Fall 2012 - Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority

Inside GBRAwhere are they now?Charles DurstDurst remembers “spilling water” whileon the night shift at Lake McQueeney. Hewas working the shift alone, as crewmenusually do, when he heard the familiarrushing of the river outside, flowingfuriously over the dam. But this time aloud crash followed. It made Durst jump,but he told himself it was just a travelinglog caught up against the side of the dam.He then remembers a story he was toldabout the ghost of a man that travels theriver at night.Today, Durst smiles and says the ghoststories about things that went bump in the night at the hydro lakeswere passed between new and old crewmen, and probably are stillin circulation today.Durst was hired as a hydro crewman in 1981 for GBRA. He wastold he would work 12-hour shifts, need to know how to swim,learn to “spill” water, perform maintenance at the hydroelectricdams built in the 1930s, and operate spill gates in all types ofweather imaginable.“Some people think this is an easy job, but not just anybody cando it,” said Durst. “You have to have a strong mind to ‘spill’ waterfor 12 hours a day.”He also admits that hydro work can be difficult and hazardous,especially during a flood when lake capacities double or eventriple, and large objects such as boats and tree trunks travelbetween the lakes and over the dams.The GBRA Board of Directors met in a regular monthlymeeting Oct. 17, 2012, at the Boerne Convention and CommunityCenter in Kendall County, Texas. Michael D. Schultz, Mayor ofthe City of Boerne offered a welcome and a number of otherlocal officials attended the meeting, including, Cheryl Landman,Mayor of the City of Fair Oaks Ranch; Jeff Haberstroh, a City ofBoerne councilman and Kathy Sanford, a City of Fredericksburgcouncilwoman.During the board meeting, constituents heard a presentationrelated to GBRA’s educational programs, partnerships andinitiatives, a discussion about the feasibility of a power anddesalinated water project, and a discussion about a memorandumof understanding between GBRA, UGRA, Kendall County, KerrCounty, Kendall County Water Control and Improvement DistrictNo. 1, Headwaters Groundwater Conservation District, and CowCreek Groundwater Conservation District to conduct a water“I do not miss being at ‘the hole’especially when it was thundering andlightning,” Durst said. “The hole” wasthe post where crewmen manuallyoperated the dam gate valves to controlwater flow and was only a 3-foot by5-foot building, without heating or airconditioning. It was also the only thingthat separated the crewman on dutyfrom the fierce weather and river onlyyards away.Photo by Connie Rothe Durst retired in 2009 but keeps busydoing handy man work at his church,The Bethel Pentecostal, and for friends and family and at home.When Durst finds the time, he enjoys lake fishing. Durst, alongwith his wife, Marie, have raised three sons and a daughter, andthey have 10 grandchildren and four great grandchildren.Durst says he still does morning exercises he was required todo while employed at GBRA. “Old habits are hard to break,” saidDurst, now in his mid-60s. He admits he needs all the help he canget to keep up with his 8-year-old grandson.Charles DurstStarted at GBRA—1981Retired at GBRA—2009Phone—(830) 379-2641Board Holds Meeting in Kendall Countysupply study to assist in securing water supplies for the area andfinancial assistance from the state.Photo by LaMarriol SmithGBRA River Run Fall 201215