News
Texas Public Radio — October Night Sky Month
October Is Hill Country Night Sky Month | Texas Public Radio October is Hill Country Night Sky Month, an opportunity to celebrate the region's starry skies and take action to protect them. Outdoor lighting choices can make a meaningful difference. Hill Country...
KXAN — Night Sky Preservation Fund
HCA's Night Sky Preservation Fund Supports Dark Sky Projects | KXAN Hill Country Alliance's Night Sky Preservation Fund supports local efforts to reduce light pollution and protect the Hill Country's starry skies. As highlighted by KXAN, the fund offers financial...
Hill Country Alliance Night Sky Preservation Fund begins accepting submissions
The Hill Country Alliance (HCA) is now accepting applications for its Night Sky Preservation Fund, which provides financial support for community-driven efforts to protect the region’s dark skies. This annual grant program helps fund initiatives aimed at improving...
Community Impact — HCA Celebrates 20 Years
Hill Country Alliance Celebrates 20 Years of Conservation | Community Impact Hill Country Alliance celebrated 20 years of bringing people together to protect the Texas Hill Country in 2025. Since its founding, HCA has worked to unite a diverse coalition of partners...
County leaders meet in New Braunfels to discuss impacts to Hill Country communities at the close of the 2025 Legislative Session
“Being a County Commissioner is already a full-time job without engaging the Legislature, but it’s critical for Austin to know what problems look like on the ground in our communities,” said Comal Commissioner Jen Crownover. “That’s why this workshop series is...
Hill Country Dark Sky Conference shines light on night sky preservation
Annual Event Returns to the Region, Uniting Leaders and Advocates to Combat Light Pollution Blanco, Texas – “Our skies are not just a backdrop; they are part of our heritage, our science, and our spirit,” said Mayor Candy Cargill of Blanco, who welcomed participants...
Hill Country Dark Sky Conference Shines Light on Night Sky Preservation
“Our skies are not just a backdrop; they are part of our heritage, our science, and our spirit,” said Mayor Candy Cargill of Blanco, who welcomed participants at the conference’s opening. “They inspire artists, guide farmers, and spark curiosity in the hearts of...
Hill Country Alliance annual photo contest starts May 1st
Love spring in the Hill Country? You’re not alone. According to a recent KXAN article, Texas parks in the Hill Country region host around 650,000 visitors on average during the springtime. According to Texas Parks and Wildlife data, Garner State Park alone has...
County leaders meet in Austin to discuss potential state legislation impacting Hill Country communities
Despite recent rains bringing welcome relief to parched soil and dry creek beds, Hill Country leaders remain focused on the region’s numerous water challenges. On March 26, 2025, more than 40 County officials and staff representing seven counties across the Hill...
Hill Country Alliance releases 2024 Annual Report
Dear Friends and Supporters, It is with deepest gratitude that I sit down to pen another Annual Report letter from the Hill Country Alliance (HCA). Our efforts to protect and preserve the things that make the Hill Country so special have never felt more urgent....
Developers, nonprofits, agency staff gather to discuss water-wise growth in the Hill Country
More than 90 nonprofit staff, developers, engineers, architects, and government officials came together in Wimberley on Wednesday to discuss the future of water-resilient development in an increasingly water-constrained region of the Texas Hill Country. The event took...
Hill Country rivers at risk of historic lows ahead of tubing season
"In general, the Edwards Aquifer and San Marcos springflow levels are currently at levels that have only been experienced less than 10% of the time in recorded monitoring history and approaching the lowest levels on record for this time of year," Enders said in an...
Texas utilities are storing their water underground. Here’s why.
Among the most striking signs of Central Texas' ongoing drought are two of the region’s reservoirs: Canyon Lake in Comal County and Medina Lake, west of San Antonio. In both lakes, the water levels are historically low. For the first time since it was filled in the...
Protect the Pedernales: The dangers of discharge
The Pedernales River is one of Texas’s most cherished waterways, an ecological, recreational and cultural treasure that defines the Hill Country. As stewards of this vital resource, the Pedernales River Alliance (PRA) has opposed the wastewater permit application...
An EPA rule will reduce lead in drinking water—Unless this effort to block it succeeds
A landmark Environmental Protection Agency rule enacted at the end of last year sought to address the lead crisis—which threatens the health of millions of Americans—by tightening limitations on toxic lead and copper in drinking water. But that might not be the final...
