Last Updated on January 30, 2024
This piece is contributed by Minna Paul, Engagement and Volunteer Coordinator II with the San Antonio River Authority (River Authority).
February is a great month to showcase our love for the San Antonio River and the communities we serve. As we wait for the onset of spring, we also plan for wondrous ways to enjoy the great Texas outdoors while contributing to its protection and health. February heralds the excitement of Basura Bash, the most extensive one-day litter clean-up of creeks and tributaries of the San Antonio River. Hundreds of local volunteers will assemble at the River’s various tributaries on Saturday, February 18, 2023, and pull out thousands of pounds of trash, metal and tires clogging our waterways.
For the River Authority, San Antonio River Foundation (River Foundation), and River Warrior volunteers, our love for the River runs deep! In 2022, 30 River Warrior volunteers and seven staff picked up 840 lbs. of trash and two tires at Sixmile Creek. This year River Warriors will again meet at the Sixmile Creek location. The registration for this location is currently filled. However, volunteers can register at any of the many other sites to help rid the mountains of trash that hurt our rivers and creeks. See the 2023 Basura Bash Event to learn more!
The River Authority and River Foundation’s River Warrior volunteers are a dedicated team of community members that donate their time towards healthy waterways in the San Antonio River Basin.
Request a Presentation
Another great way to get involved in the collective anti-litter mission is to truly understand the root of this problem! Trash and other pollutants in our waterways often come from open trash bins and trucks along roadways. Educating neighbors, friends, colleagues and community Homeowners Associations (HOAs) on ways to reduce, reuse, recycle and properly dispose of trash goes a long way in mitigating the overall impact of non-point source pollutants in the River. Request a presentation for your group from an expert River Authority staff member today!
Loving the River is more than reducing litter
For our River Warriors, love for the San Antonio River also goes beyond picking up litter! It extends to learning about the native plants and wildlife that depend on and contribute to the health of the River. Join a nature walk with local naturalists during our Spring Nature Walk Series and learn how to become a citizen scientist using iNaturalist. We guarantee you will walk away with a greater understanding of the interconnectedness of our riparian area inhabitants.
Nature walks along the River also bring awareness to extensive erosion issues along some of our rivers and creeks due to the loss of native vegetation and excessive stormwater runoff. River Warrior volunteers show they care about these issues by participating in Beaver Dam Workdays. This pilot volunteer project shows how low-tech post-assisted log structures built along erosion valleys can slow down the effects of long-term impacts on water quality and help restore stream health.
JOIN THE WARRIORS Today!
If you want to be part of this community movement, partake in the spirit of volunteerism, and show love for our precious freshwater resources, join the River Warrior team! You will learn of these and many other ways to support the mission and vision of the River Authority and River Foundation for safe, clean and enjoyable creeks and rivers in the San Antonio River Watershed. Be River Proud!
