Environmental Benefits

Green Space and Restoration

In all the reaches of the project, state-of-the art design of green space and attention to the natural environment are evident. But the eight-mile Mission Reach will become a national model for eco-system restoration, using fluvial geomorphology (the study of the river and the process by which it was formed) to create stable flood control while reclaiming the river’s natural meanders and appearance.

Egret over the river near Mission Espada.

Witte Museum Collection

Wildlife habitat areas will be created, and the river will be lined with natural cobblestones to ensure a healthier environment for fish and other aquatic organisms.

Native fish

will be restored, including:

guadalupe bass
blue gill
channel catfish
sunfish
shad

Native trees, grasses and plant life

will be reintroduced along the river’s edge, including:

Food trees like pecan, oak and walnut.
Understory species like redbud and wild olive trees, buttonbush shrubs, Texas bluebonnets, and scarlet sage.

Native small- and medium-sized mammals

will be attracted to the wider variety of trees along the river. These small animals are key to encouraging diverse wildlife populations to return to the area:

pygmy mice
cotton rats
opossums
raccoons

Reptiles and amphibians

provide clues about how quickly the river is being restored, and the quality of the habitat. Ecologists and nature lovers will watch for the return of:

native turtles
water snakes

This restoration of indigenous small wildlife will improve the health of the ecosystem and serve as a food source for other wildlife.