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Learn about the latest activities of the Trinity Glen Rose District board of directors. TGR DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS TGR Meeting Information Date: 10:00 am, May 21, 2026 Location: District Conference Room, 12274 Bandera Road #106, Helotes, TX 78023 The board meeting agenda and other info can be found on the Board Meeting page here . Trinity Glen Rose District Precinct Map Use the map to determine which precinct you live in Dr. Stuart Birnbaum Precinct 1 Joe duMenil Precinct 2 Steven Peterson Precinct 3 Joe Silman Precinct 4 David Timmermann Precinct 5 Use the map to locate your District when using Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Microsoft Edge. For Safari users, click here to determine the District in which you reside. Trinity Glen Rose District Board Members Dr. Stuart Birnbaum Precinct 1 Vice-Chair Joe duMenil Precinct 2 Chairman Steven Peterson Precinct 3 Asst. Sec./Treasurer Joe Silman Precinct 4 Treasurer David Timmermann Precinct 5 Director Dr. Stuart Birnbaum - Precinct 1 (Vice-Chair) - Term expires 05/2028 Dr. Stuart Birnbaum is an elected representative and was appointed to the TGR Board in December 2020. Birnbaum is an emeritus associate professor in the department of geological sciences at the University of Texas at San Antonio where he conducted research in sedimentology and microbial geochemistry. He earned his B.S. degree in geology from the State University of New York at Stony Brook and his Ph.D. in geology from Cambridge University in the UK. Since retiring Birnbaum has been actively engaged with Citizens’ Climate Lobby serving as a co-leader of the San Antonio chapter of CCL. He is also a Board member of the Scenic Loop – Helotes Creek Alliance, a local environmental organization, and is an En-ROADS ambassador with Climate Interactive. Precinct 1 boundaries cover the area near the City of Helotes. See the map above. Joe duMenil - Precinct 2 (Board Chairman) - Term expires 05/2028 Joe duMenil is an elected representative and currently serves as the Board Chairman. He has served the District since April 2011. Mr. duMenil has over 45 years of experience in the development and management of public infrastructure. He gained his experience by serving 20 years in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and over 25 years in both public and private sectors. He currently is assisting Doucet, a Kleinfelder Company in their business development pursuits in Central Texas. He holds a B.S. degree in Construction Science and a M.S. degree in Construction Management from Texas A&M University. Mr. duMenil has been a Certified Floodplain Manager since 2002 and is actively involved in several professional organizations such as Texas Floodplain Management Association, Society of American Military Engineers, Texas Public Works Association, Construction Management Association of America and American Council of Engineering Companies. Precinct 2 encompasses the largest geographic area in District with the western boundaries being Highway 16 in the Helotes area, Camp Bullis on the east, Loop 1604 in the south and the Bexar County line to the north. This Precinct also extends into Kendall and Comal Counties within the City Limits of Fair Oaks Ranch. Also included in the Precinct 2 boundaries are the City of Grey Forest, a portion of the City of Helotes, numerous residential and commercial communities and the environmentally protected Government Canyon Nature Park. Steven Peterson - Precinct 3 (Asst. Sec./Treasurer) - Precinct 3 term expires 05/2030 Steven Peterson is a native San Antonian residing in Kinder Ranch. He is a graduate of Texas A&M and served in the San Antonio Police Department for 34 years. He has also served 7 years as a City of San Antonio District 10 Director of Neighborhood Engagement and Military Affairs. Now happily retired. He serves on this board as well as the board of the Master Leadership of S.A. Alumni Association. Camp Bullis and Camp Stanley cover most of the western portion of Precinct 3. The southern boundary runs up against the Stone Oak area and the Cibolo Creek forms most of the northern boundary. Eisenhauer Park is a highly used urban park in Precinct 3, and Panther Springs Creek Nature Area is a family friendly park residing in the district. A unique aspect of Precinct 3 is that three creeks, Leon, Salado, Panther Springs, run through the area. These tributaries are often included in water quality discussions due to their potential recharge to the aquifers which underlie them. Joe Silman - Precinct 4 (Treasurer) - Term expires 05/2030 Joe Silman is a retired partner with Andersen Consulting (now Accenture) and he focused his business consulting with water, electric and gas utilities. In addition to serving on the TGRGCD board, Mr. Silman also is President of the Stone Oak POA Board of Directors. Mr. Silman knows that with many homes and large water using businesses in the area, water conservation must be a high priority for all who receive their water from either San Antonio Water System Edwards Aquifer or Trinity Glen Rose wells. In the coming months, the TGRGCD will be enhancing its conservation messaging to encourage the focused stewardship of the area's water resources. Precinct 4 is the most densely populated in the TGRGCD. It includes the growing Stone Oak area with its 27 subdivisions, plus robust business and