Illegal Dam/Crossing on Guadalupe

Guadalupe River dam/crossing, December 14, 1996	Guadalupe River dam/crossing, December 14, 1996	David Reichert, Alamo City Rivermen, at the Guadalupe River dam/crossing, 12/14/96	Nancy Burns, Alamo City Rivermen, at the Guadalupe River dam/crossing, 12/14/96

Date: Sun, 03 Nov 1996 17:02:08 -0800
From: Reichert 
Organization: Mitchell-Reichert
To: canoeTX@world.std.com
Subject: Dam-Bridge on the Guadalupe
Sender: canoetx-approval@world.std.com
Reply-To: Reichert 

Quick Trip on the Upper Guadalupe

One day after work back in September, Modrea, Robert Wood & I paddled
down from Guadalupe River State Park to Specht’s Crossing.  The flow was
around 65 cfs, just barely enough to float the boats, but it was a
beautiful day and it was great to be there.

About half way through the trip (just above Curry Creek) we came across
a small dam that wasn’t there in the past.  It backed the water up about
two feet and had a riverwide hydraulic at the bottom.  Not a hazard at
this water level, but a potential problem at higher water.  This was the
only place we had to get out of the boats—there was only a couple of
inches of water flowing over the structure.

When we got up on it, it was apparent that it wasn’t supposed to be a
dam, it was a bridge or a road.  It had one small culvert that let some
water flow through, but not enough to break up the small hydraulic at
the bottom.

Continuing down river, we came across another interesting addition to
the river just above the new high bridge.  There was a cable angling
down across the river.  Apparently kids were climbing a tree on river
right where the cable was attached in the tree tops and sliding down the
cable (attached about 5 feet above the water line on river left) on a
hand-held pulley-type device.  That’s probably lots of fun on a summer
day, but will probably be hazardous to boaters at higher water.

I complained to the South Texas Water Masters office (TNRCC) about it. 
They said that would investigate, but that it was only a problem to them
if it impounded water.  If it did, it would need a permit.

I also wrote or called to complain to various folks at the Attorney
General’s Office, the General Land Office, the main TNRCC offices, &
Texas Parks & Wildlife Dept.

A deputy from the Water Master’s office went out to investigate.

Apparently my letters are not causing much stir.  We need a bunch of
letters.  I am including a lot names and addresses on the next page. 
Please write some of these folks (someone at each agency) and complain
about this dangerous and illegal structure.  Letters to the Attorney
General are most likely to get some action.  Lets get it removed before
someone gets killed.

   --David Reichert


Addresses for letters Complaining about Dam/Road

It would be helpful to have letters sent to the following people and
agencies (particularly the Attorney General) complaining about the
dangerous and illegal structures on the Guadalupe River (see description
in earlier story).  The bridge is on the Guadalupe River in Comal County
just above Curry Creek (about a mile below Honey Creek) and just below
the State Park.  It backs water up a couple of feet creating a small
lake.  The cable across the river is less that a mile above the Specht’s
Crossing high bridge.
________________________________________________

Mr Dan Morales			Mr Hal Ray, Jr
The Attorney General		Chief Natural Resources Div

Mr Joe Riddell			Mr Ken Cross
Natural Resources Div		Natural Resources Div

Office of the Attorney General
PO Box 12548
Austin TX 78711-2548

Mr Garry Mauro			Mr Spencer Reid
The Land Commissioner		Senior Dept Commissioner

General Land Office
1700 N. Congress
Austin, TX 78701
_____________________________________________________________

Mr Barry McBee			Mr John M. Baker
Chairman				Commissioner

Mr Ralph Marquez			Mr Dan Pearson
Commissioner			Executive Director

Texas Natural Resources Conservation Commission
PO Box 1254
Austin, TX 78711-308
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - -

Mr Toby Cisneroz
South Texas Watermaster
TNRCC
140 Heimer Rd, Suite 360A
San Antonio, TX 78232


Mr Andy Sansom			Mr Duncan Muckleroy
Executive Director		Superintendent, Guad Riv St. Park
Texas Parks & Wildlife Dept	3350 Park Rd 31
4200 Smith School Road		Spring Branch, TX 78070
Austin, TX 78744-3292          
_________________________________________________________

Mr Tom Goynes		
President
TRPA
PO Box 219
Martindale, TX 78655
_________________________________________________________

If you could send at least one letter to each agency it would really
help.  Just ONE letter to the AG's office would be a big help. 

Some letters to folks in Comal County Officials and the Water Oriented
Water District  would probably also be appropriate.  I don’t have those
names & addresses available at this time.

You might keep in mind that some of these people have little real
authority over the matter and that some of them are our friends—good
friends.

 David Reichert