News
Passing the torch: 19 properties officially transferred to Texas Land Conservancy
In the spirit of passing the torch, I am delighted to inform you that the Hill Country Land Trust has successfully completed a three-year process of transitioning its 19 protected properties, totaling 8,010 acres, to the capable hands of Texas Land Conservancy (TLC)....
Exploding development in Gillespie County
Aquifers, rivers need high consideration along with growth. “Everyone is concerned about the explosion of growth”, said Paul Tybor, General Manager of the Hill Country Underground Water Conservation District. Read more from Katherine Peake in the Fredericksburg...
Texas voters approve $1.8 billion in parks and recreation funding
This November, Texas voters approved Prop 14– the Centennial Parks Conservation Fund– with 76% of the vote. This $1 billion fund will enable the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to buy land to create dozens of new state parks. But on top of that historic win for...
Unique San Marcos River fish officially extinct
The San Marcos Gambusia was officially delisted from the Endangered Species Act by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service due to extinction on Oct. 16, with it last spotting sometime between 1983-85. The San Marcos Gambusia was a species unique to the San Marcos Springs....
Who is ‘Edwards,’ anyway? 5 things to know about the Edwards Aquifer.
You’ve likely heard about the Edwards Aquifer, especially over the past few drought-stricken years. The groundwater system provides water for more than 2 million people, and water levels in recent months have dictated watering restrictions, making them a tangible...
Exploration Green shows stormwater management possibilities
Texas Water Resources Institute held its semi-annual Texas Watershed Coordinator Roundtable in Houston Oct. 9-10. The two-day tour and roundtable is part of the Watershed Planning Short Course program and brings together watershed coordinators and other water resource...
The Fight for Water Begins – Preserve our Hill Country Environment
I am Milann Guckian, president of Preserve our Hill Country Environment (PHCE) Foundation. It was January 2022 that I last wrote about our ongoing battle with Vulcan Construction Materials and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TECQ) regarding the proposed...
Central Texas leaders take action as labor shortage looms in the water industry
crisis is happening in the water industry. High rates of retirement and difficulty filling positions have resulted in a water and wastewater operator shortage in Central Texas and across the state. This is on top of the critical water supply issues the KVUE...
After outcry, Texas State backs off plan to sell outdoor retreat
After facing backlash from the community, Texas State University officials have backed off their plan to sell an outdoor reserve that is set aside for for students and alumni. The Texas State University System, the body that oversees the San Marcos campus, was...
Wimberley’s Dark Sky Place of the Year award could mean bigger eclipse crowds
The City of Wimberley was recognized as Dark Sky Place of the Year by the nonprofit organization DarkSky International earlier this month. The city is now planning for more tourists looking to catch a glimpse of the stars and celestial events in Texas Hill Country....
Hill Country Alliance Limited Edition Design – Meet the Artist: Emma Marguiles
The Hill Country Alliance is proud to announce the release of a limited edition Hill Country creation, designed by local artist and graduate student, Emma Marguiles. Emma is a graduate student at the University of Texas in Austin and is working on a Masters in...
Drought crushes Texas water pipes with massive funding need
Water main breaks are at record levels, aquifers are at historic lows, and funding for new water supplies is elusive. Central Texas still is figuring out how to adapt its infrastructure to extreme drought and rising temperatures intensified by climate change, and its...
2023 Hill Country photo contest winners picked; 2024 calendar for sale
Winners in the Hill Country Alliance's 2023 photo contest have been announced. The top pictures capturing Central Texas' diverse wildlife, clear springs, sprawling rural landscapes, historic towns, and bright stars illustrate the HCA's 2024 calendar, on sale now. The...
Hill Country conference brings communities together for sustainable water solutions
A recent conference in Boerne brought local leaders and officials together to learn about sustainable water practices and conservation efforts in the Hill Country. The conference was organized in partnership between the City of Boerne, the Cibolo Center for...
One Water: How a Hill Country school is trying a new way to save water
The soccer field outside Blue Hole Primary School in Wimberley is green — almost shockingly green, considering that drought, water restrictions and a hot summer have left most of the grass around it baked and brown. But the school isn’t watering the field with...
