News & Updates
House Bill 3883: Good legislation for the Hill Country
NOTE: Although this article was written for a Kendall County audience, the bill itself would apply throughout the Hill Country Priority Groundwater Management Area (PGMA), covering all of Bandera, Blanco, Gillespie, Kendall, and Kerr Counties, as well as parts of...
SJWTX updates drought-management plan to align with regional water-planning efforts
In an email to customers on Thursday, the comany announced it has updated its Drought Management Plan to promote resource conservation and align with regional water-planning efforts. The utility said it is trying to balance the area’s growing demand for water against...
3 lessons from a Texas groundwater district on managing during drought
The Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation District in central Texas urges residents to “please protect your aquifer by limiting water use.” The district manages groundwater in Hays County, Texas, one of the top five fastest-growing counties in the U.S. Due to drought,...
Here’s what to expect this wildflower season, how to identify Central Texas species
Despite Winter Storm Uri bringing subfreezing temperatures to Central Texas in February, a prominent number of flowers should still bloom across Central Texas this wildflower season, according to the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department. Although slightly later than...
Buda looking at options for residential and commercial trash, recycling plans
The city of Buda is examining its solid waste and recycling program. Deputy City Manager Micah Grau said during a March 23 City Council meeting options for residential and commercial services are about to open back up following the December 2021 conclusion of Buda’s...
City Of Austin says it might permanently close Barton Springs if Texas bill becomes law
A bill filed to reduce federal oversight of the Texas fossil fuel industry could also force the closure of one of the state’s most iconic swimming holes: Barton Springs Pool. House Bill 1683, filed by Republican state Rep. Brooks Landgraf, would prohibit state...
Laura Bush: Texans, turn out the lights at night to help migratory birds
Each year, nearly 2 billion birds migrate through Texas in one of the planet’s great wildlife spectacles. Birds have intrigued me since I was a little girl. My mother was a knowledgeable, self-taught naturalist who was passionate about birds. Her fascination with...
Hill Country Alliance 15th annual photo contest kicks off
Theme of contest is “Solace and Strength: Portraits of Resilience in the Texas Hill Country” The last year has been unimaginably difficult for so many of us. We have missed milestones and family members, traded neighborly potlucks for Zooms, and seen our worlds...
Golden-cheeked Warbler is back!
Golden-cheeked Warblers (GCWA) are beginning to arrive within their Hill Country haunts. The folks at Westcave Outdoor Discovery Center reported at least one GCWA on the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve on 5 March 2021 – right on time. Many more of these birds will...