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A drained, muddy, and smelly San Antonio River Walk is not a sight out-of-town visitors should have to see on trips to the Alamo City.
That's why the operation is scheduled every other year around this time, during the slower winter tourist season.
San Antonio's Public Works Department and the San Antonio River Authority undertake this multi-pronged endeavor, which this year runs from Sunday, Jan. 11 to Monday, Jan. 19, along the River Walk, from West Josephine to South Alamo Street, near Southtown. It includes the downtown River Loop.
No roads will be closed for the project.
During the process, invasive species are removed. Tons of sediment, trash, River Walk dining furniture, and bikes or scooters have been found in previous years. Personal items like cell phones, watches and other jewelry items might also be revealed down at the river bottom once the water is drained.
The unpleasant musty odors emitted during the cleanup are caused mainly by decaying plant matter that has been absorbed by the sediment.
The crews could also find the need to make repairs o the concrete and stone River Walk river channel.
River authority biologists work to save and relocate native species during the draining. The nonnative ones targeted for removal are sucker catfish, blue tilapia, and apple snails.
Sadly, there is plenty of evidence to show that some people throw aquarium fish, like the sucker catfish, into the waterway — perhaps once they grow too big for their tanks and backyard ponds at home.
“The maintenance work and biological efforts ensure a healthy ecological environment,” said Adrian Reyna, aquatic biologist for the River Authority. “Removing invasive species allows native fish to thrive, fostering a sustainable ecosystem for the benefit of both wildlife and local communities.”
The river authority will also install 800 feet of barriers meant to deter apple snails from reproducing.
The San Antonio River Walk—known as a premier tourist destination— will be restored and ready for visitors after Jan. 20.
