KERRVILLE, Texas – Efforts to restore the Guadalupe River are moving forward after recent flooding erased some of the progress made by nonprofits and landowners working to heal the river corridor.
Last winter, groups worked with hundreds of property owners along the Guadalupe River to plant native grasses, sedges, wildflowers and grown plants. The work was part of a long-term restoration plan to stabilize the riverbank, reduce erosion and support the native habitat.
Rebeca Gibson, a Hill Country Alliance member, said it is still too early to know how much of that restoration work survived the latest flooding.
“Time will tell where some of that direct restoration work held up and where it didn’t,” Gibson said. “We’ve learned that it’s very site-specific. Some places held up better than others.”
The Guadalupe River is an essential part of the Hill Country’s economy and environment. It draws families and visitors, supports local businesses and provides a habitat for native plants, fish and wildlife.
Gibson said the restoration work is expected to take years.
While the latest flooding was heartbreaking for those involved, it has not stopped the effort. The Hill Country Alliance and Kerr Together are asking private landowners not to remove natural debris, such as trees, from the river unless it poses a danger or creates a hazard.
Gibson said that natural material can become a habitat for plants and animals and could help slow future floodwaters.
“As long as it’s not dangerous or causing a hazard, we love to see as much of that left in place as possible or moved along to the contour of the land so it can slow future rainfall, prevent erosion,” Gibson said.
The restoration effort continues with support from the San Antonio Botanical Garden, which has set aside thousands of native tree seeds. The plantings are expected to begin in the coming months.
This fall, the nonprofit plans to once again distribute native seeds to landowners along the river. Funding for the work was made possible through the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country.
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