Live from the Southside is pleased to announce the continued growth of its literacy initiative, now supported by Lone Star National Bank and the San Antonio River Authority.

Chainsaws, skid steers, and wood chippers will join the sound of birds and running water along the Mission Reach portion of the San Antonio River for the next four months.

The San Antonio River Authority is continuing the freshwater mussel reintroduction process.

In what the Texas Water Development Board chairwoman called a “monumental achievement,” officials voted Thursday to adopt the state’s first comprehensive flood plan, setting in motion years’ worth of planning.

There’s a higher risk for flooding in the Alamo City because of our terrain, soil and rainfall rates.

San Antonio has a system for catching trash along the San Antonio River -- a huge trash rake.

The San Antonio River Authority is reintroducing 5,000 freshwater mussels into the river over the next month or two, generally between Interstate 10 and a little below Loop 410 on the South Side.

The San Antonio River Authority and River Foundation are hosting the event from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, April 21, at Acequia Park.

The discovery was made during a recent Mission Reach Intensive Nekton Survey (MRINS) conducted by SARA scientists along with scientists from Texas A&M University and Texas State University.

During draining portions of the River Walk between Jan. 12-14, San Antonio River Authority (SARA) biologists collected and relocated 2,000 Apple snails to other parts of the river.

The San Antonio River Authority (SARA) this week announced a strategic partnership with WAZE, a crowd-sourced navigation app, to provide real-time information on low-water crossings to drivers.

The San Antonio River Authority is hosting a free community event in December that will include snow!

Voters will select two people to serve on the San Antonio River Authority board of directors.

The effort was made possible by a $50,000 national grant awarded to SARA to aid the development of new trails and native species planting in the area.

The San Antonio River Authority’s (SARA) Board of Directors adopted a resolution endorsing Proposition 6, which would — if approved by voters in November — create more investments in Texas’ water infrastructure and finance water projects.

there are 14 state constitutional amendments on the Nov. 7 ballot, and depending on where you live in Bexar County, your ballot could also other items including for director at large of the San Antonio River Authority as well as elections in Converse, Helotes, Hill Country Village and Schertz.

The San Antonio River Authority is opening a 74-acre park in West Bexar County and a 351-acre park in South Bexar County just in time for fall outings.

The project is a community-based creek restoration effort started by SARA in 2008. It encompasses the Alazán, Apache, Martinez and San Pedro Creeks.

A string of thefts and vandalism has hit local parks. In the last several weeks, a 3D model, an interactive microphone, and two plaques have been stolen.

Several creeks that weave through San Antonio’s West Side will soon be restored and enhanced under the long-awaited Westside Creeks Ecosystem Restoration Project.

Officials with the San Antonio River Authority said trash and litter buildup is an ongoing issue at many waterways, especially near Espada Dam.

The “Don’t Let Litter Trash Your River” initiative intends to educate the communities throughout the basin and encourage the public to take part in helping keep area creeks and rivers clean by not littering and picking up trash when they see it on the ground.

The Art of Four Art Initiative was selected last fall by the San Antonio River Authority to create special murals that will be placed along the San Pedro Creek.

When it comes to flood safety, keeping lives, property, and the natural environment safe and secure from the devastating effects of major flooding is a top concern for the San Antonio River Authority (River Authority).

The San Antonio River Authority is working to help property owners and renters figure out how changes to the floodplain map could impact their plans for the future.

The maps affect portions of China Grove, Elmendorf, San Antonio and St. Hedwig along with some unincorporated areas of Bexar County.

The San Antonio River Authority is celebrating the holiday season with the 2022 River of Lights festival this Saturday, Dec. 3.

San Pedro Creek Culture Park is a one-of-a-kind urban greenspace on the western edge of downtown San Antonio.

A team at the San Antonio River Authority is working on a project to reintroduce native freshwater mussles to the Mission Reach of the San Antonio River Walk.

See a snail, report a snail. The San Antonio River Authority needs water warriors to help report sightings of an invasive species.

A music and art festival is coming to San Antonio Mission Reach this fall.

The San Antonio River Authority says they continue to find non-native species that are wreaking havoc on the San Antonio River ecosystem, from fish to snails.

The San Antonio River defines our community. However, few of us would ever willingly jump into the urban reaches of the waterway. It’s not, by any stretch of the imagination, as clean as the nearby Comal or Guadalupe. Why is that? KSAT Explains.

Check out the newest coffee trailer near the Alamo Heights area...

A clean river is a happy river, and that’s been to goal for the “Don’t Let Litter Trash Your River” public outreach initiative.

What are you up to this coming weekend? We have an idea for you. The San Antonio River Foundation and its partner, the San Antonio River Authority, will host the official kayaking event of Fiesta San Antonio: the Mission Reach Flotilla Fiesta.

A public service announcement from the San Antonio River Authority (SARA) details the risks to the ecosystem when people dump fish into local waterways.

Are you tired of seeing litter trash your river?

When it rains, litter from streets, parking lots and neighborhoods washes into ditches and storm sewers, which drain into area creeks and rivers.