Hill Country Alliance announces first-ever Night Sky Preservation Fund awardees
On January 14th, the Hill Country Alliance (HCA) announced the first-ever recipients of its Night Sky Preservation Fund. The selected projects vary across six counties and together will improve regional night sky quality by improving outdoor lighting, educating...
Texas Hill Country property to be pristine sanctuary with limited access
Conservation has won after a pristine 32-acre parcel in the Texas Hill Country was donated to the Cibolo Center for Conservation. Instead of turning into a possible housing development, the property will become a sanctuary that will have limited access to the public...
Texas lawmaker files bill to reduce “forever chemicals” in sewage-based fertilizer
Johnson County’s newest state representative, Helen Kerwin, R-Cleburne, filed her first bill Friday targeting an environmental problem that has struck her county: PFAS contamination in sewage sludge-based fertilizers. Kerwin said House Bill 1674, could reduce the...
Texas regulators report more than 250 new cases of groundwater contamination
Texas agencies reported 252 new cases of groundwater contamination during 2023 in the Texas Groundwater Protection Committee annual report. The latest report compiles 2,870 open cases of groundwater contamination, some of which date back decades. Nearly every county...
Austin has little to no ‘forever chemicals’ in its drinking water. What did the city do right?
New testing results show Austin has little to no traces of forever chemicals in its drinking water. Exposure to these chemicals, also known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances or PFAS, have been linked to prostate and kidney cancers, thyroid conditions, decreased...
Comal County officials, other Hill Country leaders discuss solutions for groundwater management
The Hill Country Alliance, a nonprofit organization based out of Dripping Springs, brought the diverse coalition together in an effort to preserve the natural resources the Texas Hill Country has to offer. The group discussed critical issues related to sustainable...
Environmentalists raise concerns about 1,100-home Hill Country project
A proposed 1,100-home development in the Hill Country has residents and environmental groups raising questions about the project's potential impact on the local water supply and the environment. Miami-based developer Lennar Corporation filed a permit application with...
City of Boerne co-sponsors One Water Conference, emphasizes sustainable water management
The conference underscored the importance of regional collaboration in water management and highlighted the City’s dedication to sustainable water management. “Effective water management isn’t just about what’s happening in one city; it’s about creating resilient...
Hill Country leaders gather for a meeting on water challenges and One Water solutions
On Wednesday, November 13, city leaders and staff from across 15 cities in Central Texas gathered for the second “One Water in the Hill Country” meeting, co-hosted by Hill Country Alliance (HCA) and the City of Boerne. This annual event provides the opportunity for...
2025 Hill Country Alliance calendar features photo contest winners
The Texas Hill Country is a scenic region known for its diverse wildlife, clear springs, expansive rural landscapes, historic towns, and some of the starriest night skies in the country. However, rapid population growth and increased development put these qualities at...
Katharine Hayhoe’s post-election advice: Fight fear, embrace hope and work together
To get a sense of what’s to come and what’s needed to ensure domestic climate action continues, I spoke with Katharine Hayhoe, an atmospheric scientist and author who teaches at Texas Tech University and is chief scientist for The Nature Conservancy. She is one the...
Texans are (probably) about to get 7,637 more acres of state parks
Don’t pack the tent or backpack just yet, but Texas park lovers could get 7,637 acres of additional parkland to roam in the coming years. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission will consider four land acquisitions to create new or expand existing parks at its meeting...
Hill Country may reap benefits as Texas grows state parks system
The state is looking to buy thousands of acres of land to expand two state parks and create two new ones, with more purchases to come in the future from a new funding source. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission will consider five purchases during its November...
Hill Country Alliance announces 2024 Photo Contest winners and new 2025 Calendar for sale!
The Texas Hill Country is a beautiful region filled with diverse wildlife, clear springs, sprawling rural landscapes, historic towns, and some of the starriest night skies in the country. With a rapidly growing population and increasing development coming into the...
Trinity Edwards Springs Protection Association gets OK to intervene in groundwater suit
A federal court granted the Trinity Edwards Springs Protection Association’s (TESPA) motion to intervene in an ongoing lawsuit between Aqua Texas and the Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation District (HTGCD). Aqua Texas filed the lawsuit in December 2023 against...