San Antonio Officials Remove Invasive Snails During River Walk Draining

As part of the city's biannual draining of its famed River Walk, San Antonio removed trash, debris, and over 500 invasive apple snails from the river. Priscilla Aguirre reports that the baseball-sized snails "can wreak havoc on aquatic vegetation and can carry a rat lungworm parasite that can infect humans." Other invasive species in the river include the suckermouth catfish and tilapia. The city also temporarily relocates native aquatic species during the cleaning, which are later returned.

"Although the River Walk draining occurs biannualy, Jose Salazar, operations manager for the public works department, said they conduct a street sweeping operation every night in the downtown area to help keep the river clean. The city also works with local organizations that volunteer with river clean-up."

The River Walk, San Antonio's top attraction, winds through 5 miles of downtown and anchors a vibrant shopping, dining, and entertainment district. The project, which began construction in 1939, also protects the city from seasonal flooding. According to Public Works Assistant Director Nefi Garza, "While there are always interesting things to see what we pull out of the river, we want to remind folks that this is one of the most precious resources that we have."