Res 2024-045 approving the 2024 City of San Marcos Hazards Mitigation Action Plan (“HMAP”)

Home Browse Search

SECTION 3: CITY PROFILE In addition to the habitats and greenspaces on land, the San Marcos and Blanco rivers are central natural resources to the City of San Marcos. Recreation on the rivers such as swimming, canoeing, and tubing are a huge draw for locals and tourists alike. These rivers flow through hundreds of acres of parkland, and the San Marcos River is home to several endangered or threatened aquatic species. Through the Edwards Aquifer Habitat Conservation Plan, the City of San Marcos works to protect the endangered species and enhance the water quality in the San Marcos River. Components to this conservation effort include bank stabilization, constructing river access areas, planting native trees and shrubs along the river, and invasive species removal.3 The City of San Marcos has numerous programs and departments dedicated to the preservation and protection of the natural resources in the area. In addition, the City of San Marcos is a participant in the Community Rating System (CRS). CRS is a voluntary incentive program that recognizes and encourages community floodplain management practices that exceed the minimum requirements of the NFIP, which provides an additional level of risk reduction to community assets and resources. Please see Section 10 for additional information on CRS and higher floodplain development standards. The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment, a research center at Texas State University, conducts research on the natural environment, focusing on water's relationship with the environment, land and habitat conservation, sustainable energy, and environmental awareness. The Meadows Center manages the habitat of Spring Lake, where the center is located, as well as developing educational programs related to habitat conservation and supporting responsible water policy in Texas.4 The Urban Forester for the City of San Marcos maintains, restores, and develops urban forest ecosystems for more than 2,004 acres of San Marcos. "The Community Forestry Program strives to conserve, protect and enhance existing trees and natural landscapes that are healthy and contribute to a safe and livable community, as well as to establish and maintain new trees." 5 The City of San Marcos has also worked to incorporate environmental sustainability into the construction of both new and renovated city facilities. In 2021, an expansion to the San Marcos Public Library and the construction of a new Public Services Complex were both completed. Five rainwater harvesting tanks were installed between these two projects, which are able to collect a combined 137,000 gallons of water for landscape irrigation uses. Additionally, the library expansion project planted 30 new trees, while only removing two pre-existing trees. 6 Sustainable San Marcos, one of a number of environmentally focused nonprofit organizations the City of San Marcos works with, hosts the Sustainable Infrastructure mapping effort in San Marcos. The mapping effort serves as a guide to the sustainable infrastructure that currently exists in San Marcos. This public resource builds awareness of organized initiatives and informal, distributed efforts being undertaken in San Marcos to make the community more sustainable.' The City of San Marcos participates in the Edwards Aquifer Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) in coordination with the Edwards Aquifer Authority, Teas Parks and Wildlife and the U.S. Fish and 3 Source: https://www.sanmarcostx.gov/931/Rivers 4 Source: https://www.meadowscenter.txst.edu/about.html 5 Source: http://www.sanmarcostx.gov/211/Community-Forestry-Program e Source: http://www.sanmarcostx.gov/3519/Sustainable-Facilities Source: https://ssmtx.org/sustainability-in-smtx City of San Marcos I Hazard Mitigation Action Plan Update 2024 1 Page 5