medical developments. Additionally, the Club at Sonterra and Martin Marietta Hwy 281 quarry are located within Precinct 4. The southern boundary of Precinct 4 is Loop 1604, Wilderness Oak on the north, NW Military Highway to the west and Highway 281 on the east. David Timmermann - Precinct 5 (Director) - Term expires 05/2030 David Timmermannn was elected to the roll of Director of Precinct 5 on May 2, 2025. He is a native Texan with over 40 years of experience as a civil engineer, delivering large scale water supply and water treatment projects across Texas. He currently serves as the manager of the Quality Assurance/Quality Control for Provenance Engineering. Mr. Timmermann is passionate about developing and using tools and models to understand our aquifer system, finding a balance with aquifer stressors, and educating the public about this precious natural groundwater resource for future generations. Precinct 5 is located on the eastern reach of the District. It is the second largest precinct in geographic size and has a highly faulted underground structure. The PGA Village Golf Course and Marriott Resort are two of the more recognizable destinations in Precinct 5. The Vulcan Quarry mines limestone in northern Bexar County and is subject to various environmental regulations due to its proximity to recharge features and aquifer water.

Looking for water data? You've come to the right place. You can find water well locations and data at this page. TGR WATER WELL MAPS TGR Monitor Wells Interactive Map Shadow Canyon La Escondida Boerne Stage Rd. Fair Oaks Ranch Ralph Fair Rd. Blanco Rd. #1 Blanco Rd. #2 State Water Well Database Interactive water map maintained by the Texas Water Development Board . The map of Texas is what you will see by clicking on the link below. You can then zoom in to San Antonio (see map inset) to find wells in our area. Please see additional instructions below. Click this link to go to the Texas Water Development Board’s interactive water well map. Type in the address you are searching for in the upper left corner. You will then see the location you typed in on the map and the nearby wells represented by dots. Note the default purple dots include historic and public water system wells. To see more recent wells, click the Groundwater drop down menu (upper left) and select "Water Wells". These will appear as orange dots. Click on any of the dots and you will see all of the information the State of Texas has about that well. Feel free to explore this interactive map. There are many other resources under the various tabs on this site.

Here you will find the latest research by the Trinity Glen Rose District in our effort to learn about the Trinity Aquifer. Water Planning The TGRGCD was created to address groundwater issues or problems within the District overlaying Trinity group of aquifers. The District includes data from the TWDB’s Groundwater Availability Models (GAMs), input from the Groundwater Management Area 9 cooperative planning process, public input, and the most current and accurate site-specific data available in the development of its management plan to preserve, protect and conserve the Aquifer. The District also cooperates with adjacent groundwater districts, Groundwater Management Area 9, Regional Water Planning Groups, local water purveyors and stakeholders, and adjacent counties with similar aquifers and/or groundwater usage to ensure a collaborative means of protecting water supplies in this area of the state. Groundwater Management Area 9

Here you will find the latest research by the Trinity Glen Rose District in our effort to learn about the Trinity Aquifer. Watch the Go Gardening Show - Season 5 - Episode 3 Play Video Facebook Twitter Pinterest Tumblr Copy Link Link Copied The Go Gardening Show is a project that is being produced by the Trinity Glen Rose Groundwater Conservation District and Gardening Volunteers of South Texas. Go Gardening is also made possible through our co-title sponsor Edwards Aquifer Authority and San Antonio River Authority. You can now watch those Episodes on GVST's YouTube channel. Go Gardening Show - Season 5 - Episode 3 Welcome to Season 5 of the Go Gardening Show! You know the Go Gardening Show is all about Texas native plants and how they can save tons of water in your landscape. But, those same Texas natives also sustain wildlife like birds and butterflies. So this show is dedicated to giving you some great insights on plants to enhance your yard's ecosystem. First, we took a trip out to Confluence Park where San Antonio River Authority’s (and Go Gardening’s) Lee Marlowe showed us her favorite bird attracting trees and plants. And since we’re in that time of year to update your landscape, you should check out this segment for great bird-attracting plant ideas from Lee. Next, we headed over to chat with Drake White at the Nectar Bar. Drake is an expert in butterflies and the plants that attract and nourish them. She highlights plants that all beginners and pros can plant in their yards to entice a host of butterflies in your corner of the world. Additionally, Drake informed us of which plants might look like natives but really are invasives. So, you’ll also learn what not to plant! Go Gardening's mission is to help people conserve water in the Edwards and Trinity Aquifers by teaching homeowners how to convert turfgrass areas to low-to-no water use landscapes featuring native plants.

