FREE Photography Workshop Kickoff on September 1. Over $3,000 in Prizes will be Awarded.
SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio River Authority announced today that it will host a photo contest, with support from the San Antonio River Foundation and REI San Antonio, to celebrate the 5th anniversary of the Mission Reach section of the San Antonio River Walk. The public is invited to submit photos taken along the Mission Reach to showcase the project’s beauty, recreational amenities and ecosystem restoration efforts. The contest kickoff will take place Saturday, September 1 with a free photography workshop starting at 10 a.m. at Confluence Park given by The Creative Light that is open to the public. Entries will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. (CST) on October 7, 2018.
To enter the contest, participants need to visit the contest’s webpage at www.sara-tx.org to review the terms and conditions and view the six eligible categories. Then participants need to visit the Mission Reach (between S. Alamo and Camino Coahuilteca), take pictures and upload their entries on the contest’s webpage. Previous photographs taken by participants since the October 5, 2013 grand opening of the Mission Reach are also eligible. The contest is open to the community and individuals can submit photos in different categories for a chance to win. A judging panel will decide the winners for each category and the top three entries in each category will be eligible to receive the “People’s Choice” category voted by the general public. Winners will receive a prize package from the San Antonio River Authority, with support from REI San Antonio, designed to enhance the enjoyment of the Mission Reach and the outdoors.
“The Mission Reach Ecosystem Restoration and Recreation Project has revitalized the landscape of San Antonio south of downtown by transforming the San Antonio River from what was once a drainage ditch to nine miles of restored habitat, and a hike and bike trail system reconnecting the river to the San Antonio Missions, the only UNESCO World Heritage site in Texas,” said San Antonio River Authority General Manager Suzanne Scott. “The success of the Mission Reach is seen in the smiles of the people enjoying the river and in the return of the native landscape, habitat and wildlife. Through this photo contest we invite the community to commemorate the project’s anniversary by showcasing the beauty and enjoyment of the Mission Reach through photos of their experiences along the restored river.”
The Mission Reach Ecosystem Restoration and Recreation Project successfully restored the ecosystem of a nine-mile stretch of the San Antonio River south of downtown previously channelized for flood control purposes. Construction of the project was completed in October 2013. The restored ecosystem consists of 113 acres of aquatic habitat, 334 acres of riparian woodland, 31 riffle structures, 13 acres of embayment habitat, and two river remnants. The project was primarily funded by Bexar County, with additional funding from the City of San Antonio, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the San Antonio River Foundation. The San Antonio River Authority was the project manager during construction and currently oversees operations, maintenance and concessions. For more information about the Mission Reach project and the photo contest, visit www.sara-tx.org.
The San Antonio River Authority was created by the 45th Texas Legislature on May 5, 1937 and reorganized in 1961 to plan, manage and implement water-related programs and projects within the San Antonio River Basin. The State of Texas empowered the River Authority to preserve, protect and manage the resources and the ecology of the San Antonio River and its tributaries. To learn more about the River Authority visit our website at www.sara-tx.org.