comal River was popularly referred to as the Guadalupe, and a part of the Guadalupe was known as San Ybón. In 1808 the Spanish established San Marcos de Neve, which is located slightly south of present-day San Marcos. They had friendly relations with the Tonkawa Indians, until the aggressive Comanche tribe drove them away in 1812. In 1998 and 2015, the river was badly inundated.
Events
San Marcos, located on the San Marcos River, provides a range of activities. The Texas Water Safari has been held every year since 1963, with canoes powered only by human work. This event travels 260 miles from Aquarena Springs in San Marcos to Seadrift, Texas, via the San Marcos and Guadalupe rivers. This event is separated into many phases, including an information session, the safari race, a warm-up race, and another short race. Racers must have enough food and supplies to last the whole race. The Texas Water Safari, billed as the “World’s Toughest Boat Race,” is held in June on the second Saturday.
Another event is the San Marcos River Clean-Up, which is an organized spring clean-up of the whole river. Volunteers can either use canoes to remove trash from the river or prepare food for the San Marcos River Clean-Up thank-you lunch, which is provided for all volunteers. The yearly cleaning is organized by Tom Goynes, president of the Texas River Protection Association, and takes place on the first Saturday of March.
Wildlife
The San Marcos River is home to a wide range of animal species, including numerous endangered species. Because of declining numbers or habitat degradation, species are classified as vulnerable or endangered. The Texas blind salamander and the San Marcos salamander are endangered species found exclusively in certain areas of the San Marcos River and the Edwards Aquifer.
The fountain darter and San Marcos gambusia are two more endangered species in the San Marcos River. The fountain darter is recognizable by its mottled brown body and black markings, which help in its hiding on the banks of the San Marcos River. It is becoming more populous and thrives in the San Marcos River. The body of the San Marcos gambusia is marked by thick black stripes. Its population is unknown since no samples have been collected since 1983, and it may potentially be extinct. Both fish require clean, steady-flowing water at a consistent temperature.
The endangered plant species Texas wild rice is endemic to the San Marcos River. On the river, there are just 230 clumps in two populations, one of which is cultivated on the Texas State University campus.
The San Marcos River is considered one of the most biologically varied aquatic habitats in the Southwest. As a result, the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department designated San Marcos Springs and Spring Lake as vital habitat, and portions of the river were privatized. Critical habitat is a distinct geographical location that contains all of the physical, chemical, and biological elements essential for an endangered plant or animal’s continued thriving and may warrant special management and conservation efforts.
Efforts to restore
Because of the species that lives in or near the San Marcos River, the Edwards Aquifer habitat protection plan safeguards the majority of the river. This plan was developed in 2006 by a group of Texas municipalities that use the copious resources of the San Marcos River to manage aquatic habitats and water resources in the Comal and San Marcos springs. This method helps with non-native species management, species stability, native species management, silt removal, pollution reduction, and flow protection. The restoration projects on the San Marcos River banks are the main focus of the massive effort to save the Edward Aquifer. Non-native plants are removed and replaced with native species. In addition, six new river access points were to be built in order to allow people to enter and depart the water without causing harm to the river banks. The city intended to invest around $1 million in this restoration endeavor in order to improve the river’s ecosystem while also increasing enjoyment.
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