SMRF completes 8-year San Marcos Springs Conservation Project

The San Marcos River Foundation (SMRF) announced the completion of an eight year project to protect the recharge lands around the San Marcos Springs.

Through years of purchasing and trading tracts, SMRF and partners created conservation easements to limit impervious cover and dense development, which will ensure that stormwater recharges the Edwards Aquifer, preventing heavy runoff and helping to keep the springs flowing and clean. The conservation easements also provide more contiguous land in the greenbelt loop around the city, providing a wildlife corridor in perpetuity.

“We are so thankful to all those that have supported us over the past eight years through this very long land project, and are especially grateful to the Roberts family for prioritizing conservation along Sink Creek, for the sake of the aquifer and river, and for providing a critical link in the trail loop around the city,” said a SMRF representative in a press release.

SMRF purchased the 75 acre Geiger Tract in 2013 to protect the area from heavy development that was planned along Sink Creek, which flows directly into Spring Lake. 

As a result of SMRF’s purchase, the neighboring property, Windemere Farms, was bought from the previous owners by the Roberts family. The Roberts family completed a conservation easement on over 200 acres of Windemere Farms in 2019, limiting impervious cover and preventing subdivision in the future.

Last week, SMRF traded the Roberts family the 75 acre Geiger Tract for a new 75 acres that is being called “Owl Bluff.” Upon closing, the Roberts family put a conservation easement on the Geiger Tract which the Colorado River Land Trust will hold. SMRF’s new property, Owl Bluff, is also located along Sink Creek and will have an additional conservation easement placed on it when SMRF sells this land to conservation buyers. 

In addition to the exchange of the two 75 acre tracts, the Roberts family gifted SMRF a trail easement along Windemere Farms, which will connect Spring Lake Preserve to the city-owned Early Tract along a gorgeous hillside bluff. This was a missing link in the future trail around the City of San Marcos, although there is still work to be done before it can be available to the public. 

A view of Sink Creek below this bluff from SMRF's new trail easement along Windemere Farms. There is still work to be done before it is open to the public. Photo courtesy of Virginia Condie and San Marcos River Foundation