Hill Country Alliance

Online - Using Alternative Wastewater Treatments to Cut Pollution and Save Water
2021-06-30 12:00 - 13:00 (America/Chicago) | Virtual
Using Alternative Treatment to Cut Pollution and Save Water – U.S. Green Building Council
Did you know that the U.S. Green Building Council gives points for sustainable wastewater management in its LEED certification program? Learn more at this webinar on June 30th sponsored by the Texas chapter of USGBC. The webinar is free for USGBC members and $15 for non-members. Register here: https://www.usgbctexas.org/event-4331069

This panel presentation will explain:

How treated sewage causes pollution in streams & lakes
How wastewater treatment systems are regulated
How alternative wastewater systems are designed & installed

Panelists:

Chris Herrington. P.E., Environmental Officer, City of Austin
Brian Zabcik, Wastewater Campaign Organizer, Save Barton Creek Association
David Price, P.E., President, Texas River Protection Association

Online - Last day to vote for HCA when you shop at Target!
2021-06-30 | Online
Support HCA when you shop at Target! Target Circle Members can earn and cast votes for the Hill Country Alliance when they shop at Target – both online and in-store – now through June 30th. Simply login to your Target account at target.com or on the mobile app and follow the prompts and instructions to vote. Every nonprofit featured with Target Circle will be awarded a grant based on the percentage of votes they receive.
The more votes HCA receives, the bigger the donation HCA can earn!
How-To: Learn more and vote for HCA!
Enroll in Target Circle and Start Earning Votes
HCA supporters in the Austin-area can enroll in the Giving Program and support HCA for free by 1) signing up at target.com/circle; 2) downloading the Target app; 3) providing phone number at checkout. Guests earn one vote every time they make an eligible purchase at Target, online and in-store. Members earn votes as they shop at Target. To earn votes in-store, scan your Wallet barcode in the Target App at the time of purchase, or scan the barcode on your receipt with the Target App within seven (7) days of purchase. To earn votes online, on a Target.com or Target App purchase, you must create and be signed into your Target Circle account when placing an order.
Vote for HCA
Casting votes is a completely digital experience. Any Target Circle Member can login their Target account at target.com or on the mobile app and follow the prompts and instructions to vote. Eligible nonprofits in your area will display in a list with each organization’s name, logo, description, and website link – you should be able to spot the Hill Country Alliance logo there.
For a step-by-step guide on how to vote using the app, check out this handy guide Texas Land Conservancy put together and throw them a few votes too!
Eligible ZIP Codes
Austin: 78702, 78704, 78705, 78717, 78723, 78726, 78748, 78749, 78758, 78759 | Bee Cave: 78738 | Cedar Park: 78613 | Georgetown: 78628 | Kyle: 78640 | Pflugerville: 78660 | Round Rock: 78664 | San Marcos: 78666

Hill Country Communities: The Tools that Shape Our Cities
2021-06-29 15:00 - 18:30 | Gem of the Hills, 2233 US Highway 281 North, Blanco, Texas
City development regulations can be overly complex, many don’t understand how or why they exist, and everyone is impacted from their outcomes. The good news is: they can be simpler. Join us to learn more.
This workshop will review both historic and modern patterns of development. Our discussion will be applicable to ALL Hill Country communities, and will be led through an examination of three Texas cities: Bastrop, Bandera and Blanco. Learn about the different tools and metrics being used to create better places in Central Texas and the Hill Country.
The workshop will kick off at 3pm on Tuesday, June 29th on the Courthouse Lawn with a walking tour of the Blanco Square. On the walk, the elements represented in the development codes will be unfolded in real time. We will then reconvene at 4:30pm the Gem of the Hills Activity Center for a presentation with conversation to follow. The formal workshop will conclude at 6:30pm, with an optional happy hour to follow. The takeaways of the workshop will help inform future policies, budgets, and development standards.
Join the dialogue.
Register Here!