This is the TGR District video page. There are sever videos about water conservation, rain barrel construction and some general information about the District. Trinity Glen Rose District Videos This is the Trinity Glen Rose District video. It gives you an overview of what we do to conserve, preserve and protect the Trinity Aquifer within our district boundaries. TGR Database Training Videos The Trinity Glen Rose District database system is very detailed and deep with various types of helpful information. To make acquiring that information a little easier, we will be producing some training videos on how the public can use the system. The first video below is an overview of how to log into and navigate the system as well as some insights into where the main menus are, how to locate a particular well in the system and then how you can find detailed information about specific wells. Building a Rain Barrell Want to build your own rain barrel? George and Emily give you the rundown on how to get it done using materials you can find at most hardware stores. Watersaving Native Plant Landscape Video Conserving water by converting high water use turf and nonnative plants to low water use native plants is a priority for the Trinity Glen Rose District. Here's one sample of a video we produced to show how great a yard can look with native plants and some great landscape design. You can watch more of these types of landscape videos at the District YouTube page .

Looking for water data? You've come to the right place. You can find water well locations and data at this page. TGR RESOURCES There are a tremendous number of resources you can access related to local, regional and state regulatory agencies which you can find here. There are also some great interactive maps here which show information about each monitoring water well in the district. Need Help with Water Quality Testing? If you feel that your water has a quality issue and you are on a municipal supply, please contact your purveyor (e.g. City of Fair Oaks Ranch, Grey Forest Utilities, Southwest Water Co., Aqua Texas, SAWS, etc.). The photo above is from the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority lab. Regional Labs Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority City of San Antonio Metro Health – (210)207-8887 (basic bacteriological testing only) Pollution Control Services – (210)340-0343 San Antonio Testing Laboratory – (210)229-9920 T.C.E.Q. List of Accredited Laboratories Need Help with Your Water Well? Regular maintenance of your groundwater well can prolong its life and protect your health and safety. The Texas Well Owners Network and other various organizations provide useful documents and criteria to evaluate the health of your well. The most requested publications for groundwater well health and maintenance can be found on the Texas Well Owner Network website . Topics include Water Well Basics, disinfecting wells, drinking water quality, abandoned wells, protecting your well during drought, and many more. Texas Well Owner Network National Groundwater Association Want to know more about PFAS and potential effects with groundwater wells, please see this handout put out by the National Groundwater Association. PFAS for Private Well Owners For a complete list of licensed well drillers , please visit the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation website. Please feel free to contact the District for more information. Helpful Website Links Helpful Website Links National US Drought Monitor - Interactive map of the current U.S. drought status. U.S. Geological Survey State Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) TWDB Groundwater Resources Texas Alliance of Groundwater Districts (TAGD) Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation Texas Well Owners Network - Fact Sheets for Well Owners Texas Commission on Environmental Quality Texas Commission on Environmental Quality March 2023 Approved Water Haulers Regional South Central Texas Regional Water Planning Group Cibolo Center for Conservation Edwards Aquifer Authority Hill Country Alliance Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance Local San Antonio Water System (SAWS) SAWS Garden Style San Antonio River Authority San Antonio Parks and Recreation - Parks Gardening Volunteers of South Texas Texas Agrilife Extension Landscaping

pollution prevention campaign 2020 These are the galleries of photos shot in each of the six major parks located in the Trinity Glen Rose District. These photo galleries were set up so people could view and download any or all of the photos. If you want to view slide shows of these parks, just click here . Remember, these parks are not only beautiful and peaceful to walk through, they also serve to help prevent pollution from running off into the streams and aquifers, like the Trinity Glen Rose Aquifer, in Bexar County.

