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<br />Field Trip #3 - "Dam Modernization - Making Dams Safe For the Next Big Flood" <br />On this field trip YQU will visit the LQwer CQIQradQ River AuthQrity fQr a presentatiQn Qn <br />the AuthQrity's Qn gQing multimilliQn-dQllar Dam MQdernizatiQn PrQgram, The gQal Qf <br />the prQgram is to' improve the stability and safety Qf the six Highland Lake Dams -to' <br />facilitate the safe passage Qf a maximum prQbable flQQd, Y QU will see the variQUS <br />cQnstructiQn techniques utilized to' anchQr a sectiQn Qf Qne Qf the dams to' the underlying <br />bedrQck and hQW a massive SQil cement Qverlay prQject prQtects an earthen embankment <br />and spillway, The tQur will alsO' visit twO' dams, TQm Miller dam which fQrms Lake <br />Austin and Mansfield Dam which fQrms Lake Travis. Walking deep inside Mansfield <br />Dam, YQU will learn hQW this massive structure hQlds back deadly flQQds Qn the CQIQradQ <br />River. Y QU may even hear the resident ghQst! HQsted by LCRA, <br /> <br />SPECIAL EVENTS <br /> <br />WALK ON THE WILD SIDE <br />SUNDAY, JUNE 18,2000 <br />11:30 AM - 4:30 PM <br /> <br />YQur Sunday strQll will start at the Hyatt Regency HQtel Qn the banks Qfbeautiful TQwn <br />Lake, fQrmed by LQnghQrn Dam Qn the CQIQradQ River. The City Qf Austin's premier <br />hike and bike trail will serve as YQur pathway fQr a "Walk Qn the Wild Side", Starting at <br />the CQngress Avenue Bridge, YQU will see the hQme Qf Qver 1.5 milliQn Mexican free-tail <br />bats, Qne Qf the largest urban bat cQIQnies in the WQrld. Heading up river, YQU will see <br />hQW the City has utilized river flQQdplain to' SUPPQrt variQus recreatiQnal QPPQrtunities fQr <br />a grQwing PQPulatiQn, Y QU will cross Qver a flQQd tunnel, which is utilized to' cQnvey <br />flQQdwaters frQm a nearby creek to' the river cQnfluence, Y Qur pathway becQmes mQre <br />shaded as YQU apprQach the cQnfluence QfBartQn Creek. <br /> <br />BartQn Creek is Qne Qf the mQst cherished creeks within the urbanized area Qf Austin and <br />is fed by CQQI, clear flQwing springs fueled by a majQr underground aquifer. YQU will <br />hike"upihe-trail- to-view-beautiful--Bartorr Sprin-gs puot,-whichis\Jmrufthe-larg-estspring <br />fed PQQls in the CQuntry, This "crQwn jewel" Qf Austin's park system fQrms the nucleus <br />Qf Zilker Park, which is the hub Qf a netwQrk Qf cQntinuQus hike and bike trails. The PQQI <br />and springs are hQme to' an endangered salamander and there is a very active <br />envirQrunental grQUP, "Save Our Springs", which serves as a watchdQg Qver rapid grQwth <br />which threatens the springs and its unique habitat. We'll lunch amQng the tQwering <br />shade trees alQng the banks QfBartQn Creek. <br /> <br />After lunch, YQU will cQntinue dQwn the BartQn Creek trail until YQU reach the cQnfluence <br />with the CQIQradQ River, Here, many ducks and geese, plus an QccasiQnal squirrel and <br />numerQUS pigeQns, beg fQr handQuts frQm hikers, CQntinuing upriver, YQU will reach the <br />Austin BQtanical Gardens where beautiful landscapes and CQQl shade trees welcQme <br />weary hikers, An air-cQnditiQned visitQr center has rest rQQms and running ice water fQr <br />a well-deserved refreshing break, A beautiful rose garden and butterfly pathway begs fQr <br />