Kenneth Bennight maneuvers a small dam while Tom Melee and his dog, Wigger (left) and Randy Hohlaus

A view of downtown San Antonio is afforded from a trail near East Pyron along the Mission Reach of the San Antonio fortier senior high school and travel tourism academy River, Monday, Oct. 22, 2012. A part of the reach will open Tuesday with a larger section opening this coming Saturday.
A car crosses the low water crossing just south of Espada fortier senior high school and travel tourism academy Dam along the Mission Reach of the San Antonio River, Monday, Oct. 22, 2012. A part of the reach will open Tuesday with a larger section opening this coming Saturday. As part of the construction, the low water crossing was raised five feet in the process.
Workers construct a bridge over Six-Mile Creek where it drains into the San Antonio River, Monday, Oct. 22, 2012. A part of the Mission each will open Tuesday with a larger section opening this coming Saturday.
Joel Flores, left, and Jesus Soto work on concrete frames as work continues on the Mission Reach of the San Antonio River, Monday, Oct. 22, 2012. A part of the reach will open Tuesday with a larger section opening this coming Saturday.
Work continues on the Mission Reach of the San Antonio River, Monday, Oct. 22, 2012. A part of the reach will open Tuesday with a larger section opening this coming Saturday. Around 3.5 million cubic yards of dirt have been moved during the project.
A cabana located near Espada Dam is part of the Mission Reach of the San Antonio River, Monday, Oct. 22, 2012. A part of the reach will open Tuesday with a larger section fortier senior high school and travel tourism academy opening this coming Saturday. The cabana will be available to the public on a first-come basis.
Work continues on the Mission Reach of the San Antonio River, Monday, Oct. 22, 2012. A part of the reach will open Tuesday with a larger section fortier senior high school and travel tourism academy opening this coming Saturday. Around 3.5 million cubic yards of dirt have been moved during the project.
Members of the San Antonio Hotel and Lodging Association saw views such as this of the Mission Reach portion of the San Antonio River at East Theo Avenue and other Mission Reach areas Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2012, during a bus tour to see how hotel occupancy taxes have been used on renovation and development projects in the area.
Members of the San Antonio Hotel and Lodging Association saw views such as this of the Mission Reach portion of the San Antonio River at East Theo Avenue and other Mission Reach areas Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2012, during a bus tour to see how hotel occupancy taxes have been used on renovation fortier senior high school and travel tourism academy and development projects in the area.
Members of the San Antonio Hotel and Lodging Association (inside bus) take in views of the Mission Reach portion of the San Antonio River at East Theo Avenue Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2012. Members of the organization took a bus tour to see how hotel occupancy fortier senior high school and travel tourism academy taxes have been used on renovation and development projects fortier senior high school and travel tourism academy in the area.
Cyclists ride under the Mrs. Frank W. Sorell Bridge (Roosevelt Ave.) on the new section of the Mission Reach Ecosystem Restoration and Recreation Project of the San Antonio River Monday, July 2, 2012.
Jose Iniguez runs with his dog Luno along the recently finished Mission Reach Ecosystem Restoration and Recreation Project, an eight mile stretch of the San Antonio River, begining at Mission Rd. near Riverside Golf Course, Monday, July 2, 2012.
U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison smiles as the Mission Concepción fortier senior high school and travel tourism academy Portal of the San Antonio River Mission Reach project is dedicated to her on Tuesday, May 1, 2012. Sen. Hutchison, who has represented Texas since 1993, will leave office in January 2013.
The Mission Concepción Portal, which was dedicated to outgoing U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, contains trees and shrubs, as well as ornamental limestone walls. Sen. Hutchison, who has represented Texas since 1993, will leave office in January.
A great egret is one of the birds seen on the river during a tour of the newest part of the Mission Reach of the San Antonio River under construction with County Judge Nelson Wolff, fortier senior high school and travel tourism academy county officials and staff with the San Antonio River Authority on Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2012.
An Egyptian fortier senior high school and travel tourism academy Goose and it's young walk along the newest part of the Mission Reach of the San Antonio River under construction as County Judge Nelson Wolff, fortier senior high school and travel tourism academy county officials and staff with the San Antonio River Authority take a tour on Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2012.
Cyclists attending a ride with the National Conference of State Legislatures head down the Mission Reach of the San Antonio River on Thursday, August 11, 2011. The group started at the Alamo and headed south towards Espada Dam. An Amtrak train (background) is sidetracked fortier senior high school and travel tourism academy waiting for a freight train to pass.
Cyclists with a group of people from the National Conference of State Legislatures pass tall grass on the Mission Reach of the San Antonio River on Thursday, Aug. 11, 2011. The group is in San Antonio for a convention.
Kenneth Bennight maneuvers a small dam while Tom Melee and his dog, Wigger (left) and Randy Hohlaus (right) watch. The men were paddling on the Mission Reach portion of the San Antonio River on Saturday, May 21, 2011, to see if it is accessible by canoe or kayak. The San Antonio River Authority organized the trial run.