The page presents the Trinity Glen Rose District Precinct Map. Trinity Glen Rose District Mapping This new public mapping system is part of the Trinity Glen Rose District's new database capabilities. Just click anywhere on the map below to go to the interactive map. TGR Database Training Videos The Trinity Glen Rose District database system is very detailed and deep with various types of helpful information. To make acquiring that information a little easier, we will be producing some training videos on how the public can use the system. The first video below is an overview of how to log into and navigate the system as well as some insights into where the main menus are, how to locate a particular well in the system and then how you can find detailed information about specific wells.

Here you will find the latest research by the Trinity Glen Rose District in our effort to learn about the Trinity Aquifer. TGR District General Elections Next TGR District Officer General Elections will next be held on May 6, 2028 Election of Officer Information for May 2, 2026 General Elections ORDER OF ELECTION CANCELLATION (February 19, 2026) The May 2, 2026 director elections has been cancelled. NOTICE OF DEADLINE TO FILE APPLICATIONS FOR PLACE ON THE BALLOT ORDER OF ELECTION (English version ) Called January 15, 2026 ORDER OF ELECTION (Spanish version) Posted Order of Election Bexar County - Elections Office Notice Page Location of Election: BEXAR COUNTY EARLY VOTING LOCATIONS & HOURS Bexar County participates in the Countywide Polling Place Program under Section 43.007, as amended, Texas Election Code. Registered voters will be able to cast their Election Day ballots at Vote Center's identified on the County Elections website. Location to File: Location a person may file candidate applications is at 12274 Bandera Rd. #106, Helotes, TX 78023 Candidate Filing Requirements: Fill out all content legibly and completely on the " Application for a Place on the Ballot for a General Election " , click link to document provided. Once complete please file at the Location of Election, there is no filing fee. Filing dates are January 14, 2026 - February 13, 2026. Qualifications for Office: To be qualified to be elected as a director, a person must be a registered voter in the precinct that person represents, be at least 18 years old, a U.S. citizen, a resident of the State of Texas for 12 months, and a resident of the district for 6 months prior to the regular candidate filing deadline (78 days before election day), not totally or partially mentally incapacitated, and not a convicted felon, unless pardoned or otherwise released from the resulting disabilities. Details on Requirements and “Eligibility for Public Office” can be found here in the Election Code, Chapter 141.001 . Current Board of Directors and Terms Important Websites Secretary of State, Elections Division Bexar County Elections Department Comal County Elections Department Kendall County Elections Department 2024 Campaign Finance Reports 2026 Campaign Finance Reports Precinct Boundaries

The Trinity Glen Rose District partners with many great entities to teach water conservation and pollution prevention. TGR EVENTS 2021 Watersaver Landscape Tour Videos The Trinity Glen Rose District cosponsored the 2021 Watersaver Landscape Tour. This event was held online and more than 350 people took time to watch. In case you missed it, you can watch the tour videos featuring some beautiful, water-saving landscapes from around San Antonio. We'd like for you to come away with a few ideas on how you can improve the look and feel of your yard while substituting native plants for grass and other nonnative plants that require lots of water to keep healthy. Many thanks are due to the homeowners who agreed to not only let us show their yards but also participate in the videos. They are quite informative. One last item...you can download the plant lists we put together for each yard, which should help you next time you visit a nursery to pick the right plants for your home's landscape. We hope you enjoy these videos as much as we did in putting them together. Download the plant list here. 2019 Watersaver Landscape Tour - Photos Trinity Joe 3V3A8317 Trinity 1/32 The Trinity Glen Rose District cosponsored the 2019 Watersaver Landscape Tour. This tour offered residents the opportunity to visit various landscapes in various parts of the city to see how they can improve the look of their yards while saving water. Click the arrows to view the photos.