Online - Leopold Live! Bluebird Boxes
2021-06-29 10:00 - 11:00 | Online
Leopold Live! is back with Chapter Two, Episode Two – Blue Bird Boxes will stream on June 29th at 10:00am CST. Leopold Live! began as a live streaming seminar series conducted in partnership with the Selah, Bamberger Ranch Preserve (Bamberger) to demonstrate to natural resource students, landowners and wildlife enthusiasts the original 5 creative methods conceptualized by Aldo Leopold in the 1930s to effectively manage game and therefore conserve wildlife ecology. The series builds on “the central thesis of game management is this: game can be restored by the creative use of the same tools which have heretofore destroyed it—axe, plow, cow, fire, and gun.”
Each month we will be joined by Bamberger ranch staff and experts in the field to explore and demonstrate each of Leopold’s five tools and to give viewers tangible practices that they can implement out in the field.
Tune in to NRI’s Facebook page to ask questions, connect and learn about these essential tools for wildlife habitat management on your property.
Click here for more details.

Boerne - Moondance Outdoor Concerts: Britt Ballenger
2021-06-26 19:00 - 22:30 | Cibolo Nature Center, 140 City Park Road, Boerne, TX, 78006, United States
It is time for the Moondance Outdoor Concerts presented by the Cibolo Center for Conservation!
We are delighted to announce this year’s lineup of shows running from May through October. We want to thank our generous sponsors Frost Bank, The Boerne Star, and The Brandon Fund, for supporting this time-honored tradition at the Cibolo.
Grab your lawn chairs, coolers, and picnic, and head on over to the Cibolo Nature Center for some music and fun under the majestic oaks!
Doors 7 pm & Music 7:30 pm
Cibolo Nature Center, 140 City Park Rd., Boerne
Here’s what we have in store for you this season:

6/26: Britt Ballenger
7/24: Dirty Rotten Swingband
8/21: Big Cedar Fever
9/18: Blake Torrey
10/23: Lost Mule Band

Food Trucks on-site!
Learn more and register here.

Boerne - Family Night Hike – Bats and Fireflies at Cibolo Nature Center
2021-06-25 20:00 - 21:30 | Cibolo Nature Center, 140 City Park Road, Boerne, TX, 78006, United States
Explore the nature center trails from dusk to dark to see fireflies, bats, moths, owls, and other nocturnal animals with our fantastic education staff and volunteers. We will have an opportunity to record bats using bat detectors to identify our native bat species, look at animal tracks and signs, and look deeper into seasonally occurring wildlife. This event is family-friendly, but participants must be able to keep a moderate hiking pace. Meet at the nature center Visitor Center.
Please bring a flashlight and your water bottle. Face masks are recommended when in the proximity of one another, but there will be plenty of space to keep a proper distance on the hike. When a face mask covering is required, it must cover the nose and mouth.
Learn more and register here.

Boerne - Gardening 101: Peppers - Herff Farm
2021-06-19 14:00 - 16:00 | Herff Farm, 33 Herff Road, Boerne, TX, 78006, United States
Join Keith Amelung of Have Spade Will Travel this Saturday and every 3rd Saturday after the Farmer’s Market at Herff Farm for an introduction to the “basics” of veggie gardening in the Texas Hill Country. We will cover the “how to get started” in a quick 1-hour presentation followed by a Q&A and a seasonal hands-on project.
Think outside the “Bell” – There is a great big world of exciting new culinary exploration if you will take the journey with us. Peppers thrive in our summer heat – well, the hot ones anyway. But there are some not-so-hot varieties that can produce during the summer too… You don’t have to wait ’til September for Bells and Anchos to kick in. Interactive: Each attendee will pot up a couple pepper plants to take home — your choice, hot or not — and together we will set out a few transplants in the Herff Farm garden beds.
Learn more and register here.

Boerne - Firefly and Nature Walk Night Hike (Adults 18 & up) at Cibolo Nature Center
2021-06-18 19:30 - 21:00 | Cibolo Nature Center, 140 City Park Road, Boerne, TX, 78006, United States
Explore the Cibolo Nature Center trails at dusk
Join professional naturalist Jasmine Torrez and explore the Cibolo Center for Conservation to discover various living organisms that call the Cibolo home. Get a chance to see native wildlife up close. Learn about both animal and plant species’ habitats, natural history, and how to identify them. Also come get a chance to see our native fireflies, a vanishing beautiful Texas treasure. You never know what you will find so join us for this wildcard night hike through the Cibolo.
Please bring a flashlight and your water bottle. Face masks are recommended when in the proximity of one another, but there will be plenty of space to keep a proper distance on the hike. When a face mask covering is required, it must cover the nose and mouth.
Learn more and register here.

