Purgatory Creek Natural Area Remains Closed

   More than a foot of rain fell on the San Marcos area Friday, October 30th. The natural areas did their job and took the brunt of the flooding. If you were on Wonder World Drive on Friday afternoon you saw the spillway in action as a raging torrent of water flowed toward town.
   The City of San Marcos Parks and Recreation Department closed Purgatory Creek Natural Area and all the River Parks until flood waters recede. The trails are muddy and subject to further damage if hikers and mountain bikers use the trails when they are soft and malleable.

Pedestrian bridge at Ringtail Ridge (Tex’s Trail) on October 31.

   Sink Creek in the Spring Lake Natural Area kept Lime Kiln Road closed into Saturday and Travis Elementary was an island on Friday and necessitated evacuation of the students. Willow Creek flowed and flooded several city streets. Schulle Canyon natural area was flooded and suffered extensive damage to Virginia Witte Way, the crushed granite ADA trail. At Ringtail Ridge, Tex’s Trail, another ADA crushed limestone trail suffered extensive erosion. A pedistrian bridge washed out and will require repairs. Prospect Park, the original natural area and part of the larger Purgatory Creek Natural Area suffered major erosion to Virgil’s Trail, the ADA trail that leads toward Wonder World Drive.
   Trail crew volunteers are assessing the needs and possible mitigation solutions. When rain measured in feet comes in a few hours there is a limit as to what can be done. Trail users however can volunteer for one of our three work crews or other tasks http://smgavolunteer.blogspot.com/
   The forecast for this weekend is for two additional storms with rain anticipated in the 1″ to 3″ level. Please use caution and common sense when enjoying the outdoors. It might be best to give the parks a rest.
    –LJ