The Trinity Glen Rose District partners with many great entities to teach water conservation and pollution prevention. Pollution Prevention - See Park Slide Shows Below Practicing Pollution Prevention Each Day Over the next few months, the Trinity Glen Rose Groundwater Conservation District is going to be featuring some of the beautiful parks that are located within the District’s boundaries. The bottom line is that parks, water and pollution prevention go hand-in-hand. So, the more you know about how those three work together, the more likely you’ll be to help prevent pollution from getting into our local rivers and aquifers. So that’s why we’re calling this series “Learn and Live.” Each month, we will inform you about one of the must-see parks in Northern Bexar County. And with that learning, we hope you will not only want to visit that park, but you’ll also want live your life by developing the best pollution prevention habits that researchers have developed so far. Learning About Pollution Prevention Historically, cities have paved roadways, sidewalks, trails, parking lots, sports courts, alleys, driveways, and other surfaces to reduce the annoyance and cost of slippery mud and blowing dust. Unfortunately, having so many hard, water-repelling surfaces (along with a vast number of urban rooftops) can be environmentally harmful. After it rains, vast amounts of water, now called “stormwater,” will collect in these areas, pick up the grease, grime and other pollutants that are deposited on them each day, and then head for a water source like a creek, river or aquifer. Here are some of the ways dirty stormwater can pollute a water supply: most stormwater runoff escapes natural cleansing by plants, rocks and soil; without nature slowing down the stream of water after a rain, higher amounts of water are funneled to local streams; urban streams become prone to flash flooding from rapid runoff, resulting in severe scouring, erosion, and reduction of plant life; once stream beds are scoured, flooding becomes more common. The solution is to hold back the water where it hits, slow it down so that the destructiveness of erosion and contaminants is controlled, and that it is naturally cleaned it before it reaches a waterway or aquifer recharge feature. So, now that you’ve learned how unabated stormwater can create flooding and pollution issues for our aquifers and streams, you can also understand why maintaining and increasing large natural areas like parks is so important to our community. The important point to never forget is that the less runoff, and the slower the runoff we have, the less damage there is to rivers and aquifers and the overall environment. Living Pollution Prevention Here are the Top 6 Pollution Prevention Habits You Should Develop Practice water conservation in your home each day. The less water you use, the more water is left in the Trinity Aquifer for future use. Practice energy conservation in your home each day. Large amounts of water are needed to cool power plants that provide electricity to our city. Less energy production requires less water to be used. Use non-toxic cleaning chemicals in your home. Never dump oil or others types of solvents on the ground or in the street where they can run off into a stream or an aquifer. Use only environmentally-safe weed-killers and fertilizers on your landscapes. Always pick up your pet's waste and dispose of properly. Pet waste that runs off into a creek or stream only increases the bacteria levels in that body of water. Enjoy the parks and advocate for more green spaces in your communities. “Learn and Live” at Stone Oak Park 3V3A0300 IMG_6942 3 3V3A0119 3V3A0300 1/28 Numerous natural areas and community parks beautify Northern Bexar County where the Trinity Glen Rose Groundwater Conservation District (TGR) works to preserve and protect the Trinity Aquifer each day. In addition to these parks’ aesthetic value, they also play a major part in preventing pollution from entering the Trinity Aquifer and Edwards Aquifer which are both critical to the water supply in Bexar County. To highlight pollution prevention message, TGR is bringing its constituents an informative series about the six major parks and natural areas in the district. This month, we are highlighting Stone Oak Park located at 20395 Stone Oak Parkway. Stone Oak Park features a 3.2-mile loop trail located in the heart of the Stone Oak neighborhood. Despite its urban setting, park designers succeeded at creating a very rustic feel as the trails wind through some traditional South Texas hill country scenery. Currently, there are some beautiful wild flowers dotting the trails, and with the recent rains, the park is quite green. The park also contains some interesting sculpture art and some work out stations (push ups, site ups, pull ups) for those looking for an additional level of exercise. The trails are rated as moderate, and dogs are also welcome but owners must be keep them on leash. “Learn and Live” at Panther Springs Park Panther Springs Park Panther Springs Park Panther Springs Park Panther Springs Park 1/21 Panther Springs Loop is a 3.6-mile lightly trafficked loop trail located near San Antonio, Texas that features beautiful wild flowers in the spring, hill country type wooded areas and many beautiful open meadow-like vistas. The trails are paved and considered good for all skill levels of hikers, walkers and runners. The park, which opened in March of 2015, consists