Much of the area in and around the park can be classified as "disturbed lands", or lands that have been manipulated for various uses. For example, in the vicinity of the park, the San Antonio River was channelized to assist with flood protection in the late 1950s. Many of the currently plowed fields and old fields (succeeding to huisache tree uplands) are located where historic labores (fields) were tended during Spanish colonial times. And, areas where the historic acequias are located were at one time dry scrublands. Today, because of the presence of water, thick riparian vegetation with tall trees has replaced scrubland habitat in those areas.