One of the biggest attractions in Texas is ditching a dirty routine for 2015: the annual draining and cleaning of the San Antonio River Walk.
City officials say the usual January scrub down that greeted unsuspecting tourists with unsightly views of sunken trash and mud is no longer necessary after recent projects improved the river's clarity.
The San Antonio Express-News reported Saturday that workers removed more than 2,300 tons of sediment from the river's main channel last year. Up until now, muck-hoisting cranes had rumbled in the riverbed most Januarys during the chilly and predictable lull in the tourist season.
Efforts to improve water quality in recent years have included boarding up a bridge where a colony of bats made their home -- and a mess beneath them.
Copyright AP - Associated Press
