News & Updates
BSEACD Staff Recommends Issuing EP Permit in Phases with Special Conditions
In July of 2017, Electro Purification, LLC ("EP") applied for a groundwater production permit at the Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer Conservation District ("BSEACD") for a Middle Trinity Aquifer well field in Hays County. The permit application indicates that pumping...
Is new wastewater treatment plant to blame for algae in river?
The South San Gabriel River was so clear as it flowed past Frank and LaWann Tull’s house on Waterford Lane in Georgetown that they held baptisms for their church in April 2016 and April 2017. But this year they couldn’t. Around the beginning of April, t he river...
Fredericksburg one step closer to becoming Dark-Sky community
"Nearly 80 percent of the United States can no longer see the Milky Way,” Ken Kattner, an amateur astronomer and president of International Dark-Sky Association, said. Light pollution remains an ever-radiating problem for not only the United States, but many parts of...
Texas Water Symposium will discuss “One Water” and how it can provide water for future needs
Celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Texas Water Symposium with a conversation about emerging water management techniques called “One Water” at 7pm on Wednesday, May 30th. The program, titled What is “One Water” and can it meet the future water needs of a growing...
Opinion: Farm Bill will impact Texas’ post-Harvey conservation efforts
As Gus McCrae wisely quipped in “Lonesome Dove”: “Yesterday’s gone, we can’t get it back.” The Farm Bill of yesterday — or four years ago, to be clear — is coming to a close, soon to be replaced by a new bill. Though it may not seem like it at first blush, the Farm...
NASA study shows humans responsible for major shifts in water supply
Humans are dramatically altering water supply in many places worldwide, say NASA scientists who have been tracking regional changes via satellite. The researchers analyzed 14 years of data from NASA’s twin Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment satellites, which the...
Blanco distillery uses one hundred percent rainwater
“One of the distinctions of our whiskey is the rainwater exclusively used in the distilling process,” Erwin said. “We put in a 56,000-gallon rainwater collection tank to tap into the best tasting water which also helps us conserve water.” Andalusia’s water tank...
Economic valuation of groundwater in Texas
Groundwater is a strategic economic asset, and recent Texas Supreme Court decisions have strengthened private ownership rights in groundwater. Despite the economic and political stakes, debate on how to actually value groundwater has been sparse. In response, this...
IN THE GARDEN: Pesky Pests; Repel and Attract; and Dark Sky Lighting
Ben Eldredge of Cibolo Nature Center eloquently explains the importance of dark sky lighting: “Our stars are fading behind a vail of light. As communities grow, the amount of light grows with them, casting more light into our atmosphere. This light interacts with...