SAN ANTONIO – UPDATE:
San Antonio’s Public Works department announced the San Antonio River draining operation was completed ahead of schedule.
A department press release said the draining and maintenance project was completed on Thursday, Jan. 18.
This year’s maintenance focused on the main channel from East Josephine Street to East Nueva Street, and from South Alamo Street to Lone Star Boulevard.
The department successfully removed 46.58 tons of sediment and debris from the affected portions.
ORIGINAL:
The River Walk in downtown San Antonio will be drained for routine maintenance from Friday, Jan. 12 through Sunday, Jan. 21.
During that time, the main river channel will be drained from Josephine to Nueva Streets, and from Alamo to Lone Star Streets.
The River Loop and main channel from Nueva to Alamo streets will not be affected, and river barges on the River Loop will be in operation.
There are no planned road closures at this time.
The work is being done by the City of San Antonio’s Center City Development and Operations Department, Public Works Department, and the San Antonio River Authority.
The river is drained regularly to allow crews to clear debris and sediment and to make necessary repairs.
Generally speaking, the river is drained every two years and alternates between the main channel and the River Loop, as needed.
“Draining of the river is vital to ensuring it remains a clean and vibrant attraction for residents and visitors,” according to the city.
Each draining, crews find a variety of items on the river bed like chairs, phones, wallets and utensils. Watch the video below to see some of the interesting finds in 2022 — the last time the river was drained.