Flood resilience means thinking upstream, Texas A&M professor tells US Senate committee

Texas A&M University at Galveston Professor Sam Brody testified in a recent U.S. Senate hearing on reauthorization of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), urging the committee to not only reauthorize the program, but expand it using existing sources,...

Don’t go with the flow

Do areas on your property look like this—sparse vegetation and very little topsoil? Hill County soils are notoriously thin. At one time, this spot likely had lots more soil and vegetation. What happened? Hard to tell exactly, but it’s likely due to a combination of...

Meet OSCAR and CLARA, the future of water management in Austin

Austin Water is unveiling an innovative blackwater system designed to set a course for the future of water management for new development in Austin. Located at the City of Austin’s Permitting and Development Center and known as OSCAR and CLARA, the project has...
Editor’s Note: Preserved Paradise

Editor’s Note: Preserved Paradise

I’ve lived in the Hill Country for five years now, yet I’m still finding new reasons to admire its grandeur on a regular basis. I love that my kids get to grow up in such a beautiful, wild landscape, and I hope their kids will have the same opportunity. As Central...
Unique and creative approaches for conservation

Unique and creative approaches for conservation

Editorial by Commissioner Lon Shell, Hays County As our population surges, will the Hill Country retain its character? I believe it can, however it is a challenge that will require unique and creative approaches to balance that growth with preservation of the very...