EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Vision CHAIRMAN Inspiring Actions for Healthy Creeks and Rivers Darrell T. Brownlow, Ph.D. VICE-CHAIR Michael W. Lackey, P.E. Mission SECRETARY Lourdes Galvan Committed to Safe, Clean, Enjoyable Creeks and Rivers TREASURER Jim Campbell MEMBERS AT-LARGE Gaylon J. Oehlke James Fuller, M.D. BOARD OF DIRECTORS Bexar County District 1 Jerry G. Gonzales District 2 3 Board Approves Predictive 6 The Mission Reach – Five Lourdes Galvan Flood Modeling Initiative Years Later District 3 By Deb Bolner Prost By Marissa Korth Michael W. Lackey, P.E. Board Member Community Relations Coordinator Bexar County At-Large District 4 8 Partnering With Local Jim Campbell 3 Employee Highlight Soil & Water Conservation At-Large By Minna Paul Districts Hector R. Morales Education Coordinator By James Fuller, M.D. Deb Bolner Prost Board Member Wilson County 2 4 Free Community Goliad County Presentations John J. Flieller Darrell T. Brownlow, Ph.D. By Yviand Serbones-Hernandez 8 South Texas Natives Community Relations Coordinator By Carrie Merson Karnes County Education Specialist H.B. Ruckman, III 4 Environmental Advisory Gaylon J. Oehlke Committee 9 San Antonio River Authority Goliad County By Hillary Lilly Mussel Research Program James Fuller, M.D. Intergovernmental Coordinator By Shaun Donovan Alicia Lott Cowley Aquatic Biologist 5 Watershed Wise Rebate General Manager Program 10 Upcoming Events Suzanne Scott By Barry Walker Community Relations Coordinator 12 Leading by Example By Suzanne Scott Steven Schauer, Director of General Manager Government & Public Affairs Gloria R. Carmona Brand & Communications Officer Barry Walker Executive Editor Clint Marzec Graphic Designer Lee Marlowe Cover Photographer San Antonio River Authority Phone: (210) 227-1373 Toll Free: (866) 345-7272 Fax: (210) 302-3693 Email: [email protected] www.sara-tx.org Board Approves Predictive Flood Modeling Initiative By Deb Bolner Prost, SARA Board Member, Bexar County At-Large In 2013, the San Antonio River Authority — about 23.34 billion gallons of water. Accounting for the (River Authority) developed a flood topography of San Antonio, local infrastructure, and regional warning tool using the Innovyze riverine systems, the model paints an accurate picture of FloodWorks modeling platform, InfoWorks what could be expected from a Harvey-magnitude storm RS. The models, which are continuously event. fed rainfall data from the National Weather With the adoption of its budget for Fiscal Year 2018-2019, the Service, produce runoff and soil moisture River Authority is focused on converting and upgrading the conditions for 182 miles of the San Antonio River basin, old FloodWorks modeling platform to a new, more robust producing fast and reliable alerts and flood inundation maps Predictive Flood Modeling platform, which will expand data every 15 minutes. input and output capability and increase the range and rate Recently, the River Authority showcased the flood alert of simulation flows so that flood risks are communicated accurately in real-time. system within the Upper San Antonio River Watershed to demonstrate the impacts of a Hurricane Harvey-caliber storm. The new platform has the potential to mobilize communities This model utilized the actual rainfall data recorded over the throughout the San Antonio River basin to plan smarter for, seven day Harvey storm event. River Authority engineers and react more quickly to extreme flood events. Predictive positioned the rainfall data over Bexar County with the Flood Modeling will save lives by empowering communities most intense rainfall depths centered north of downtown in to identify vulnerable areas, plan sustainable infrastructure, Olmos Basin to simulate a similar storm event in the heart and adopt development policies that mitigate the effects of of San Antonio. The model results showed that Olmos Basin flood waters while enhancing the community’s capacity for would receive enough rainfall to fill the Alamodome 41 times emergency response. 3 Employee Highlight By Minna Paul, Education Coordinator A female version of Mogli from the movie Jungle Book, that’s me! As a little girl I remember spending weekends wandering around in the dry deciduous forests of central India, the hunting grounds of the majestic Bengal Tiger. While my fearless father (a dedicated officer in the Indian Forest Service) was busy protecting tiger habitat (and me without my knowledge), I pretended I was the princess of the jungle! He was my super hero, the protector of the earth and its amazing creatures and I dreamt of being JUST LIKE HIM! Those early years of fueling my curiosity, sharpening survival skills and developing a keen understanding of the fragility of our existence led me into the field of environmental At the River Authority I get to unleash the power of caring protection from a truly global perspective. Those years fueled deeply. What do I do every day at the River Authority? I hold a passion to inspire people to see the world with compassion the title of Education Coordinator, but