Fredericksburg - Farm Bureau Field Day
2021-06-17 17:00 - 19:30 | Gillespie County Farm Bureau Center, 237 Equestrian Drive, Fredericksburg, TX, 78624, United States
Program Focus:

Chuck Schmidt, Stihl Representative—Chainsaw Safety
Local Fire Department—Safety on Burning Brush
Dr. Don Renchie, Professor & Extension Pesticide Safety Education Specialist—Minimizing Drift and Pesticide Spraying Safety

Learn more and RSVP by contacting Donna Maxwell with Texas A&M Agrilife Extension – Gillespie County by email at donna.maxwell@ag.tamu.edu.

Online - What's Next for Texas Water?
2021-06-07 12:00 - 13:00 | Online
Texas’ underground water supplies are struggling. That creates long-term uncertainty for landowners who rely on groundwater, the rivers and streams that are fed by it, and the plants and wildlife that will die without it. Yet the Legislature has done little in the 2021 legislative session to address Texas’ water future. So what’s next for landowners, local governments, sensitive ecosystems and the rest of the state?
On June 7, please join a panel of landowners, policy leaders and wildlife experts to assess the landscape for water in Texas, the challenges Texas will face in coming months, and our post-session options for addressing them.
The panel will feature:

Vanessa Escobar, General Manager of the Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District & HCA Board Member
Ted Flato, a prominent architect and founding member of the Headwaters Alliance & HCA Board Vice President
David Langford, former member of the Environmental Flows Advisory Committee and a founding member of the Headwaters Alliance
Robert Mace, Executive Director & Chief Water Policy Officer for the Meadows Center for Water and the Environment at Texas State University
Vanessa Puig-Williams, Texas Water Program Director for Environmental Defense Fund & HCA Board President
David Yeates, Chief Executive Officer of the Texas Wildlife Association

This webinar is co-sponsored by Environmental Defense Fund, the Hill Country Alliance, and the Headwaters Alliance, a coalition of landowners focused on keeping the Hill Country’s springs and rivers flowing.
Learn more and register here.

Austin - National Trails Day Fun Run and Walk on the Violet Crown Trail
2021-06-05 08:00 - 13:00 | Dick Nichols Park, 8011 Beckett, Austin, TX, 78749, United States
JOIN HILL COUNTRY CONSERVANCY AND REI FOR NATIONAL TRAILS DAY ON THE VIOLET CROWN TRAIL!
National Trails Day is a nationwide event held to encourage people to discover their local trails and celebrate spending time outdoors. For the third annual NTD on the VCT Fun Run, wind through the woods on your choice of a 5k running course or 1 mi walking course.
Participants will receive an NTD on the VCT shirt, a yoga for runners class from Core Power Yoga, and all sorts of goodies provided by REI.
All proceeds will go towards keeping the trail that you love safe and clean for everyone in the community to enjoy.
Click here to learn more and register.

Online - Texas Children in Nature Network Virtual Meet-Up
2021-06-03 17:00 - 18:00 | Online
Hear about what our partners across the state have been up to. This is a great chance for everyone to share and ask questions of our partners.
Learn more and register here.

Online - Globe at Night Observations - June
2021-06-01 - 2021-06-10 | Online
Six Easy Star Hunting Steps

During the campaign dates, go outside more than an hour after sunset (8-10 pm local time). The Moon should not be up. Let your eyes become used to the dark for 10 minutes before your first observation.
Use a night sky app on your phone outside to find the constellation from where you are.
Go to the Globe at Night Report page to start to enter Globe at Night measurements. Make sure you are in “Nighttime version”
With a smart phone, the app will put in the date, time, location (latitude/longitude) automatically. Otherwise please type them in. For your location, type the street address closest to your observation along with the city, state or province and country.
Choose the star chart that looks most closely to what you see toward your constellation. That is, what is the faintest star you can see in the sky and find in the chart?
Chose the amount of cloud cover at the time of observation and then click on the “SUBMIT DATA” button.

