Several Colorado River Walkers did the New Braunfels Fall Walk last Saturday, November 7th. We all enjoyed the scenery, and both Carol O. and Stephanie K. took pictures.
The picture of the Comal River above was taken just off Elizabeth Avenue, near the edge of the golf course.
Below are Laura and Nelli at the Start/Finish.
Nita is heading back to the Start/Finish in the picture below after taking a few more pictures of the horses across the street.
Another group of CRW members at the Start/Finish – in front are Kathy, Mary and Carol, and Les is behind them.
We had the opportunity to tour the Headwaters at the Comal learning center and enjoyed learning about the history of the Comal Springs. Here is a summary of the recent developments:
- The Headwaters at the Comal is located on land that was formerly the operations site for New Braunfels Utilities (NBU). NBU operated on this site from the 1960’s until 2004. At that time they moved their water and electric operations to a new location.
- In 2012, NBU gathered a group of community stakeholders to help provide direction for the then unused buildings and spaces surrounding the working water plant, called the Comal Springs Conservation Center. The outcome of those talks was a plan to restore the property to its natural habitat and to create a conservation and learning center dedicated to preserving and highlighting the significance of the Comal River.
- In 2016, work started on the property. NBU and Headwaters at the Comal, the non-profit organization that they established in 2017, worked together on the project.
- They removed five acres of asphalt and replaced it with hundreds of native trees, plants, and grasses, scenic walking trails and interpretive signage. They also uncapped and restored the historic spring cistern, daylighting the headsprings of the Comal River. These actions resulted in a dramatic 94% reduction in localized pollution entering the Comal River system. For a visual of the transformation of the site and a list of environmental improvements, click here and scroll down.
Below are a few pictures taken on the grounds of the Headwaters at the Comal.
Here is a picture of the spring run. It carries the water from the headwaters spring to the Comal River.
The Savannah, planted with native Texas grasses and wildflowers, is pictured below. It’s hard to believe that this area used to be covered in asphalt, but it was.
The last picture from the grounds of the Headwaters at the Comal is of the Comal River itself.
Also, Carol took this short video of the Comal:
The rest of the pictures are interesting sites from the walk route. Enjoy!