Texans shape our water future
Water has always shaped Texas. Even before it was Texas, water marked where civilizations settled. In the 17th century, water determined where missions and trade routes were established. Today, it dictates the location of semiconductor plants and the growth of our...
Protecting the Trinity: Why the San Antonio area’s other aquifer is so important
The Trinity Aquifer is a key water source for the San Antonio and Hill Country area, and its health plays a key role in the health of another important water source, the Edwards Aquifer, which provides water for more than 2 million people. Protecting the Trinity and...
Why are riparian areas important?
Most Texans recognize that water bodies provide essential benefits such as drinking water, recreation, irrigation water and ecosystem benefits, but do you know why the areas of land surrounding those water sources are critically important? “Riparian areas are...
2023 Hill Country photo contest winners announced and 2024 Calendar for sale!
The 2023 Hill Country Calendar is sold out! If you did not yet order your calendars, you'll have to wait until 2024. While we're sorry for folks who missed out this year, we are so grateful for the support of everyone that has ordered. Thank you to all who supported...
1,766 acres of Hill Country habitat protected forever
Texas Land Conservancy is thrilled to announce the permanent protection of 79 Ranch, a 1,766-acre oasis of rolling hills, canyons, and limestone bluffs along Hogg Bluff Creek in Mason County. 79 Ranch is an expansive property in western Mason County that encompasses...
Call to action for our Neighbors in Taylor
When it comes to shifting our region towards more fiscally and environmentally responsible development patterns, Hill Country communities benefit from banding together with our neighbors east of I-35. Bastrop and Taylor, for example, have made great strides in...
UTSA and Harvard bring eclipse to visually impaired Texans with LightSound
While there’s been a lot of talk of eclipse glasses and watch parties and as so many Texans prepare to look up at the sky Saturday for the partial solar eclipse, there’s a group of Lone Star residents who can’t experience the myth-shrouded phenomenon: the visually...
Water wells are drying up in Western Comal County — Can the Trinity Aquifer be saved?
A retiree in his 80s who has lived on two acres of land in Bulverde for 15 years is packing up and getting ready to walk away from his home. His water well, which once produced 7 1/2 gallons of water per minute from the Trinty Aquifer, is dry. He pays a water hauler...
Local leaders convene in Sabinal to discuss rural economic development
Last month, business and community leaders from Sabinal and across the rural Hill Country gathered for a Rural Roundup Event in Sabinal focused on creating homegrown economic opportunities in Hill Country towns. The event was co-organized by the Hill Country Alliance...
TWDB explores nature-based solutions to mitigate flooding in Texas
Flooding is the most common and deadly disaster in the state that has plagued Texans for generations, costing billions in property damage—and worse, loss of lives. So, when it comes to addressing the most challenging water issues across the nearly 269,000 square miles...
Summer of record heat deals costly damage to Texas water systems
The hottest summer on record for many Texas cities has brought millions of dollars in damage to municipal plumbing and the loss of huge volumes of water during a severe drought. Authorities across the state are struggling to keep up with widespread leakage even as...
10 things every elected leader should know about building strong towns
Strong Towns believes local government is the most direct and important form in shaping policies that affect our daily lives. We support anyone who steps up to devote their time and energy to their communities, and know that there are things you can do at all levels...
Our water matters: Coping with drought in Central Texas
The Texas Alliance of Groundwater Districts held its largest-ever annual Groundwater Summit in San Antonio last week with over 400 attendees. The summit kicked off with a lively panel moderated by John Dupnik of the Texas Water Development Board on “Managing...
America is using up its groundwater like there’s no tomorrow
Global warming has focused concern on land and sky as soaring temperatures intensify hurricanes, droughts and wildfires. But another climate crisis is unfolding, underfoot and out of view. Many of the aquifers that supply 90 percent of the nation’s water systems, and...
Concern growing about region’s future water needs
The Edwards Aquifer Authority is currently under a Stage 4 critical period management permit reduction for permit holders in Uvalde County. Edwards groundwater permit holders within Uvalde County are required to reduce their annual authorized pumping by 35%. The...