from my perspective, for all life and instill a sense of stewardship for our precious I tell the story of the river to hundreds of young and old planet. Today that is my vision and mission for life. When the citizens throughout our basin. I tell it in a way that would universe led me to the San Antonio River Authority (River make children, adults and organizations care and want to take Authority), I knew it was my ‘Ikigai’ (a Japanese philosophy for action for protecting it. I am grateful beyond measure every life about finding your sweet spot where your job and passion day to be assigned this responsibility by the River Authority meet). and I truly believe it was meant to be! Free Community Presentations By Yviand Serbones-Hernandez, Community Relations Coordinator Do you represent a company, organization, neighborhood flood risk and the retention dams managed by the agency. association, Kiwanis Club, Rotary Club, gardening club or any The clean section includes information about the efforts other community interest group? If so, we would love to have of our scientists to monitor and improve the water quality the opportunity to present to you about the San Antonio of our creeks and rivers through sustainable practices like River and our role as an agency. low impact development. The enjoyable section includes information about the nature parks, which are maintained The San Antonio River Authority (River Authority) has and operated by the River Authority, and the free events and developed an informative presentation in an effort to educate park programming available to the public. The final section the community about our vision of inspiring actions for of the presentation explains how you can find opportunities healthy creeks and rivers. All presentations are free, and are to actively get involved in protecting and preserving our booked on a first-come, first-serve basis. Presentation length creeks and rivers. Presenters come with the River Authority can be adjusted for your group needs from 30 to 60 minutes. quarterly newsletters, maps of the San Antonio River Walk which include trails, paddling access points and picnic areas, The presentation is broken down into the River Authority’s and the San Antonio River Basin map. three service areas: safe, clean and enjoyable. Under the safe section, your group will learn about the River Authority’s To request a presentation, simply visit our website at www. work in flood management which includes information sara-tx.org. We look forward to sharing our love of the river about our flood mapping tools to help you understand your with you and have you join us in our efforts! 4 Environmental Advisory Committee By Hillary Lilly, Intergovernmental Coordinator The Environmental Advisory Committee (EAC) was Program (CRP) Steering Committee. The CRP is a partnership established in 2005 to serve as a comprehensive public between the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality participation group that reviews and provides input on and regional water authorities like the River Authority, to environmental studies and programs at the San Antonio River coordinate and manage water quality monitoring, data Authority (River Authority). The committee is made up of 13 collection and analysis in an effort to improve the quality members, including co-chairs, each representing a distinct of water within Texas river basins. Committee members are stakeholder group. The groups presently represented are: charged with reviewing CRP highlight reports and providing academia, agriculture, bay and estuary, recreation, business feedback as well as suggestions for future projects and and industry and environmental. The 13 members not only studies within the CRP. represent different stakeholder groups, they represent The committee meets quarterly to hear updates and the four county district that the River Authority serves. presentations on the current projects and programs being The members represent Bexar, Wilson, Karnes and Goliad conducted by the River Authority. Their next meeting will be counties as well as the San Antonio Bay and Estuary to give held in December 2018. All meetings are open to the public the River Authority a holistic view of the issues impacting and anyone is encouraged to come out and learn more about the environment in the entirety of the San Antonio River the work the EAC and the River Authority staff are doing to Watershed. keep our rivers and creeks safe, clean and enjoyable. In addition to the committee’s role in providing feedback on To learn more about the Environmental Activity Committee, environmental concerns, the EAC serves as the Clean Rivers visit www.sara-tx.org. Watershed Wise Rebate Program By Barry Walker, Community Relations Coordinator Here at the San Antonio River Authority (River Authority), damage to homes and properties which increases public we’re steadfast in our commitment to safe, clean, enjoyable safety. This results in safer, cleaner, more enjoyable creeks creeks and rivers. We understand that pollution on the land, and rivers.