Melissa Bryant is the Director of Technical Services and has been with the River Authority since 2002. Melissa attended Texas A&M University in College Station, TX where she graduated with a BS in Agricultural Engineering. She also received her MS in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Texas at San Antonio. Melissa is a licensed Professional Engineer in Civil Engineering. She is also a Certified Floodplain Manager and has her Project Management Program Certification. Mrs. Bryant has over 20 years of professional experience working in the field of water resources.
Melissa oversees the Watershed Engineering, Environmental Sciences, and Real Estate Departments. The Watershed Engineering Department provides support and resources for the design, drafting, surveying, construction administration, inspection, and technical reviews necessary for implementation of sustainable stormwater management, river restoration, wastewater treatment, water supply, parks and linear trails, and other related projects. Engineering staff are charged with developing and maintaining the River Authority’s regional mapping and modeling programs within the San Antonio River Basin. The Environmental Sciences Department manages the water quality and environmental monitoring which includes a partnership with the TCEQ to monitor over 90 stations in the watershed. In addition, her environmental team conducts pollution investigations; data and process quality assurance; data management; water quality planning and assessments; stormwater education, incentives, and monitoring; triple bottom line assessments; and support on the City of San Antonio’s SA Tomorrow Implementation process through urban planning focused on sustainable stormwater management and development options. Her laboratory team runs a NELAP accredited laboratory that provides testing services in support of monitoring projects and efforts for internal and external entities throughout the watershed. The Real Estate Department provides real estate acquisition, disposition services and property management for the San Antonio River Authority throughout the San Antonio River Basin.
Melissa’s leadership role expands to serving at the state level for the Texas American Water Works Association as the 2020-21 Chair. She also serves in a national leadership role as a Co-Chair for the Stormwater Committee on the National Association of Flood and Stormwater Management Agencies. Locally, she participated in the City of San Antonio’s Climate Action & Adaptability Plan Natural Resources Committee.