San Gabriel River (Texas)

South Fork San Gabriel (Burnet County, Texas)

Like most Texas Hill Country rivers, the San Gabriel west of the Balcones Fault is characterized by limestone river bottoms, some moderate rapids, small canyons, and muddy bottoms along slower-moving stretches; east of the Balcones Fault, the San Gabriel flows through the Blackland Prairie where rock features at the surface are more rare and the deep, clay soils are rolling to level and support dryland farms and more lush pastures than the thin soils to the west. Given the past tendency toward periodic large-scale but short-lived floods before construction of the large impoundments, much of the bottomland along the river banks east of Georgetown is forested with a mix of native oak and pecan plus other varieties, though in some locations pecan orchards with grafted varieties have been established as commercial enterprises. Two dams within the river forms Lake Georgetown and Granger Lake.

Recreational activities include canoeing, kayaking and fishing. Typical fish species found in the river are catfish, largemouth bass, sunfish, carp, longnose gar and various species of bait fish. However, many game fish and introduced species are found in the impoundments at Lake Georgetown and Granger Lake. The river runs through the Apache Pass Amphitheater and Festival Grounds near Thorndale, south of the town of San Gabriel. Apache Pass features a cantilevered stage that projects out over the river and is used for major concerts and other events.

Image:4_July_2002_Floods_-_Blue_Hole_Park,_Georgetown,_TX.JPG|South Fork San Gabriel spilling over the dam at Blue Hole Park, 4 July 2002 Image:N Austin Ave Bridge at 15-foot flood stage.JPG|N. Austin Avenue bridge with river at 15 feet. 25-foot high-water mark is from November 2001 flooding. Image:Flood_damage,_tree_in_Blue_Hole_Park,_Georgetown,_TX_Nov_2001.jpg|Flood damage in Blue Hole Park Nov 2001