Comal County Built a District Around River Weekends

Canyon Lake and the Guadalupe draw crowds, but they do not fit inside one city park system. Texas gave the county a local answer in 1987. Comal voters created the Water Oriented Recreation District, or WORD, in 1988.

Its map follows the water. It covers Canyon Lake and more than 30 miles of the Guadalupe above and below the dam. WORD permits water businesses and uses guest fees for cleanup, water safety, health, parks, police, and emergency help.

WORD tells a local story all by itself. The district grew from a lake, a river, packed weekends, and public work that goes on after the last tube leaves the water.