4 | The City of San Marcos
before the early Spanish missions, preceding
even the earlier encampments made by the
Clovis Indian culture. What drew humanity
to the area way back when continues to rep-
resent the community’s greatest attraction
today, as well as its greatest natural resource.
The San Marcos River is generated from the
cool, clear water arising from the ground into
the Edwards Aquifer which rests above a re-
markable system of waters (a river or lake)
which ultimately encompasses five counties.
This system is responsible for creating one of
the largest collections of springs in Texas, as
well as the largest system of artisan springs
west of the Mississippi River. These waters
are not only a critical water source to the
people of San Marcos, but also those in the
more densely populated San Antonio, not
to mention the various livestock and agricul-
tural operations within the region. This sys-
tem is the source of drinking water for more
than 1.7 million people. However, these
same waters are also critical to other life; life
which would be difficult to find anywhere
else beyond the underwater caverns of the
Edwards Aquifer. There are as many as eight
different types of threatened or endangered
species in the form rare fish, beetles, shrimp
Mayor Daniel Guerrero and Jan Klein, Public Services Conservation Coordinator