Globe at Night 2020 Dates and Constellations
New for 2020: During many of the 2020 Globe at Night campaigns there will be more than one choice for which constellation is optimal to use. This will depend on your location around the globe. To decide which one is best for you at your location for the dates listed below, check to see if the constellation is more than halfway above the horizon. If so, you can use that constellation for the campaign. If not, try another suggested constellation for that month
Learn more here: https://www.globeatnight.org/6-steps.php

Online - Vote for HCA when you shop at Target, now through June 30!
2021-06-01 | Online

Lakehills - Zebra Mussels Workshop with Bandera County River Authority and Groundwater District
2021-05-22 10:00 - 12:00 | Lakehills Civic Center, 11225 Park Road 37, Lakehills, TX, 78063, United States
Join the Bandera County River Authority and Groundwater District and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department for a workshop on Saturday, May 22, 2021 to help prevent and slow the spread of zebra mussels in Medina Lake.
Learn more here.

Online - Be The Change Webinar Series Featuring Alex Bailey of Black Outside
2021-05-18 12:00 - 13:00 | Online
The Texas Master Naturalist Program is happy to announce a new mini-webinar series, “Be The Change”, dedicated to exploring diversity, equity & inclusion opportunities in our natural resource and conservation community. Just as the natural world thrives with biodiversity, our Texas Master Naturalist Program is dedicated to engaging all audiences in conservation, education and stewardship.
This mini-series will run April through September on the third Tuesday of the month (tentatively based on speaker availability). Each of the series will be one hour held at the 12-noon hour CST to allow TMNs to join over the lunch hour if still engaged in the workforce and each will also be recorded for viewing later. These sessions can also count for at least Advanced Training 1-Hour.
SAVE THE DATE – May 18th’s Speaker for the Be The Change webinar series will be Alex Bailey of Black Outside, based in San Antonio, Texas.
Learn more and register here.

Online - Wild Neighbors Speaker Series - Behind the Music: Rare Birds of the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve
2021-05-15 12:00 - 13:00 | Online
Get to know some of the famous, illusive residents of the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve (BCP) from the folks who know them best – the biologists who work with them. Join Dave Morgan and Nancy Sandoval for a behind-the-scenes look at the Golden-cheeked Warbler and Black-capped Vireo, two of the animals the BCP was created to protect. They’ll show you a day-in-the-life of a field biologist on the preserve, and all the work that goes into making the BCP a good home for these rare birds. There will be plenty of time for Q & A, so bring your questions!
Click here to register and learn more.

Online - Saving our Rural Land Heritage Community Program with CCCA
2021-05-11 18:00 - 19:00 | Online
Join CCCA May 11th to learn about the importance of “Saving our Rural Land Heritage.” Guest speakers David K. Langford of the Hillingdon Ranch in Kendall County, and Rob and Teresa Ohlrich Johnson of the JO Ranch in Comal County will share their stories about their families’ use of conservation easements as a tool to preserve their families’ land and ranching heritage along with the natural and cultural heritage of our beautiful Texas Hill Country. Everyone is invited to hear these passionate landowners discuss the importance of saving Comal’s rural and cultural heritage. Please visit the CCCA website at www.comalconservation.org for information on how to access and log in to the presentation.
WHO: Comal County Conservation Alliance (CCCA)
WHAT: Community Program on “Saving our Rural Land Heritage”
WHEN: Tuesday, May 11, 2021, 6:00 – 7:00 PM
WHERE: Zoom Presentation (virtual)
NOTE: Free and open to the public

Online – Water Wise Lawns and Gardens – 2021 Water-Wise Speakers Series with Hays Trinity GCD
2021-05-06 18:00 - 18:30 | Online
Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation District – Water-Wise Speaker Series
For more information contact Charlie Flatten, General Manager at gm@haysgroundwater.com or 512-858-9253
The Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation District has announced its 2021 Water-Wise Speaker Series. Subject matter experts will discuss a variety of water topics important to Hays County residents.
Hays County is listed by the US Census Bureau as the second fastest growing county in the United States. Great schools, good housing, proximity to growing business opportunities, and a beautiful landscape are all drivers for our growth.
Its most precious resource is water. The Trinity Aquifer deep below has a limited recharge capacity and will not support the growth coming in the next 20-years. The County needs to maximize efficiency of use and diversify its water supply portfolio to keep local communities healthy and viable long into the future.
Rainwater is already being collected on homesteads and larger buildings across Hays County. Water-wise landscaping, land conservation, and climate trends are all important parts of a strategy to protect our aquifers.
Speakers will present at 5:30 live and online. Dial-in information will be on the District website www.HaysGroundwater.com the week before each presentation. Check the schedule for upcoming dates.
Topics will include:

Water Wise Lawns and Gardens: Hays County Master Naturalists – May 6, 2021
Wimberley One-Water School – Innovative Conservation Design: Nick Dornak, Meadows Center for Water and the Environment – July 1, 2021
Benefits of Land Conservation on Water Resources: Lori Olson, Texas Land Trust Council – TBD
Climate and Weather Trends in the Hill Country: John Nielson-Gammon, State Climatologist – TBD

Click here for the HTGCD Press Release – 2.22.21
HAYS TRINITY GROUNDWATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT STAFF & BOARD
Charlie Flatten, General Manager
Philip Webster, Hydrogeologist
Keaton Hoelscher, Geo-Technician
Laura Thomas, Office Administrator
Holly Fults, President District 3
Linda Kaye Rogers, Vice President District 4
John Worrall, Treasurer/Secretary District 1
Toby Shelton District 2
Doc Jones District 5

Online - Day 2: ASR for Texas Webinar
2021-05-05 08:30 - 12:00 | Online
This innovative water management technology is changing the water storage and supply paradigm in Texas. ASR allows for water to be stored underground in times of plenty—then retrieved for beneficial use in times of drought. Expanding the use of underground storage will help meet the water demands of Texas’ growing population, especially in the face of drought and climate change.
Click here to see the TWDB map of Aquifer Storage and Recovery in Texas.
Who should attend this two-half-day seminar?
Municipal water planners, water utility directors and staff, water management districts, regional water planning groups, groundwater conservation districts, river authorities, potential ASR project sponsors, water supply visionaries, and anyone looking for resilient water supplies for today – and for the future of Texas.
Dates/Day/Time
May 4, Tuesday 8:30 am to Noon
May 5, Wednesday 8:30 am to Noon
May 5, Wednesday
8:30 am Welcome comments
8:40 am Introduction to ASR for Texas
9:30 am ASR & Regional Water Planning
9:40 am HB-721 and the ASR Suitability Survey
9:50 am ASR Across Texas (panel)
10:30 am Austin’s Water Forward Plan & ASR Project
11 am Provo, Utah, from Planning to Pilot to a Final MAR Program
11:30 am Closing comments
Noon Adjourn
Registration Cost (covers both days)
$75/person
Full refunds up to 15 days before event.
Learn more and register here.

Online - Day 1: ASR for Texas Webinar
2021-05-04 08:30 - 12:00 | Online
This innovative water management technology is changing the water storage and supply paradigm in Texas. ASR allows for water to be stored underground in times of plenty—then retrieved for beneficial use in times of drought. Expanding the use of underground storage will help meet the water demands of Texas’ growing population, especially in the face of drought and climate change.
Click here to see the TWDB map of Aquifer Storage and Recovery in Texas.
Who should attend this two-half-day seminar?
Municipal water planners, water utility directors and staff, water management districts, regional water planning groups, groundwater conservation districts, river authorities, potential ASR project sponsors, water supply visionaries, and anyone looking for resilient water supplies for today – and for the future of Texas.
Dates/Day/Time
May 4, Tuesday 8:30 am to Noon
May 5, Wednesday 8:30 am to Noon
May 4, Tuesday
8:30 am Welcome comments
8:40 am Introduction to ASR for Texas
9:30 am The Hampton Road Project, Virginia: 100 ASR Wells!
10 am ASR Management within the Regulatory & Legal Environment (panel)
11 am The Future of Aquifer Storage and Recovery in Texas
11:30 am Geophysical Investigations to Locate Optimal MAR Basins, Provo, UT
11:50 am Legislative update & closing comments
Noon Adjourn
Registration Cost (covers both days)
$75/person
Full refunds up to 15 days before event.
Learn more and register here.

