News & Updates
January 2021 Hydro Report
Flow at Jacob’s Well is approaching zero. The USGS daily average for January 21 was 0.9 cubic feet per second (cfs), which is up slightly after rainfall earlier this week. Flow in the upper reaches of the Blanco River is reliant on baseflow provided by Trinity...
Requests for Qualifications: Blanco River Water Reclamation Task Force
Important note: Deadline for submission extended to 2/26/2021 The Blanco Water Reclamation Task Force (Task Force) was formed in September 2020 when the Blanco City Council, with a unanimous vote on Sept. 8, committed to a partnership with local NGO, Protect Our...
Soaking up rising floodwaters in growing cities
Texas cities are expanding fast. Between 2010 and 2019, six of the 15 fastest-growing cities in the United States were in Texas. Bigger cities mean less land to soak up rainwater, leading to increased flood risk. Add climate change to the equation, and you have a...
Stream Team program celebrates 30 years of citizen science, stewardship of Texas waterways
The Texas Stream Team, a program of The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment at Texas State University, is celebrating 30 years of citizen science and environmental stewardship. More than 11,000 trained citizen scientists have participated in The Meadows...
Rain, wind and fire: What La Niña means for Texas’ winter fire season
Texas’ winter/spring wildfire season is about to begin. Fire experts predict it could be a particularly active season due in large part to the presence of La Niña this year. The weather pattern often brings drier, warmer weather, and strong winds: the perfect recipe...
Land Revival
When prospective landowners look for their slice of Hill Country, they may look for running water, mature trees, bluebonnets, a scenic vista, or a pristine canvas. Not Paula Stone. When Stone first set eyes on her property at the edge of Fredericksburg, her realtor...
Financial, ecological benefits of conservation easements on working lands
A recent report by the Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute, Texas Water Resources Institute and Texas Land Trust Council shows state-funded conservation easements in Texas provide numerous financial and ecological benefits. The purpose of the 2020 Evaluation...
How you can help rebuild the Mason County courthouse destroyed in a fire
For over a century the Mason County courthouse stood as a landmark in the center of town. The tower, with its 150-year-old clock, ticked the hours away. Late Thursday night, the clock stopped. A blaze ripped through the historical building as distraught residents...
Electo Purification ends contested case hearing in Hays County
On February 4, 2021, the State Office of Administrative Hearings (SOAH) approved Electro Purification’s (EP) request to cancel the trial-like hearing where Hays County, the Trinity Edwards Springs Protection Association (TESPA), and 13 local landowners were set to...