San Antonio

San Antonio's River Walk, a catalyst for abundant commercial and tourism enterprise, is generally regarded by cities and urban planners throughout the world as a prototype for the development of urban riverfront sites. The River Walk's success, however, would not have been possible without a series of flood-control and architecture projects completed in the first half of the 20th century that relied heavily on civil-engineering expertise.

Located near central Texas hill country, the San Antonio area is particularly susceptible to extremely heavy rainfall and intermittent, destructive flooding. Efforts to control flooding included a landmark hydrologic study in 1920, the construction of Olmos Dam in 1927, and completion of a downtown bypass canal in 1929. The park-like environment that followed was built between 1939 and 1941 - integrating architecture, landscaping, and civil engineering - and remains a cornerstone for activity that brings over $2 billion a year to the local economy.

Facts

Serious flooding of the San Antonio River occurred in 1845, 1865, 1880, 1899, and twice in 1913. A hydrological study completed in 1920 by the firm of Metcalf and Eddy -- still a source of insight for ongoing design in San Antonio -- concluded that another severe flood was inevitable. "When such a flood will recur, no man can say," the study's authors wrote. "But that it will recur is certain." In 1921, another devastating flood did, in fact, occur, causing more than 50 deaths and costing millions in property damage.
The River Walk park, conceived largely by visionary city architect Robert H.H. Hugman, was built with $355,000 from the Works Progress Administration and the labor of more than 1,000 workers. It includes an outdoor theater that seats 1,000, named for the supervising engineer on the River Walk project, Edward P. Arneson, who died in 1939. Likely the only theater in the world with a natural body of water separating stage and audience, Arneson River Theater may also be the only theater in the world named for its supervising engineer.
Since 1962, eight major hotels and a large shopping center have been built on the River Walk, which also serves more than 50 dining establishments. Four of the bridges on the River Walk are listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Of the nine bridges total in the San Antonio area that qualify for the National Register of Historic Places, seven cross the San Antonio River.
In 1954, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers funding for the San Antonio Channel Improvement Project allowed additional flood-control work to be done on the San Antonio River and four of its tributaries. A further extension of the project provided for construction of a three-mile tunnel to further assist in flood control.
In its nomination for a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark, the San Antonio Branch of the American Society of Civil Engineers noted: "What has happened in San Antonio through the establishment of the River Walk is an example of what can be achieved when engineers respond to public desire .... Standing alone, most of the engineering solutions to control flooding of the river and enhance its beauty are not new. What is special is how various solutions have been blended to produce something unique."

Resources

Lewis F. Fisher, Crown Jewel of Texas: The Story of San Antonio River ; Maverick Publishing, 1997, ISBN 0-9651597-1-2
Vernon G. Zunker, A Dream Come True: Robert Hugman and the San Antonio River Walk , V.G. Zunker Publishing, 1995, ISBN 0963923501

El Camino Real (The Royal Road) Eastern Branch

Taiyuan Pai — Mon, 30 Jul 2012 14:32:45 +0000

El Camino Real (The Royal Road) Eastern Branch

Mon, 07/30/2012 - 10:32

Society

Main Category

Sub Category

Era

Date Created

Location Country

Coordinates

29.422853, -98.491287

City

San Antonio

State

Country

Mexico

Zip

78207

Website

http://www.asce.org/project/el-camino-real---eastern-branch/

Creator

Spain, Kingdom of

Historically, a camino real (Royal Road) is defined as a road that connects Spanish capital with Spanish capital, a distinction not shared with roads connecting ordinary Spanish or Indian villages. The term Camino Real implied that the status and privileges granted to the villas and capitals it connected were extended to the main routes of travel through use by officials and others acting in the interest of the crown. Unlike ordinary Indian and Spanish villages, villas like San Antonio and others along the route had charters that prescribed royal privileges. An important factor under which a town received a set of privileges was its economic importance to a region, province, or colony. Similarly, the main road through the villa or series of villas enjoyed the privileges granted. Historically, royal roads connected economically important Spanish towns, capitals of provinces, and mines that possessed a charter prescribing royal privileges.

As defined in the enabling legislation, El Camino Real de los Tejas was established to connect a series of Spanish missions and posts between Monclova, Mexico, and Los Adaes, the first capital of the province of Texas (in what is now northwestern Louisiana). The legislation also defines El Camino Real as an approximately 1, 000-mile long corridor of changing routes from Saltillo through Monclova and Guerrero, Coahuila, Mexico; San Antonio and Nacogdoches, Texas, and then east to the vicinity of Los Adaes in what is now Louisiana. It constituted the only primary overland route from the Rio Grande to the Red River Valley in Louisiana during the Spanish Colonial Period.

Acequias of San Antonio

Anonymous — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 07:38:36 +0000

Acequias of San Antonio

(not verified) Wed, 07/25/2012 - 03:38

Society

ASCE

Main Category

Civil

Sub Category

Water Supply & Control

Era

1700-1749

Date Created

1718-1744

Location Country

Coordinates

29.304556, -98.469444

Address1

San Antonio Missions National Historical Park

Address2

Espada Rd

City

San Antonio

State

Country

USA

Zip

78221

Website

http://www.asce.org/project/acequias-of-san-antonio/

Creator

Franciscan friars

This is one of the earliest uses of engineered water supply and irrigation systems in the United States. The first of eight original acequias was under construction in 1718 and two are still in operation. The remains of one are visible on the grounds of the Alamo. The Acequias of San Antonio are among the earliest engineered water supply and irrigation systems recorded in the United States. The Acequias served an integral role in the growth and stability of the San Antonio community for nearly 200 years. The eight canals, totaling 15 miles in length, were built by Spanish settlers who learned the technique from the Moors. Each acequia was a complicated system of storage dams, floodways, control gates, canals, sluices, and distribution ditches. Sections of the Acequias continue to operate today. A portion of the San Juan Acequis has been renovated and provides irrigation for fields south of San Antonio. The Espada Acequia still flows vigorously and serves the Mission Espada and nearby fields. The first 200 to 300 feet of the Upper Labor Acequia are intact, and are used by the city zoo for its waterfowl displays.

Resources 1. Gross, Kevin J. and Guillermo Mendez. "An Examination of Acequias, Wells, and Cisterns in San Antonio, Texas, ca, 1850-1930," pp. 242-254 2. McLean, B.J. The Romance of San Antonio's Water Supply and Distribution. San Antonio Printing: San Antonio, 1924.