October 2015 – Welcome to Hill Country Alliance

Eminent Domain – Changing the Landscape

“Texas is growing and changing,” said Greg Simons, president of the Texas Wildlife Association (TWA). “More people mean more demands for all types of infrastructure – roads, transmission lines, pipelines, reservoirs, schools and on and on. It all has to go somewhere. In Texas more than 90 percent of the land is privately owned, so in most cases private landowners have to bear the burden.” Eminent domain is nothing new. Some claim that the earliest known use of eminent domain…

Will the Land and Water Conservation Fund Rise Again

The LWCF does a lot more than buy inholdings. Roughly half of it goes to providing conservation easements on private land, conserving privately owned timberlands, developing urban parks and ball fields, and funding endangered species projects on non-federal lands. More from High Country News

Water Forum VI: Vista Ridge, Conservation, Rate Increase

October 27, 2015
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Groundwater Resources, News, Vista Ridge Pipeline, Water Conservation, Water Planning

The $3.4 billion Vista Ridge water pipeline, water conservation, the Nov. 19 City Council vote on a new rate increase and structure that will result in reduced bills for low usage and higher bills for big water users dominated the conversation at the San Antonio Clean Technology Forum‘s sixth annual water forum staged before a sold-out luncheon crowd at the Pearl Stable on Monday. Mayor Ivy Taylor, who delivered opening remarks, asked for audience and community support for the rate increase and…

How Will San Antonio Manage Growth and Gentrification?

October 26, 2015
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News, Regional Planning

San Antonio is expected to gain 1 million people by 2040 and the City is planning to annex 66 square miles of commercial and residential areas. What should the city prioritize as it grows? Without pause, Christine Drennon, head of Trinity University‘s Urban Studies, says affordable housing and public education are the first things on the list. “The city is on the rise, but not with the people who made it,” Drennon said during a recent interview. “The people who worked…

Chronic Wasting Disease “Town-Hall” Meeting, Nov. 4 in San Antonio

October 26, 2015
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News, Wildlife

In July, Chronic Wasting Disease was detected in a white-tailed deer in Medina County, Texas. This disease, first discovered in 1967 in Colorado, affects the nervous systems of white-tailed and mule deer, elk, moose, and red deer. For the first time, the disease was seen in white-tails in Texas, creating significant concern among wildlife professionals, deer breeders, and hunting industry professionals. Although there is no evidence of transmissibility of the disease to humans or livestock, the seriousness of the disease for…

Vista Ridge pipeline the focus at Texas Water Symposium

October 22, 2015
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Groundwater Resources, News, Vista Ridge Pipeline

“Whether the Vista Ridge pipeline will soften the city’s efforts to encourage residents to use less water is just one of a variety of concerns that have surfaced ahead of the city council’s vote on a water rate increase to help pay for it.” Texas Tribune’s Kiah Collier captures highlights from the Texas Water Symposium. “One fuel for those critical flames was the city’s decision to delay releasing Finch’s critical study, a draft copy of which says the project could…

You don’t want to miss this party – Be sure to get your tickets!

October 21, 2015
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News

10 Years Together - celebration less than two weeks away! HCA celebrates “10 Years Together” at the historic Albert Dance Hall near Stonewall on Sunday, November 1st. Join us and spend a beautiful fall afternoon & evening in the scenic hills, listening to great music and sharing the Texas Hill Country with wonderful food and good friends. The musical line-up features La Tapiquena, Terri Hendrix & Lloyd Maines, The Derailers and Shinyribs. Join us under the old oak…

Summit eyes Hill Country development, future growth

October 15, 2015
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News

Ranchers, conservationists and tourists all share one thing in common: they love experiencing rural land by seeing the beauty of the Texas Hill Country. This was the message told throughout the Hill Country Alliance (HCA) leadership summit at the Nimitz Museum Ballroom on Thursday, Sept. 24. Robert Yaro, visiting professor at the University of Texas School of Architecture, was the keynote speaker. He spoke about the importance of “smart” development in the Hill Country and how it relates to the…

New Questions Face San Antonio Water Pipeline

October 14, 2015
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Groundwater Resources, News, Vista Ridge Pipeline

Nearly a year after the San Antonio City Council unanimously approved what could be the most expensive water project in the region's history, some council members appear to be having doubts. Dubbed the Vista Ridge Project, the $3 billion-plus venture would pipe in 16 billion gallons of groundwater annually from Burleson County in Central Texas, about 142 miles away. The San Antonio Water System and many of the city's business leaders say the project is crucial to a secure future, but environmental…

October Pedernales Newsletter Available

October 10, 2015
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News, Pedernales River Basin

HCA's Pedernales-specific newsletter was mailed this week with news and events from across the basin. This month's email profiles a brand new report released by the Meadows Center for Water and the Environment to answer the question: "How Much Water is in the Pedernales?" In addition, the newsletter discusses the current rainfall conditions in the basin. Inflows into the Highland Lakes system, to which the Pedernales plays a critical part, were only 4% of their average levels for the month…