of 279 acres which were donated by Dan Parman and the San Antonio River Authority (SARA). The dog park which is located near the entrance of the park includes areas for larger dogs and one for smaller ones. Bird watchers have documented 46 different species in the park to include the Greater Roadrunner, two species of hawks and numerous other types of smaller, colorful birds. The San Antonio River Authority collaborated with the City of San Antonio in the development of Panther Springs. SARA’s portion of the project included design and construction work to improve the water and sediment conveyance in the existing natural channel. The agency continues to monitor the stream for changing conditions as the landscape slowly changes over time. Preserving the community’s natural areas goes a long way toward helping efforts to maintain excellent water quality in local aquifers and other waterways. That is why the Trinity Glen Rose District is urging you to learn about the parks and to live a little by visiting each one to experience the environmental beauty and ecological benefits they provide. “Learn and Live” at Friedrich Wilderness Park Windmill along Water Trail woods 1 bridge 1 Windmill along Water Trail 1/23 Numerous natural areas and community parks beautify Northern Bexar County where the Trinity Glen Rose Groundwater Conservation District (TGR) works to preserve and protect the Trinity Aquifer each day. In addition to these parks’ aesthetic value, they also play a major part in preventing pollution from entering the Trinity Aquifer and Edwards Aquifer which are both critical to the water supply in Bexar County. To highlight pollution prevention message, TGR is bringing its constituents an informative series about the six major parks and natural areas in the district. This month, we are highlighting Friedrich Park located north of Loop 1604 on Milsa Drive. Friedrich Wilderness Park offers approximately 10 miles of hiking trails with varying degrees of difficulty. It is home for rare birds, terrestrial orchids, steep hills and deep canyons. It is internationally known for bird watching. Perched on the edge of the Balcones Escarpment, Friedrich is a nesting site for the endangered Black-capped Vireo and the Golden-cheeked Warbler. In 1971, Norma Friedrich Ward bequeathed 180 acres of land on Heuermann Road near Leon Springs to the City of San Antonio for use as a public park. She also gave $100,000 to make improvements to the land. It was Mrs. Ward’s wish that the natural vegetation and native trees and shrubs be protected and that native birds and wildlife be protected and encouraged to use the park as a sanctuary. The following year, Wilbur Matthews and Glen Martin donated another 52 acres to enlarge the park according to the same guidelines specified by Mrs. Ward. The park was developed with a grant from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and was dedicated on August 31, 1978. Preserving the community’s natural areas goes a long way toward helping efforts to maintain excellent water quality in local aquifers and other waterways. That is why the Trinity Glen Rose District is urging you to learn about the parks and to live a little by visiting each one to experience the environmental beauty and ecological benefits they provide. For reservations and more information about the Friedrich Wilderness Park, you can visit the park’s website here . Come “Learn and Live” at Eisenhower Park Eisenhower old fence Eisenhower Park Sign Eisenhower Sunset 2 Eisenhower old fence 1/20 Numerous natural areas and community parks beautify Northern Bexar County where the Trinity Glen Rose Groundwater Conservation District (TGR) works to preserve and protect the Trinity Aquifer each day. In addition to these parks’ aesthetic value, they also play a major part in preventing pollution from entering the Trinity Aquifer and Edwards Aquifer which are both critical to the water supply in Bexar County. To highlight pollution prevention message, TGR is bringing its constituents an informative series about the six major parks and natural areas in the district. This month, we are highlighting Eisenhower Park located north of Loop 1604 on NW Military Highway. Dwight D. Eisenhower Park is a 320-acre park managed by the City of San Antonio containing excellent examples of Hill Country landscapes, including wooded dry creek beds and rocky canyons. The park features more than 6 miles of paved and unpaved trails. There are seven different trails in the park most of which are paved. The 2.5 mile Hillview Trail circles the perimeter of the park and leads to the observation tower located about midway through the hike. The one-mile Cedar Flats Trail runs through the heart of the park and contains a combination of paved and rugged terrain. All of the trails have plenty of signage posted and many of the plants and flowers you will see are marked as well. Eisenhower Park is pet friendly, but is a designated natural area park which means roller blades, skateboards and bikes are not allowed on the trails. There are several pavilions in the park for barbecues and picnics that are located near the entrance of the park. Various park amenities are available for rental and you can learn how to make a reservation at this link. The City of San Antonio also offers various types of classes in the parks and you can learn about them at this link. Preserving the community’s natural areas goes a long way toward helping efforts