San Antonio River Authority leads effort to clean up area waterways

In 1937, the state of Texas created the San Antonio River Authority (River Authority), empowering the agency to preserve, protect and manage the resources and the ecology of the San Antonio River and its tributaries. Improving the health of creeks and rivers is one the main goals of the River Authority and nonpoint source pollution is the biggest threat. Nonpoint source pollution is pollution that enters waterways from many different sources. This type of pollution harms water bodies by increasing levels of bacteria, nutrients and hazardous chemicals. Examples of nonpoint source pollution include oils, pesticides and trash, which is the most unsightly form of nonpoint source pollution.

One of the agency’s long-term, audacious goals is to achieve trash-free waters in the San Antonio River Basin. The River Authority will help achieve this goal through public education, engagement and trash mitigation and collection efforts. On September 24, 2021, the River Authority officially launched a new trash outreach initiative joined by Bexar County and the city of San Antonio to show a united front in addressing this community-wide issue. Read along to learn more about this initiative and how you can get involved!

River authority trash outreach initiative

As part of our commitment to safe, clean, and enjoyable creeks and rivers, the River Authority launched the San Antonio River Basin Report Card in 2020 to measure the health of the basin and to help the community make educated choices that support a sustainable San Antonio River Basin. The 2021 San Antonio River Basin Report Card’s grade for public trash collection is an F, which was also the grade for 2020.

Motivated by this data, and to proactively address the threats to creeks and rivers from trash, the “Don’t Let Litter Trash Your River” initiative intends to educate the communities throughout the basin. A pivotal part of the initiative is to encourage the public to take a pledge to help keep area creeks and rivers clean by not littering and by picking up trash when they see it on the ground, whether in their neighborhoods or at area parks and parking lots.

As part of this new trash outreach initiative, the community will see TV spots as well as print, digital, social media and out-of-home creative materials that will drive viewers to the River Authority’s website, where they can learn about actions they can take to help keep area creeks and rivers clean — like taking the pledge to join us in our efforts to eliminate trash from the San Antonio River Basin. The dedicated webpage will also have online resources like a social media tool kit with content and graphics available for download and information on how individuals and community organizations can organize cleanup events or join the River Authority’s River Warrior volunteer program to take part in events organized by the agency.

The River Authority’s education and engagement team is working with area schools to organize field trips and classroom presentations to educate our youth and empower them to play a role in cleaning and protecting area natural resources. Area businesses will also be encouraged to support this initiative with outreach efforts being led by our nonprofit partner, the San Antonio River Foundation.

As trash knows no boundaries, and to take a collaborative approach in addressing this issue, the River Authority is also working with government partners throughout the agency’s four-county jurisdiction to effectively reach the general public. The River Authority is working with the city of San Antonio to promote the Adopt-A-Spot program, and will also work with council districts on a city-wide trash cleanup challenge. These efforts will align with the already established free household hazardous waste collection events in Wilson, Karnes and Goliad counties. These events help prevent illegal dumping and, in conjunction with the trash outreach initiative, will continue to educate the public on proper ways to dispose of trash.

Take the “Don’t Let Litter Trash Your River” pledge!

Ready to do your part? Visit our website to take our “Don’t Let Litter Trash Your River” pledge and take advantage of our online resources. The simplest way to get involved is by helping pick up trash when you’re out and about. As nearly everyone has a smart phone, the River Authority is also promoting an innovative way to get public involvement and to track the amount of trash that has been collected thanks to this initiative. The Litterati app can be downloaded for free on any Apple or Android device and it’s very easy to use! Join the San Antonio River Authority Litterati Challenge once you download the app. Take a picture of the litter on the app before you pick it up, then tag the photo on the app and make sure you discard the trash properly. Together, we can reach our goal of trash-free area creeks and rivers, so don’t wait to get started!