News
Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation District delays drought cutbacks
Press Release: Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation District - For Immediate Release: April 3, 2020 At the April 2 Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation District Board meeting, District Directors voted to delay an order that would put the Jacobs Well Groundwater...
Huge feral hogs invading Canada, building ‘pigloos’ as they go
Feral swine, the offspring of wild boars and domestic pigs, are spreading through Canada into areas where many didn’t think they could survive. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, some Canadian farmers imported wild boars from Europe to raise for meat. But as wild...
The COVID-19 crisis and our water: Part 1
As people stocked up on food and essential items for their time at home to help slow the spread of the COVID-19, I saw shopping carts full of bottled water. Television shots and videos on social media of shoppers often showed the same thing. It seems that over the...
Environmental group calls for ‘thorough investigation’ as residents report contaminated water near pipeline construction
The Sierra Club has called for a “thorough investigation” after residents in Blanco County reported brown tap water on Wednesday they believe came from a leak at the Permian Highway Pipeline construction site. On Wednesday afternoon, KVUE received reports Blanco...
An ode to tributaries
We have a tendency to think about the water in our cup as a direct product of the local, mainstem river we presume it came from. But drinking water’s journey is rarely that straight forward. Because beer and rivers go so well together, it might be more accurate to...
Pipeline construction halted while ‘fluid loss’ incident investigated
Residents in Blanco County a mile or so upstream of where the Kinder Morgans Permian Highway Pipeline (PHP) crossed the Blanco River are reporting brown tap water coming from their wells. One of them, who lives off FM 165 about a mile from the Chimney Valley Road...
Helper, Utah certified as International Dark Sky Community
Helper City and the International Dark-Sky Association are pleased to announce Helper as an International Dark Sky Community, a place recognized for its quality night skies and a commitment to protecting and sharing natural darkness. The local area Dark Sky Observers...
Riverdance – Water is too precious for quarries
Having nearly exhausted its exploitation of the Guadalupe River quarries from Comfort to Center Point in Kerr County, the sand, gravel and aggregate industry (APOs) is actively pursuing possible sites in the floodplain areas of Kendall County. Largely...
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department – An important update for our visitors
Our thoughts are with you and our entire Texas family during this uncertain time. Texas State Parks are doing our best to provide a healthy way for you to get outdoors. Our dedicated teams across the state are working diligently to keep these special places open and...
HOAs slow to accept native plant landscaping
San Antonio Water System (SAWS) has long offered incentives to homeowners to replace non-native grass lawns with drought-resistant native plants. But the city’s many homeowner associations (HOAs) continue to favor water-thirsty, non-native turf grasses and resist...
Group to keep eye on the sky
A week after the county adopted a resolution to protect the night skies, a local group is forming with the intent of educating residents about how they can help protect one of the Hill Country's greatest assets -- a starlit night sky. Cliff Kaplan, program manager...
For stay-at-home stress relief, San Antonians turn to gardening
Stir crazy from the coronavirus stay-at-home quarantine, San Antonians are moving outside to relieve stress, gain a sense of control, and enjoy the wonders of spring. City officials have permitted local nurseries to remain open while San Antonio and Bexar County are...
County resolution supports efforts to preserve darkness
The stars at night are big and bright — and disappearing from view deep in the heart of Texas. That was the consensus of a standing-room-only audience this week as the Kendall County Commissioners Court heard comments from concerned citizens in support of a resolution...
Crops to cul-de-sacs: As pastoral land disappears in Central Texas, one man holds back the tide
From the cab of his pickup, Ron Collins gives a tour of a bygone era, when his Pilot Knob neighborhood in southeastern Travis County was a country outpost, home to his extended family, which traces its roots there back more than a century. Here is where his old...
Supporting local Hill Country news
As the country reacts to a global pandemic, we know that finding regionally appropriate and accurate news sources is a priority for our readers. Our local newspapers are working overtime to make sure we have all the coverage we need during this strange time. Now is...