to maintain excellent water quality in local aquifers and other waterways. That is why the Trinity Glen Rose District is urging you to learn about the parks and to live a little by visiting each one to experience the environmental beauty and ecological benefits they provide. You can learn more about Eisenhower Park here. Government Canyon State Natural Area Government Canyon Cover 3V3A6961 3V3A7100 Government Canyon Cover 1/31 Government Canyon State Natural Area is part of the Texas State Parks system. It is designated a natural area rather than a state park because its primary focus is protection of the property's natural resources. Given that designation, access and recreational activities may be restricted if the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) deems such action necessary to protect the environment there. The reserve is located in northwestern Bexar County inside the Trinity Glen Rose Groundwater Conservation District’s boundaries. It protects a large, relatively pristine tract of Hill Country terrain that is home to numerous and diverse species of plants & wildlife and the upper Culebra Creek and Leon Creek watersheds. The approximately 12,000 acres of land Government Canyon State Natural Area occupies was originally purchased to protect the critical aquifer recharge zone which diverts rainfall into the Edwards Aquifer, the main source of drinking water for San Antonio. First opened to the public in October, 2005, Government Canyon State Natural Area offers more than 41 miles of trails. Visitors can camp, attend a program or guided hike, geocache, picnic, take nature photos and look for birds and other wildlife. For those looking for a place to go birding, Government Canyon is a good place to find the endangered Golden-cheeked warbler. One of the most visited features on the property are the dinosaur tracks which are located about 2.5 miles from the visitor’s center. Scientists believe the tracks were made about 110 million years ago. At that time, this location was actually near the shoreline of the Gulf of Mexico. The dinosaurs would walk along the moist, fine-grained mud and leave tracks which would then be exposed to the sun allowing them to dry and harden. Erosion over time have exposed the tracks for today’s people to discover, study and protect. The Witte Museum, University of Texas at San Antonio, Trinity University and Texas Parks and Wildlife are continuing to study and preserve these unique dinosaur tracks today. You can learn more about Government Canyon here. Crownridge Canyon Park Entrance Crownridge Canyon Map 3V3A6275 Entrance 1/15 Crownridge Canyon was the first City natural area developed as part of the Edwards Aquifer Protection ballot initiative. The 200-acre preserve features Level 1 ADA trails and Level 4 hiking trails through a variety of habitats. Features include a canopy level bridge overlook, beautiful forested canyon bottoms, hillside vistas, and restored grasslands. There are excellent opportunities to view the endangered Golden Cheeked Warbler during its nesting season. This park features interpretive elements highlighting local flora, fauna, geology and the aquifer recharge cycle, as well as the area’s early human inhabitants. The landscape at Crownridge feature native plants of northern Bexar county. Many are numbered and can be identified using the Natural Areas Plant Key. Crownridge Canyon Trails offer both gentle Level 1 trail surfaces and more natural and challenging Level 4 surfaces. Trail markers will soon be placed along the trails to identify native plants. Red Oak Trail: Red Oak is the lower trail loop leading to the bridge crossing Red Oak Canyon. It has a 1.3 mile stabilized base surface meeting ADA accessibility requirements. Level 1 . Bear Grass Trail: Bear Grass Trail is a natural surface, .6 mile loop in the upper part of the park. This trail is Level 4 and offers medium difficulty with few steep slopes and rocky ledges. Level 4. Pets, alcohol, bikes, and loud music are not allowed. Location: 7222 Luskey Blvd. 78256 Hours: Sunday-Saturday: 7:30 a.m. – sunset

Take advantage of the Trinity Glen Rose District's conservation program incentives. RAINWATER HARVESTING Rainwater harvesting is the capture, diversion, and storage of rainwater for a number of different purposes including landscape irrigation, drinking and domestic use, aquifer recharge, and stormwater abatement. In a residential or small-scale application, rainwater harvesting can be as simple as channeling rain running off an unguttered roof to a planted landscape area via contoured landscape. To prevent erosion on sloped surfaces, a bermed concave holding area down slope can store water for direct use by turfgrass or plants. More complex systems include gutters, pipes, storage tanks or cisterns, filtering, pump(s), and water treatment for potable use. Rainwater Harvesting Q&A Just hover your cursor over the photo to see the answer for each question. What are the basic parts of a rainwater harvesting system? Catchment surface: the collection surface from which rainfall runs off, typically a roof on a home or building Gutters and downspouts: channel water from the roof to the tank Leaf screens, first-flush diverters, and roof washers: components which remove debris and dust from the captured rainwater before it goes to the tank One or more storage tanks, also called cisterns Delivery system: gravity-fed or pumped to the end use Treatment/purification: for potable