In case you haven't realized it yet, Texas has two official seasons: Drought and Flood. In the past three months alone, we have seen both "seasons" in their extremes — San Antonio had just experienced its driest May in 108 years when July came along and shattered rainfall records set throughout Texas during our last "100 year flood event" (October 1998). When folks say everything in Texas is B-I-G, they really aren't kidding!
It is our profound hope that everyone reading this was spared the ravages of the recent flooding. If not, we extend our sympathies and best wishes as you continue to clean up, rebuild and carry on.
Speaking of rebuilding, all 25 Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) facilities affected by the recent flooding are back open for business. Garner State Park, hardest-hit by the floods, was closed for two weeks and finally reopened to visitors on Thursday, July 18. The day use area and two of the park’s campgrounds remain closed for repairs. TPWD estimates repairs to affected park facilities will cost between $4.6 million and $7.7 million. That's a lot of unplanned expense in any circle, but particularly when one considers the entire TPWD budget for the 2002 Fiscal Year is $200 million to support, maintain, preserve and enhance the park system's 120 facilities and countless programs.
For the latest information on Texas state parks affected by floods, call 1-800-792-1112 and select option “3”. To make or check on state park reservations, call 512-389-8900 or visit:
- http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/park/
Justin and I have not had an opportunity to visit the various county and city parks which were also affected by the recent floods. If you have photos or damage assessment information on any Texas county or city park, please email me and we will share the information on WildTexas.com. For example, Wild Texas "Your Photos" participant "RichO" has photos of Bandera's Jellystone RV Park showing significant damage:
- http://www.pbase.com/image/3078020
Here's hoping for a calm hurricane season, since we are less than two inches away from our ANNUAL rainfall total in San Antonio, and have already exceeded it elsewhere in the state!
Take Care,
Shannon Moore
wildtexas.com
We are thrilled by the number of you participating in the "Your Photos" section of WildTexas.com. The quality and diversity of photos is superb -- beautiful sunsets, intimate landscapes and aerial photos of places Justin and I have not yet flown, are just a few of the highlights. If you have any photos you would like to share, consider doing so today!
"Your Photos" free online scrapbook of your Texas travels:
- http://wildtexas.com/gallery/
Our latest personal additions to "Your Photos" are from a July 7 flight over Medina Lake while floodwaters were still coursing over the dam's spillway. The most striking fact was how much the waters had already dropped, revealing a narrow trench carved out of the once-solid hillside downstream of the dam. The power of water is awesome, indeed.
Our June 21-23 camping trip to Guadalupe River State Park was an educational experience. While we enjoyed our visit in many respects, several fundamental problems challenged our concept of outdoor recreation.
If we didn’t know any better prior to our visit, being a park visitor apparently means:
- Adding to already rampant over-crowding of the park’s day use area.
- Leaving behind a horrendous amount of trash, including soggy/soiled diapers.
- At the very least, turning one’s radio on or up after the park’s well-publicized 10 PM "quiet time".
These problems are not, of course, isolated to Guadalupe River State Park, or even Texas State Parks in general. I am certain these experiences are repeated at countless parks throughout the nation every weekend. What’s the fundamental problem? Quite simply, I think it boils down to a lack of respect for fellow park guests and the parks themselves. Read our trip report and you will see first-hand.
Guadalupe River State Park, June 21-23 Trip Report
- http://wildtexas.com/travels/tr_25.php