Online - Globe at Night Observations - May
2021-05-02 - 2021-05-11 | Online

Online - Live From the Stream: A Virtual Music Event & Fundraiser for Texas Water
2021-04-30 20:00 - 22:30 | Online
Join us for a virtual music event and fundraiser benefiting Texas Water Trade and the restoration of Comanche Springs and Texas water

Featuring performances by:
Shinyribs’ Kevin Russell, Ray Benson, Los Texmaniacs, Charley Crockett, Jack Ingram, Bruce Robison, Carrie Rodriguez, Jon Dee Graham, Cody Canada, Walt Wilkins, Gary P. Nunn and Josh Baca and the Hot Tamales!
You’ll also hear from:

Texas Water Trade CEO Sharlene Leurig
Fort Stockton natives Billy Gonzales and Paul Weatherby
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Carter Smith
Explore Ranches’ Jay Kleberg
Texas Fly Fisherman JT Van Zandt
Meadows Center for Water and the Environment’s Andy Sansom
Former CEO of Texas Wildlife Association David Langford, and
Gary Perez of the Coahuiltecan group of peoples of South Texas and Northeastern Mexico

Click here to RSVP now and share with friends and family to show your support for Texas water!

Online - Public Support for Water Infrastructure Webinar with US Water Alliance
2021-04-29 14:00 - 15:00 | Online
The Value of Water Campaign polls American voters annually to better understand their opinions about the state of our nation’s water infrastructure and what they view as priorities for action and potential solutions. This Value of Water Index has shown consistently high public support for closing the federal water and wastewater investment gap.

In the US alone, the federal government needs to invest a total of $109 billion per year in water infrastructure over the next 20 years to close the water infrastructure gap. Closing the water infrastructure gap would result in multiple benefits—including growing the nation’s GDP, creating new jobs, and increasing disposable income.

Join the Alliance for this webinar discussion with a pollster, a researcher, and a utility leader on the issue of public support for water infrastructure and what it means for the future of the nation’s water and wastewater systems.

Moderator:

Scott Berry, Director of Policy and Government Affairs, US Water Alliance

Speakers:

Allison Deines, Director of Policy and Strategy, Alexandria Renew Enterprises
Dave Metz, Partner and President, FM3 Research
Dr. Manuel Teodoro, Associate Professor, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Register for the webinar HERE.

Online - Wild Neighbors Speaker Series: Managing Mosquitoes
2021-04-29 12:00 - 13:00 | Online
Join the Austin Water Wildland Conservation team on Thursday, April 29 from noon to 1pm, as Wizzie Brown of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service discusses non- or less-toxic ways to control and avoid mosquitoes this year. She will cover how to reduce habitats that can lead to mosquito issues around your home and in the landscape, treatment of standing water that cannot be removed, the impact of spraying, and repellent use.
Click here to register.

Austin - Kendra Scott Fundraiser for Hill Country Alliance
2021-04-28 17:00 - 19:00 | Kendra Scott Flagship, 1701 South Congress Avenue, Austin, TX, 78704, United States
Shop for Mother’s Day and support HCA!
20% of your purchase will go back to HCA’s mission when you shop in-store at Kendra Scott Flagship or online at www.kendrascott.com. Enter or mention code: GIVEBACK-1HMM at check out for your donation to be applied to this give back.
Click here to RSVP and learn more!

Online - Wildfire Community Preparedness Symposium "From at Risk to Empowered"
2021-04-28 14:00 - 17:00 | Online
The Austin Fire Department Wildfire Division will discuss how to prepare your home and neighborhood for Wildfire.
Listen to subject matter experts about your Wildfire Risk, investigate actions to take on your own property, and network with community leaders.

Facilitation by AFD Division Chief Carrie Stewart
Introduction by AFD Fire Chief Joel Baker

Session 1: Austin At-Risk

First speaker: Kelly Pohl, Associate Director, Headwaters Economics: Austin’s Risk
Second speaker: Nate Casebeer, GIS Analyst, AFD’s Wildfire Division: Austin’s Risk Maps and Online Tools

Session 2: Empowered in Austin -Subject Matter Experts for the Panel Discussion

Annie Schmidt, Fire Adapted Communities Learning Network
Kari Hines, Texas A&M Forest Service
Justice Jones, AFD’s Wildfire Division
Dr. Joyce Statz, Austin Area Firewise Alliance Ambassador

Click here to learn more and register.