The remnants of a category 1 hurricane in 1921 caused death and destruction in San Antonio, but they also helped push for change.

Thousands of apple snails have been removed from the San Antonio River this year, however, many more still pose a threat.

The San Antonio River Foundation hosts Fiesta event in the river to encourage appreciation and stewardship of the waterway.

In San Antonio it seems like there is always a fishing spot nearby, but which ones have the most luck?

Crews with the San Antonio River Authority have been picking up large amounts of trash along the Mission Reach of the San Antonio River Walk.

Happy Earth Day! In celebration of Earth Day, the San Antonio River Authority wants you to become a citizen scientist. Find out how!

The San Antonio River Authority has a new tool dedicated to educating Bexar County residents.

A local fishing enthusiast named Matt caught the fish of a lifetime —until the next one that is— on the San Antonio River along the Saspamco Paddling Trail.

SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio River Authority is calling for Bexar County artists to apply for a unique opportunity to create a mural for the San Pedro Creek Culture Park downtown. The segment of the creek, which is the second for the park, is currently under construction. The opportunity is open to artists who live in Bexar County and are at least 18 years old. The selected team will have to review designs with SARA and Bexar County officials, and it will be voted upon by the Bexar County Commissioners Court. SARA officials said the artwork should depict the history of San Pedro Creek.

SAN ANTONIO – Brown plants have littered South Texas after many died or were damaged in February’s winter storms. But along the River Walk, the SA River Authority said they might be in better shape than they thought. However, the River Authority’s Sustainable Landscape Ecologist, Lee Marlowe, said the River Walk will still be able to support wildlife during the important spring migration. Marlowe said many of the plants that died during the winter weather are actually non-native species people may be growing in their yards. AdNow that it is March, we can expect to see a number of species migrate through South Texas.

The San Antonio River Authority is welcoming all children and their families to take part in a three-day, virtual space adventure. SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio River Authority is welcoming all children and their families to take part in a three-day, virtual space adventure. This is the sixth year for SARA’s Planets in the Park event, which is set for Feb. 26 -28. However, due to the coronavirus pandemic, this year’s event will be in a virtual capacity instead of being held at Helton Nature Park. The event will be virtual on the river authority’s Facebook page, which can be found here.

The Environmental Sciences Department is continuing to monitor the sightings, and officials said the dead fish are not caused by poor water quality. Anyone who spots dead fish along the river is asked to contact the River Authority’s Environmental Investigations team online or by calling 866-345-7272. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department said fish on the Texas coast first started dying off on Feb. 14. Among the fish species impacted were spotted seatrout, red drum, sheepshead, grey snapper, snook, black drum and tarpon. Other wildlife species impacted by the storm include axis deer, blackbuck, nilgai antelope and multiple bird species, according to TPWD.

SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio River Authority conducted a prescribed burn Tuesday in the Mission Reach area. The burn is part of ongoing maintenance and helps with vegetation management efforts, officials said. Park trails in the Mission Reach area were closed to the public while the burn took place. SARA officials contracted with Raven Environmental Services and coordinated with the San Antonio Fire Department, Bexar County and the National Park Service for the prescribed burn.

As part of the San Antonio River Authority’s commitment to safe, clean, enjoyable creeks and rivers, the agency created the San Antonio River Basin Report Card. The expert engineers, scientists, technical and specialized staff of the River Authority exercised their best professional judgment to determine the most meaningful list of indicators for this inaugural river basin report card. For this inaugural San Antonio River Basin Report Card, the overall basin grade is 66.2. Given the broader spread in scores, the overall river basin report card numeric score of 66.2 equates to a “B” grade. The River Authority intends to issue future river basin report cards each September to correspond with World Rivers Day.

As part of the San Antonio River Authority’s commitment to safe, clean, enjoyable creeks and rivers, the group created the San Antonio River Basin Report Card. The expert engineers, scientists, technical and specialized staff of the River Authority exercised their best professional judgment to determine the most meaningful list of indicators for this inaugural river basin report card. For this inaugural San Antonio River Basin Report Card, the overall basin grade is 66.2. Given the broader spread in scores, the overall river basin report card numeric score of 66.2 equates to a “B” grade. The River Authority intends to issue future river basin report cards each September to correspond with World Rivers Day.

SAN ANTONIO – Wakeboarding may be a fun, enjoyable water sport but there is no place for it at the San Antonio River Walk or the San Pedro Creek Culture Park, the San Antonio River Authority said. A video surfaced on YouTube earlier this week, showing a man wakeboarding on the River Walk. It jeopardizes the safety of those doing it, passersby who are out enjoying the recreational amenities, and features along the river," SARA said in a statement. If you’re looking for a safe area to wakeboard, or for more on approved recreational activities in San Antonio, click here. RELATED: Investigation underway after San Antonio Riverwalk becomes target of graffiti

Wastewater surveillance isn’t new. Many universities across the nation have also used wastewater surveillance to track COVID cases among students. UTSA has partnered with the San Antonio River Authority to collect weekly samples over a 24-hour period from its treatment plants. The first phase included testing the Salitrillo Wastewater Treatment Plant in Converse. Researchers will now focus on the River Authority’s Martinez II Wastewater Treatment Plant.

