News & Updates
Saving Part of the Former Boy Scout Ranch
An old saying tells us to invest in land because they aren’t making any more. That saying could be updated to say: Invest in undisturbed natural land because each day there is less of it! Unfortunately, the updated version is very true, which is why we need to take...
Report reveals the challenges Austin faced during last year’s citywide water-boil order
Floodwaters shut down the Colorado River a year ago, bringing mud and silt to the treatment plants that supply Austin’s water. That aquatic sediment was too much for the plants to filter out efficiently. What followed will be remembered by anyone who lived here as...
Travis County to vote to approve groundwater conservation district
Many residents of Southwestern Travis County rely on Trinity Aquifer for their water supply, but due to overpumping and lack of regulation, the water supply is rapidly declining, said a representative from the Hill Country Alliance. Currently, eight groundwater...
Landowners got one Hill Country oil pipeline moved. But can they do it again?
A month after news surfaced that a pipeline proposed by a Texas-based petroleum juggernaut would run across the Edwards Aquifer, the primary source of water for San Antonio and other cities, the company said it would shift the pipeline’s path. It was a difference of...
ULI releases report for “Activating the San Marcos Riverfront”
The Urban Land Institute released a Technical Assistance Panel (TAP) report regarding land use along the San Marcos River in August. The City of San Marcos, the Greater San Marcos Partnership and Texas State University partnered with the Austin District Council of...
Buda OKs bond issuance for regional water project
The Buda City Council unanimously approved the issuance of $4.37 million in revenue bonds as part of the city’s participation in a regional water supply contract with the Alliance Regional Water Authority (ARWA) at its regular meeting Oct. 15. The project will supply,...
San Marcos seeks input on use of $24 million in federal disaster mitigation funds
The city of San Marcos is asking for public input on how to prioritize the $24,012,000 in Community Development Block Grant Mitigation funding it received earlier this year. The online survey can be found here, and paper copies are also available at San Marcos Public...
Trinity Aquifer sustainable yield study receives strong support
On Oct. 22, Hays County approved an interlocal agreement that will involve installation of two groundwater monitor wells near Jacob’s Well and sampling of groundwater in the vicinity of Jacob’s Well. On Oct. 1, Travis County approved the continuation of groundwater...
Opinion: Vote ‘No’ on pipelines in Texas in coming elections
Another pipeline battle is raging in our backyards. With a major election cycle churning, Texans have the chance to vote out fossil fuel protectors and imagine a new environmental future. The Permian Highway Pipeline, or PHP, has captured fewer headlines than other...