Incarnate Word (San Antonio, Spring, Anton: apartments, house, university)

[OzzyRules]

I have a couple of questions about the University of the Incarnate Word.

1. Does anyone know if much has changed (new buildings, structures, etc) on the western area of the university grounds? I'm speaking of the area by the creek (SA River headwaters), the athletic fields, tennis courts, apartments, etc. I'm referring to the last 25-30 years specifically.

2. Where exactly is the Blue Hole. Someone graciously posted an aerial photo of the location recently, but I have never been able to find it. In the photo it appears to be near the bridge (little wooden walking bridge). Is it right near the bridge? If I were to stand on the bridge and look out over the side, would it be right under me?

3. Is the creek ever completely dry?

Thanks for any info.

[sonny4444]

should have plenty of water with all the recent rain...
San Antonio Springs

[mexicajun]

Originally Posted by OzzyRules

2. Where exactly is the Blue Hole. Someone graciously posted an aerial photo of the location recently, but I have never been able to find it. In the photo it appears to be near the bridge (little wooden walking bridge). Is it right near the bridge? If I were to stand on the bridge and look out over the side, would it be right under me?

3. Is the creek ever completely dry?

Thanks for any info.

The Blue Hole is near the small wooden foot bridge. If you were to stand on that bridge and face in an easterly direction it would be on your left and located on the creek's eastbank. The creek does completely dry up, usually during periods of drought. As mentioned in the previous response, with all the rainfall ya'll are getting right now is probably a good time to see the spring flow from the Blue Hole.

[OzzyRules]

If the water level were high enough from upstream waters, would the blue hole be covered by water?

By the way, the pictures on that website are awesome. I looked at all of them. I know I saw it one time as a kid. But I can't really tell from the pictures if it's in the creek or more on ground level. It seems like I went there once to see it, someone took me there more recently. I thought they knew where it was. There was a cylindral structure on the ground level, but it was covered with some kind of "manhole" cover. If that was really it then it's been covered most of the times I've looked for it.

So, do they keep it covered most of the time?

[doss1]

You mentioned pictures....where can I see them? Thanks.

[OzzyRules]

The pictures are in the above reply from sony4444.

[wCat]

Originally Posted by OzzyRules

I have a couple of questions about the University of the Incarnate Word.

1. Does anyone know if much has changed (new buildings, structures, etc) on the western area of the university grounds? I'm speaking of the area by the creek (SA River headwaters), the athletic fields, tennis courts, apartments, etc. I'm referring to the last 25-30 years specifically.

2. Where exactly is the Blue Hole. Someone graciously posted an aerial photo of the location recently, but I have never been able to find it. In the photo it appears to be near the bridge (little wooden walking bridge). Is it right near the bridge? If I were to stand on the bridge and look out over the side, would it be right under me?

3. Is the creek ever completely dry?

Thanks for any info.

Hope this comes out.....here is a pic of what the "blue hole" looks like on the outside. I have never seen it covered with a manhole cover if this is what you've seen.

You need to cross the wooden foot bridge and go to the East side of the river. You can see there is a nice sidewalk that will take to you there. If you know where the little shrine is......stand in front of it facing it directly. Turn to your right and you'll see the side walk that leads off to the right and down toward the river bank. You should see this "well" after you've walked along the way a short bit.

It's not really "dry", but the water level of the aquifer drops in a drought and there will not be any water at the source during that time. There is a pump house farther down river to keep the river flowing. Right now, expect all that area to be very wet and probably muddy as the water may be bubbling out of the spring. You should still be able to get to it however!

PM me if you need more specifics.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y14/Simone55/may11018.jpg (broken link)

[OzzyRules]

Thanks. That picture certainly looks clear enough to me. I remember looking all over the east side of that bridge once. Not sure why I couldn't find it. Maybe I was expecting it to be down in the creek somewhere.

Roughly, how far is it between the footbridge and the blue hole? Just a few feet? Fifty yards?

[PopsGuysRule]

Originally Posted by OzzyRules

By the way, the pictures on that website are awesome. I looked at all of them. <<<<<<snipped for space & relevance>>>>>>

I agree, these pics are superb!!
There are two of them I would LOVE to paint in watercolor, but cannot, since they are undoubtedly copyrighted. One of them, Pumphouse in Brackenridge Park, I could likely go photograph myself - am I right? Is the structure still there?

But the other, San Antonio River in Brackenridge Park, early 1900's.... apparently the riverbed is completely dry now.... it actually looks as though the photo was of a painting anyway......

I LOVE the pumphouse as a watercolor subject though.....

[OzzyRules]

The more I look at the picture/diagram in the link, and look at the aerial photo, it appears to be at the point where the creek turns a corner. I must have seen it when it was covered with a manhole cover. I just don't understand why it was covered. It wasn't raining or flowing with water. I would have probably seen that. Maybe they actually keep it covered like 99% of the time, until someone requests to photograph it or film it?