Patrick McElhinnie
Good Water Chapter members were in the audience on December 10 when Williamson County officials and others held the groundbreaking for Phase I development of the River Ranch County Park. The park is located southwest of Liberty Hill and contains more than 1,100 acres of meadowlands and woodlands. The land was purchased by the County in 2008, and the Good Water Chapter, under Project Coordinator David Armstrong, has been involved since January 2015.
The Phase I Development will include an area for day-use activities, primitive campsites, group campsites, and RV camping as well as a Park headquarters, 10 to 12 miles of hiking and equestrian trails, and a maintenance compound. An Interpretive Center is under design and is planned for construction soon. The park is expected to be open in early 2020.
Good Water Chapter members initially were involved in documenting this historic ranch in photographs as well as in oral and video histories. They also were participants in the plant, bird, and Odonata surveys as well as in the recovery and safeguarding of antique ranching equipment. Current work has been centered on assisting the County Park staff in invasive plants removal, prairie restoration, native plants seed collection, and trail creation and maintenance.
The next Workday at the Park is scheduled for Saturday, February 23. Contact Patrick McElhinney at [email protected] for more information.