Director’s Notes – March 2020: HCA in the era of Coronavirus
Dear Hill Country Neighbors, It’s hard to start a letter addressing the unprecedented reality we find ourselves in. The Covid-19 outbreak has shown us just how critical our Hill Country community is to the work of the Hill Country Alliance. There is no replacement for...
Hays Trinity GCD announces Jacobs Well Spring Groundwater Management Zone
On March 5, 2020, the Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation District Board of Directors passed a new rule—Rule 15, Jacob’s Well Groundwater Management Zone—to better protect water resources and springflow during drought. This action comes in response to community...
Hill Country Alliance 14th annual photo contest kicks off
The Texas Hill Country is a unique region of pristine springs, sprawling landscapes, diverse wildlife, star-filled skies, multi-generational land stewards, historic towns, and hidden oases. With a rapidly growing population and increasing development coming into the...
AgriLife Extension provides auxin CEU training online
COVID-19 might have much of the world social distancing, but agricultural crops still must be planted, and producers still have regulations to follow. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service is ready to help the process. Agricultural producers needing auxin training...
New financial program available for Texas communities
A new financial assistance program will soon become available to assist in the funding of drainage, flood mitigation, and flood control projects. On Nov. 5, Texas voters approved Proposition 8, a constitutional amendment providing for the creation of the Flood...
Is it okay to visit Texas Parks during the Coronavirus Pandemic?
Earlier this month, I went shopping at H-E-B and bought more food than I needed. But I wasn’t stocking up my bunker; I was buying supplies for a camping trip at Big Bend National Park. Back then—a whole couple of weeks ago—the new coronavirus still felt relatively...
No flights cancelled for birds or butterflies
South Central Texas and the Texas Hill Country are in the central flyway for migratory birds flying north for spring and summer breeding, according to Bexar Audubon Society (BAS) in San Antonio, which is officially the local National Audubon Society (NAS) chapter for...
Americans coping with the Coronavirus are clogging toilets
Many Americans seem to be following the recommendations of public health officials to clean and sterilize countertops, doorknobs, faucets and other frequently touched surfaces in their homes. The problem? Many are then tossing the disinfectant wipes, paper towels and...
Historically high numbers of Americans approve of hunting
The vast majority of Americans approve of hunting according to Responsive Management, an internationally recognized survey research firm in natural resource and outdoor recreation issues. A recent survey in conjunction with the National Shooting Sports Foundation...
Getting groceries in Austin during a pandemic: Where to shop, how to help employees
Grocery store employees are working overtime, and it’s nearly impossible to schedule a curbside pickup or delivery from Austin’s major supermarkets and stores. Local community-supported agriculture programs are full, and one of the biggest local food delivery...
Rural Texas hospitals should be staffing up to face coronavirus. Many can’t afford to.
At a time when most hospitals are ramping up capacity to treat a massive number of patients who may become infected with COVID-19, rural hospital administrators say financial hardships could force them to do the opposite. Before the contagious new coronavirus arrived...
Eastern monarch butterfly population plunges below extinction threshold
The yearly count of monarch butterflies overwintering in Mexico, released today, shows a decrease of 53% from last year's count and is well below the threshold at which government scientists predict the migration could collapse. Scientists estimate that 6...
These Texas organizations are helping people during the pandemic — and here’s how you can, too
As schools close and thousands of people across the country are being laid off due to the new coronavirus pandemic, many Texans are finding themselves stuck at home with no income or access to necessary resources like food or medical supplies. In response to growing...
Kerrville Folk Fest rescheduled for October 8-18, 2020
It is with heavy yet hopeful hearts that we are rescheduling the 49th celebration of the Kerrville Folk Festival. Our 2020 Festival will be held at Quiet Valley Ranch on October 8 thru October 18. This replaces Welcome Home Fest, which will not be held in 2020. The...
Blanco County’s night skies celebrated in song
Some of the Hill Country’s most talented songwriters and performers gathered on Thursday, March 12 in the Back 40 of the Old 300 BBQ on Blanco’s Town Square to celebrate the night sky in song. The cause for celebration was the CD Release Party for “Deep in the Dark...