SAN ANTONIO – Portions of Alamo Street will be reduced to two lanes of traffic as construction continues on San Pedro Creek Culture Park, The San Antonio River Authority announced. Construction of the park is entering Phase 2, spanning from Guadalupe Street to just north of Cevallos Street. According to the River Authority, the partial street closure is necessary to begin work on replacing the Alamo Street bridge. The San Pedro Creek Culture Park construction process is phased in four total phases, with three segments in Phase 1, The River Authority said. When the four phases are complete, the San Pedro Creek Culture Park will span 2.2 miles through downtown.

SAN ANTONIO The City of San Antonio is joining Bexar County in closing its parks over Labor Day weekend. Temporarily closing parks encourages the community to stay home, wear face coverings, and practice physical distancing. The San Antonio River Authority announced this week that its parks will be closed including:Confluence Park (310 W. Mitchell St.)Portions of the Mission Reach section of the San Antonio River WalkPavilion along the river near Roosevelt ParkConcepcin Portal and adjoining green space near Concepcin ParkPavilion along the river between Theo Ave. and Mission Rd. Pavilion along the river between Mission Rd. SARA encourages people to wear masks and practice social distancing while on the trails.

SAN ANTONIO – Swamp rats are having a moment. After a story about their invasion of a Texas park went viral, KSAT reached out to the San Antonio River Authority (SARA) and learned that the orange-toothed rodents live here, too. The number of swamp rats trapped in past years:2019 - 10 nutria2018 - 60 nutria2017 - 32 nutriaDid you know the world’s largest bat colony can be found just outside San Antonio? If you see a nutria along the San Antonio River you can report the sighting to the San Antonio River Authority at (866) 345-7272 or on the SARA website sariverauthority.org/contact-us-0. “Our staff worked to find an appropriate solution to the damage caused by the Nutria-rat population in an effort to preserve the project’s ecosystem and the health of the San Antonio River.”

SAN ANTONIO In a statement to KSAT, the San Antonio River Authority confirmed an ammonia spill that happened at San Pedro Creek on Wednesday and is affecting fish and animals who call the creek home. Yviand Serbones-Hernandez, brand and communications coordinator for the San Antonio River Authority said in a statement that the spill is believed to have happened Kiolbassa Smoked Meats plant by a storm drain inlet on S. San Marcos Street. Hernandez said the River Authoritys Environmental Investigations team confirmed the odor and reported that approximately 50 fish were killed. Hernandez said River Authority staff has continued to monitor the area and reported an increase of dead fish on Wednesday. The River Authority was also made aware of dead fish observed at the river junction of San Pedro Creek and the San Antonio River on the Mission Reach segment.

SAN ANTONIO – Nearly 20,000 fish were stocked in two bodies of water in San Antonio Wednesday as part of an ongoing proactive ecological restoration by the San Antonio River Authority (SARA). The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Inland Fisheries Division stocked approximately 15,500 adult Bluegill in the Mission Reach section of the San Antonio River Walk and 4,000 Bluegill in Elmendorf Lake, according to Shaun Donovan, the environmental sciences department manager for SARA. More than 100,000 fish, including Guadalupe Bass, Channel catfish and Bluegill, have been stocked along the Mission Reach since the completion of an ecosystem restoration project in 2013, according to Donovan. He also noted that “Mission Reach has become a hotspot for birding; a three-year avian study resulted in the observation of more than 200 species.”Thousands of catfish to be stocked in two San Antonio neighborhood lakesDonovan pointed out that instream ecosystems are slower to recover despite the success with the reintroduction of plants and birds. “River Authority staff will continue with additional fish stockings and reintroductions and are exploring a reintroduction of freshwater mussels that could begin as early as 2021,” Donovan said.

SAN ANTONIO – Update 4/3/20San Antonio city leaders officially announced on Friday that city parks would be closed to the public on Easter weekend. Update 4/2/20:City leaders said Thursday that city parks will be closed to the public on Easter weekend. “Right now we’re looking at closing all the city parks on Saturday and Sunday of Easter weekend, starting midnight on Friday, all the parks will be closed. Easter camping is a long-standing tradition in San Antonio when the city usually lifts the curfew at parks for three nights leading up to Easter Sunday. Now, the city is looking to close the parks entirely over Easter weekend to keep people from holding celebrations and gatherings.

Published: January 9, 2020, 4:39 am Updated: January 9, 2020, 8:54 amSAN ANTONIO – The River Walk is expected to be back to normal Thursday following a draining for regular maintenance. Crews drained the river from Josephine Street to Nueva Street Monday to make some needed repairs. Biologists with the San Antonio River Authority also removed an invasive species called the apple snail. San Antonio River Walk drained for maintenanceThe snails were discovered in October and several pink egg sacks were collected then. Water levels should be back to normal later today.