News & Updates
Symposium mulls ‘climate change’
A Texas Water Symposium titled “Climate and Water in Central Texas: Planning for a Changing Resource,” was held earlier in November at Schreiner University and recorded for broadcasting on Texas Public Radio. The public was invited to the free symposium to hear...
Fast-growing Hays cities partner to build $225 million water pipeline
Officials in Hays County cities and others along the Interstate 35 corridor are moving forward with a $225.8 million deal to secure a long-term water supply for the rapidly growing region. The coalition of agencies has permits in hand and financing underway to start...
TCEQ Punts on Water Rights Fight on the San Saba River
In the latest volley in a decade-long fight over water rights on the San Saba River in Central Texas, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has delayed implementing a permanent solution to ensure the river flows year round. As the Observer reported in...
Kyle officials find temporary fix for failing wastewater plant
Kyle officials said Tuesday that they’ve come up with fixes for the city’s wastewater treatment plant, which experienced a mechanical failure Sunday morning. City staff will install a temporary pump system at the malfunctioning plant this afternoon that will mimic the...
Wastewater plant issue could lead to partially treated effluent in Plum Creek
Kyle city officials are scrambling to rectify an issue at the city’s wastewater treatment plant that, if left unfixed, could release up to one million gallons per day of partially treated effluent into Plum Creek. The issue took place Sunday when the center well...
Six oil operators, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation form partnership
Partnerships and joint ventures are nothing new among Permian Basin oil operators, but a new partnership just announced takes a unique approach. Six companies with significant operations in the Permian Basin – Anadarko Petroleum, Chevron, ExxonMobil’s subsidiary XTO...
David Yeates: The Massive Urban-Rural Imbalance in Texas
Anyone who has heard me speak publicly on natural resource conservation in Texas knows that I invariably bring the discussion around to the enormous urban/rural imbalance that we find ourselves in here in our great state. Texas is a private property state, given our...
Humans at fault for many nuisance species spoiling state’s environment
We should have our hands slapped over some of the things we’ve done in this state by letting plants and animals run wild. Think about it: We now have tens of thousands, probably more, of exotics — axis deer, black bucks, fallows, oryx, etc. — throughout the Hill...
Our nights are brighter, and brighter
Of course, our night skies are more washed with artificial light than those of our ancestors, but apparently – despite the efforts of groups such as the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) – Earth’s night skies are still getting brighter. A landmark study...