Green water

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The green river water rippled around the trunks of ancient cypress trees. Fish lazily turned up their tails. Turtles plopped into the green water off of their logs from warming in the summer sun. Majestic heron and other fisher birds glided over the green water. The sight of the green water flowing down the wide curves of the Guadalupe River and Lake Wood on its serene journey to the Gulf of Mexico could almost be studied like a painting; every beautiful detail seared into memory. The only thing to eclipse the beauty of the green water are the people of the green water. Their homes, hand-built camp houses and docks, a testament to their love of the green water and friendship to one another. 

Fishermen from near and far fished in the green water catching catfish, bass and the occasional freshwater drum. On the banks of the Guadalupe, kids, and sometimes adults, jumped and splashed into the green water. Convoys of boaters, young and old, made their way up from Lake Wood along the curves of the green water to “the” sandbar to congregate for the day.

On March 11, 2016, the spill gate dam controlled by GBRA at Lake Wood collapsed, and by the end of the day, Lake Wood as we knew her was gone. She was drained of all of her green water; her regal stretch of canvas destroyed. Four years later, the green water of Lake Wood is but a memory and only a tale to tell our children and grandchildren. The green water running deep, zigzagging and free is depleted. The ancient cypress trees no longer stand in knee deep green water. The fishermen are relics of the past. No children splash and swim on the banks. There is no trace of boaters. The only water left for the inhabitants of Lake Wood is the green water that flows through their veins into their heart. Lake Wood is no more.  

Now, the shallow brown water, ghosts of ancient trees and brush growing in the dry lake bed are remnants of a time when the green water flowed freely and GBRA maintained their property. While there is no comparison to the beauty that was and the disaster that is, one thing remains the same, GBRA is unconcerned and uncommitted to fix the Lake Wood dam. 

The only apparent stewards of this green water are The Friends of Lake Wood. We are comprised of a group of old river rats with green water flowing through our veins; forced to turn advocates for our beloved lake. The Friends of Lake Wood have taken it upon themselves to fund a lobbyist and promote a viable plan to fix the dam.  If you too have a green water flowing through your veins or would just like to donate to assist The Friends of Lake Wood in their efforts to find a fix for the Lake Wood dam, please reach out on their Facebook page or mail to 5233 US 183 Gonzales, Texas 78629.

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