Online - 48-hour Kendra Scott Fundraiser for Hill Country Alliance
2021-04-28 - 2021-04-29 | Online
Shop for Mother’s Day and support HCA!
For 48-hours, 20% of your purchase will go back to HCA’s mission when you shop in-store at Kendra Scott Flagship or online at www.kendrascott.com.
Enter or mention code: GIVEBACK-1HMM at check out for your donation to be applied to this give back.
Click here to learn more!

Online - 2021 Water Week Policy Zoom-in with US Water Alliance
2021-04-27 13:00 - 17:00 | Online
The US Water Alliance is a proud co-sponsor of Water Week, a series of virtual events in which a variety of water-focused associations and coalitions will be highlighting the importance of water infrastructure. Now more than ever, water infrastructure must be elevated as a national policy priority, and it is crucial that climate-resilience, affordability, and equity are included in the conversation. The US Water Alliance is looking forward to sharing our upcoming Value of Water Index poll results in support of these efforts.
As national infrastructure policy begins to take shape in Washington, DC, join us to hear from key policymakers who are helping to craft what could become the largest investment in the water sector in a generation. While Water Week 2021 will take place in a virtual setting again this year, it is the main event for water professionals from around the country to come together and highlight the important work they do for their communities and advocate as one united voice for the water sector.
One of this year’s featured Water Week events will be the Water Week Policy Zoom-In, on Tuesday, April 27th from 2:00 – 4:30 PM ET. This free webinar is hosted jointly by this year’s Water Association Partners and will provide attendees the opportunity to hear directly from key EPA officials and Members of Congress on the important regulatory and legislative water policies they are working on now and in the years ahead. Yvonne Forrest, US Water Alliance board member and director of Houston Water, will be co-moderating, and additional speakers include:
Confirmed Speakers

Michael S. Regan, EPA Administrator
Radhika Fox, Acting Assistant Administrator, EPA Office of Water
Jennifer McLain, Director, EPA Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water
Andrew Sawyers, Director, EPA Office of Wastewater Management
Deborah Nagle, Director, EPA Office of Science and Technology
John Goodin, Director, EPA Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds
Sharon Nappier, EPA National Program Leader for Water Reuse
Senator Tom Carper (D-DE), Chairman, U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works
Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Ranking Member, U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works
Congresswoman Chellie Pingree, Chair, House Committee on Appropriations, Interior and Environment Subcommittee
Congressman David Joyce, Ranking Member, House Committee on Appropriations, Interior and Environment Subcommittee

​Don’t miss the chance to hear about the important and timely federal water initiatives taking shape in Washington, DC. Register today for the Policy Zoom-In, and don’t forget to join our One Water Webinar on April 29th to learn about our sixth annual Value of Water Index!

RESCHEDULED: Bandera - Texas Watershed Planning Short Course with Texas Water Resources Institute
2021-04-26 - 2021-04-29
UPDATE: This event has been rescheduled for Sept. 27-30, 2021.
Please Note: Several TWRI events are being canceled, postponed or changed into online delivery to comply with Texas A&M University and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) directives designed to protect public health during this time.
If you are interested in this event, please RSVP to receive event updates. We will continue to follow health guidelines and monitor risks for TWRI events moving forward and will send updates as we have more information.
The Texas Watershed Planning Short Course provides needed training and promotes sustainable proactive approaches to managing water quality throughout the state. This multi-day course provides participants with guidance on stakeholder coordination, education, and outreach; meeting the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) nine key elements of a watershed protection plan; data collection and analysis; and the tools available for plan development. This information is presented through lectures, hands-on activities and case studies.
Individuals interested in or responsible for watershed protection and restoration, including employees and volunteers with federal, state, county, and local agencies; soil and water conservation districts; universities; consulting firms; non-governmental organizations; and watershed groups, will benefit from this course. This course will be especially beneficial to those pursuing or receiving Clean Water Act Section 319(h) Grant funds.
This event is scheduled to occur at the Mayan Dude Ranch in Bandera, TX. The Mayan Dude Ranch has picturesque trails that wander over 348 acres, from the lowlands of the Medina River that meanders through the ranch, to high in the hills for a panoramic view of the valleys beyond. Mayan Ranch is located 47 miles NW of San Antonio, in the beautiful Hill Country of Texas. The Hicks family owns and operates the Mayan and provides a wonderful world of fantastic western warmth and their own special brand of “Horsepitality”.
Learn more and register here.
