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Mitchell Lake is quietly becoming a world-class wildlife preserve.

Mitchell Lake

A hidden environmental jewel on San Antonio’s south side, Mitchell Lake is now home to tens of thousands of migrating shorebirds. The wildlife site was known for several years as one of the city’s first wastewater treatment centers. By the time wastewater operations were discontinued in 1987, Mitchell Lake was well on its way to becoming a world-class bird-watching site.

The lake is positioned on a natural migratory bird route and serves as a resting point for more than 300 species including pelicans, egrets, roseate spoonbills, wild ducks, and hawks. The site now features a beautiful new visitor’s center. This refurbished, historic home, known in the community as the Leeper House, was donated by the McNay Art Museum and provides a much-needed facility for the many bird enthusiasts who visit each year.

SAWS organized this effort in partnership with the Mitchell Lake Wetlands Society, the San Antonio Audubon Society and the public.

Recharge Zone Initiative

We have also taken a positive step forward in exploring ways to recharge our primary water source, the Edwards Aquifer. Along with the City of Corpus Christi, SARA, the Edwards Aquifer Authority (EAA), the Nueces River Authority (NRA), GBRA, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, SAWS has launched a study to explore recharging the Edwards in the upper Nueces River. The study also aims to increase the bay system water supply and to recognize the water needs of Corpus Christi, which gets much of its drinking water from the Nueces River Basin.

Water Quality Basins

Water Quality Basins, sometimes referred to as stormwater basins, are the large, empty concrete tanks that dot parking lots across San Antonio’s north side. These basins play a critical role in maintaining the quality of the stormwater runoff that recharges the Edwards Aquifer.

Problems can arise however, when property owners do not properly maintain the basins and fail to clean out accumulating trash and silt. The state is responsible for site inspections. However, limited resources prevent them from providing thorough oversight.

SAWS has stepped in. We contact the owners of neglected basins initially with a letter, or sometimes a personal visit. Most business and commercial property owners are very cooperative, not realizing that basin maintenance is their responsibility. Since SAWS has been involved with this project, the operating performance of these critical basins has significantly improved.

Next: Infrastructure