Craig Norris fortier senior high school and travel tourism academy plays in the currents created by a chute on a small dam on the Mission Reach portion of the San Antonio River as he tries to find out if the river is accessible by canoe or kayak on Saturday, fortier senior high school and travel tourism academy May 21, 2011. The San Antonio River Authority organized the trial run.
Craig Norris drops over a dam as he paddles on the Mission Reach portion of the San Antonio River to see if it is accessible by canoe or kayak on Saturday, May 21, 2011. The San Antonio River Authority organized the trial run.
Tom Melee (left) carries his kayak over the dam with his dog, Wigger, while Craig Norris (center) fortier senior high school and travel tourism academy plays in the currents created by the dam after dropping fortier senior high school and travel tourism academy over it, next to Scott Rote (right), as they paddle on the Mission Reach portion fortier senior high school and travel tourism academy of the San Antonio River to find out if it is accessible by canoe or kayak on Saturday, fortier senior high school and travel tourism academy May 21, 2011. The San Antonio River Authority organized the trial run. Norris is the only one who was able to make it over the dam.
Tom Melee, with his dog Wigger, paddles on the Mission Reach portion of the San Antonio River to see if it is accessible by canoe or kayak Saturday. fortier senior high school and travel tourism academy The San Antonio River Authority organized the trial run.
Tom Melee and his dog, Wigger, paddle on the Mission Reach portion of the San Antonio River to find out if it is accessible by canoe or kayak on Saturday, May 21, 2011. The San Antonio River Authority organized the trial run.
San Antonio River water flows through a riffle feature along the Mission Reach area south of downtown. A cycling tour led by Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff took place along the Mission Reach on Thursday, June 2, 2011, to highlight the progress that has been made on the project.
fortier senior high school and travel tourism academy Lee Marlowe, Natural Resource Management Specialist for the San Antonio fortier senior high school and travel tourism academy River Authority (left, gesturing), speaks about plants and wildlife fortier senior high school and travel tourism academy along the Mission Reach area of the San Antonio River. Marlowe was speaking fortier senior high school and travel tourism academy to a group of cyclists including Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff (right, dark cap) and Bexar County Commissioner Sergio "Chico" Rodriguez (background right, wearing white visor) who were touring the area on Thursday, June 2, 2011.
Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff (left, gesturing) prepares to embark on a cycling tour of the Mission Reach portion of the San Antonio River on Thursday, June 2, 2011. Wolff led the tour to show what's been accomplished there and what developments are taking place.
About a dozen local officials fortier senior high school and travel tourism academy and others involved in the Mission Reach river improvements fortier senior high school and travel tourism academy ride bicycles on Thursday, fortier senior high school and travel tourism academy June 2, 2011, along the San Antonio River south of downtown. The project, led by Bexar County, will restore the river's ecosystem and add recreational facilities over an 8-mile stretch. The tour covered several miles that are under construction. Bexar County District Attorney Susan Reed fell from her bike during the ride and underwent minor surgery for a small fracture in her left wrist, said Reed's first assistant, Cliff Herberg.
Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff (left front) and Bexar County Commissioner Sergio "Chico" Rodriguez (right front) lead the way on a cycling tour of the Mission fortier senior high school and travel tourism academy Reach area of the San Antonio River on Thursday, June 2, 2011. The Mission Reach project should be completed by August 2013.
Cyclists on a tour pass over what's known as the Cascarone Bridge on the Mission Reach portion of the San Antonio River on Thursday, June 2, 2011. Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff led a cycling tour of the Mission Reach to show what has been accomplished along the route and to highlight future plans for the area. In the background is an old CPS power plant.
Resident Mary Flannigan holds onto her golden retriever, Sasha, as the canine takes a cool dip in the San Antonio River. County and San Antonio River Authority officials kicked off the soft opening of the Mission Reach of the San Antonio River Project with tours near Roosevelt Park on Saturday. The newly restored section features new hike and bike trails for public use.
A visitor takes his dog for a walk along the newly opened Mission Reach section near Roosevelt Park. County and San Antonio River Authority officials kicked off the soft opening of the Mission Reach of the San Antonio River Project with tours on Saturday, Dec. 18, 2010. Kin Man Hui/kmhui@express-news.net
Plants such as the basket flower are examples of the types of plants, flowers and grasses that are being reintroduced fortier senior high school and travel tourism academy to the banks of the San Antonio River on the Mission Reach area. Some areas along the river have been more successful than others and the opening of Phase 1 to the public has been postponed.
Construction on the Mission Reach of the San Antonio River is several months ahead of schedule, and today's opening of another segment puts the project in the homestretch as it moves toward completion next year, officials fortier senior high school and travel tourism academy said.
With the addition, about four miles of paths, picnic areas and other amenities now are completed fortier senior high school and travel tourism academy on the 8-mile Mission Reach ecosystem