Comal Springs History - New Braunfels, TX USA
N 29° 42.784 W 098° 08.251
14R E 583424 N 3287302
A metal plaque stands near a light pole close to the curb along California Blvd. in Landa Park in New Braunfels, TX. This sign is in front of the actual Comal Springs source location.
Waymark Code: WM13RCE
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 02/08/2021
Views: 2
Landa Park is a wonderful place to visit. The Comal Springs, which are the source of water feeding the Comal River, is directly behind this sign describing the reason the Comal Springs are made and the area covered by its flow and the aquifer that feeds it.
This sign of history about the Comal Springs is next to the Panther Canyon Nature Trail, the historical site of Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Mission, a former refinery used to make saltpetre from bat guano and is within sight of the German Pilgrims monument and the historic Founders' Oak tree..
The location of this plaque about Comal Springs is, on the west side of the roadway through Landa Park where Landa Park Drive changes name to California Blvd and where Gazebo Circle conjoins with these other two roads. The best address to use to get to this Comal Springs sign location is 15 Gazebo Cir., New Braunfels, TX 78130. However, this sign is across the main road of California Blvd. from the parking area of 15 Gazebo Circle. Park on the east side of the Gazebo Circle and carefully cross the road to the area of the Comal Springs. Since the road crests close to the sign, I strongly suggest you walk south, by a few yards, before crossing the roadway. This will give you a better view of cars coming over the hill. Please be vigilant and watchful for traffic coming both ways before crossing to see this sign about the history of the Comal Springs.
The sign has a map of the Edwards Aquifer at the top of the plaque. There are two paragraphs of text, one titled Comal Spring and the other titled History. At the bottom is text telling the attribution of the sign's sponsor. The text on the sign reads as follows:
"COMAL SPRINGS
The largest springs in Texas and the Southwest. Maximum recorded discharge was 550 cubic feet per second (355,608,000 gallons per day) on April 5, 1977. They are a natural discharge of the Edwards (Balcones Fault Zone) Aquifer. Water enters this limestone formation through a 1505 square mile recharge zone where the formation meets ground surface in Kinney, Uvalde, Medina, Comal and Hays counties. Water moves from West to East in the underground formation and serves over one million persons in ranching, irrigation, municipal and recreational uses.
HISTORY
Visited in 1764 by French explorer St. Denis. Later a stop on the El Camino Real. In 1845, the area was settled by German immigrants under Prince Carl Solms-Braunfels and called Las Fontanas. 1300 surrounding acres were purchased for $1,100.
Erected by
Edwards Underground Water District
December 1977"
Group that erected the marker: Edwards Underground Water District
URL of a web site with more information about the history mentioned on the sign: [Web Link]
Address of where the marker is located. Approximate if necessary:
15 Gazebo Circle
New Braunfels, TX USA
78130
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Visit Instructions:
Take a picture of the marker, preferably including yourself or your GPSr in the photo. A very detailed description of your visit may be substituted for a photo. In any case please provide a description of your visit. A description of only "Visited" or "Saw it while on vacation" by anyone other than the person creating the waymark may be deleted by the waymark owner or the category officers.