systems, filters and other methods to make the water safe to drink What are the benefits a rainwater harvesting system? The water is free; the only cost is for collection and use. Rainwater provides a water source when groundwater is unavailable, or it can augment limited groundwater supplies. The zero hardness of rainwater helps prevent scale on appliances, extending their use. Rainwater is superior for landscape irrigation. Rainwater harvesting reduces flow to stormwater drains and also reduces non-point source pollution. Rainwater harvesting reduces consumers’ utility bills. How much water can I capture? The basic rule for sizing any harvesting system is that the volume of rainwater is that can be captured (the supply) must equal or exceed the volume of water used (the demand). In theory, approximately 0.62 gallons per square foot of collection surface per inch of rainfall can be collected. In practice, however, some rainwater is lost to first flush, evaporation, splash-out overshoot from the gutters in hard rains and small leaks. How do I get started with a rainwater harvesting system? Rainwater collection systems can be as simple as collecting rain in a barrel or as elaborate as harvesting rainwater into large cisterns to supply your entire household. Rainwater storage systems and equipment can be purchased at local home improvement stores, lawn and garden stores, and even ordered online! A great resource for you to use is the Texas Water Development Board's Rainwater Harvesting guide. Just click the link below to download a PDF of that guide. Plus, you might want to read the Tax Exemption information as well. The Trinity Glen Rose District put together a "how to" video for building your own rain barrels. Check it out below. Texas Water Development Board - Rain Water Harvesting - Download Manual HCA Rainwater Harvesting in Central Texas - A Practical Guide TAX EXEMPTION RESOURCES Application for Property Tax Exemption for Water Conservation Initiatives Sales Tax Exemption Form for Purchasing Rainwater Harvesting Equipment TGR Rain Barrel Construction Video Safety First! Safety is always a must when working with power tools. So, we strongly recommend you wear a pair of safety glasses or some sort of eye protection during this project. Where to find an empty barrel: Dave the Barrel Man (www.davethebarrelman.net ); 811 Roosevelt, San Antonio, Tx 78210; Phone: 210-534-5416 Tanks A Lot - 39332 IH 10 West, Boerne, TX 78006; Phone: 830-331-7330; http://www.tanksalottx.com/ Barrels by Joel - Phone: 210-717-6850 https://barrelsforsale.net/ Home Depot/Lowes - small barrels Many on-line resources - Watch out for shipping costs! Tools needed: drill - 3/8 to 1/2 hp Paddle (spade) bit, 15/16" and 2 3/8" hole saw Set of hole saws or a jigsaw to make a 6" hole in the top Materials needed: A ¾” brass faucet (hose bibb) 2” male PVC connectors & electrical Nut Tube of silicone (bathtub) Barrel Step 1 - Drill a hole in the top of the barrel for rainwater to flow into. Mark a spot in the top of the barrel. It doesn’t have to be the middle. Use a 6” hole saw to cut it out. Or using the bottom of a one-gallon plastic pot, mark a circle around the bottom of the pot. Drill a ¼” hole on one side of the circle and saw the circle out. Saw to the outside line you drew with the plastic pot. Step 2 - Drill the overflow hole. Using the pot as a depth gauge, mark and drill the overflow hole just beneath the depth of the pot. Use the 2 3/8” hole saw. Step 3 - Drill a hole for the hose bibb. About 3 inches up from the bottom of the barrel, drill a 15/16” hole for the 3/4” hose bibb. Step 4 - Install the hose bibb. Put a little silicone around the threads on the hose bibb, push down and screw it in. It will be sealed when you finish. Be sure to point the hose bibb to the side for better access. About 3 inches up from the bottom of the barrel, drill a 15/16” hole for the 3/4” hose bibb. Step 5 - Install the overflow. Insert the 2” adapter with the male threads through the hole. Thread the 2” electrical nut on adapter inside of the barrel. Step 6 - Screening out debris. Place mosquito screen in bottom of pot & add rocks (about 2-3 inches deep) and place it in the top of the barrel. This is the filter to keep out the large stuff off the roof. Step 7 - Connect your rain barrel to the downspout. Place your rain barrel in a location where it will capture rain running off of the roof. Or, you can attach a diversion to your existing downspout that will direct water into the barrel. Other Considerations Level your barrel!! Elevating barrels provides room for watering cans and increases gravity flow If linking barrels together, place an overflow pipe on last barrel Pond Pumps and transfer pumps can be used to increase flow Consider placement of faucet if you live in a windy area If you have children, strongly advised to anchor the barrel to your home Connecting two or more barrels together is easy! 1.If you want to hook two or more barrels together, use the overflow hole as the hookup between the barrels. 2.Use a piece of 2” PVC pipe with a male-threaded connector glued to the end and screw it into the female fitting on the inside of the first barrel. Do the same thing on the other end of the pipe and on the next barrel until all the barrels are hooked up. 3.If you do the same setup on the bottom of all the barrels, the water will empty out of all the barrels at the same time. PLUS, you only need one hose bibb in one barrel.