Save Geronimo Creek!

Please help save the Geronimo Creek! Write Mayor Betty Ann Matthies of Seguin, Texas USA and ask her to personally review future routes of the Geronimo Creek sewer project to minimize damage done to the springs and trees along the Geronimo Creek. Her e-mail address is mayor@ci.seguin.tx.us

The Seguin Outdoor Learning Center (SOLC) in Seguin, Texas USA, is a pristine nature and study site for both children and adults. A strip through the heart of the wooded trails between the SOLC fishing pond and the Geronimo Creek has recently been destroyed by the city of Seguin, which has continued its tradition of excavating long sections along the Geronimo Creek to bury sewer pipes. The spring-fed Geronimo Creek, which is among the very few permanent creeks in South-Central Texas, is noted for the wildlife and plants along its banks. Portions of the flood plain along the creek are noted for being home to one of the rarest and most spectacular fungi on Earth, Chorioactis geaster (aka Texas star and the devil's cigar). This rare fungus is found only at Kyushu, Japan, and in several Texas counties (including the wooded portion of our place on the Geronimo Creek). A photo of a prime specimen of C. Geaster is at the bottom of my home page (www.forrestmims.org).

The sewer trench through the Outdoor Learning Center is 26 feet (8 meters) deep. It has permanently cut through springs that watered a display of plants along the creek. The soil is not being replaced in the trench in the order it was removed, and the original top soil and black clay substrate are nowhere to be seen. This will make restoration with native plants difficult or impossible. This may lead to erosion of the soil over sewer project when the creek floods.

OSHA has investigated this project twice, and the large boulder protruding from the wall of the trench over the head of a worker will explain one reason why. The city refused to enforce its own rules that the workers be provided with a toilet and a hand washing facility from May to October 23, when the Texas Department of Health intervened and required that a toilet be provided. Nor has the city enforced its requirements that the site not be littered with trash by the workers. Photos have been made showing discarded bottles, cans, plastic cups, clothing, shoes, tools and a discarded toilet paper roll.

There are ways to install sewer pipes without going through the center of an outdoor learning facility and ripping up its trails. But destroying the bank along this rare creek has become a Seguin tradition. You can help save the Geronimo Creek by encouraging Mayor Betty Ann Matthies to personally review future routes of this sewer project to insure that the least damage is done to the springs and trees along the Geronimo Creek. Her e-mail address is mayor@ci.seguin.tx.us

Thank you for helping save the Geronimo Creek.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Seguin
• Texas
• Environment
• Water
• rare
• endangered
• Geronimo
• Creek
• Forrest
• Mims

[alamo1960]

I've seen this type of destruction before. Specifically at the Flying-L Ranch in Bandera, TX. They dug a culvert and the source of natural springs there to build a road. When the fill was returned, the springs never did. That was over two years ago and it's still dry.

The natural springs are very delicate indeed.

Rob

San Antonio

[fmims]

Thanks for your comments Rob. After destroying hundreds of trees at the Seguin Outdoor Learning Center, the city of Seguin now claims it wants to take steps to protect trees under its juirdiction. Forrest

[alamo1960]

Forrest,

The springs in Bandera are what I would call "legacy springs". The ran down about 100 yards of a rock gradient and went into a very large sinkhole. If you'd like to see it, just let me know and I'll take you out there.

v/r

Rob

[alamo1960]

Thanks for the reply Sir. I still need to send my Engineering notebooks for your autograph. Will do soonest.

Regards,

Rob

P.S. Great article in today's Express News and great video as well.