News
Keep sewage out of Hill Country creeks
Dripping Springs is a good 90-minute drive to the north of San Antonio, but the flow of water connects this region even as water fights divide it. In this case, Dripping Springs is pursuing a permit that would allow it to discharge up to a million gallons of treated...
Uvalde joins water lawsuit against San Antonio’s Edwards Aquifer Authority
The city of Uvalde has joined the Uvalde County Underground Water Conservation District and other plaintiffs in a lawsuit against the Edwards Aquifer Authority. The lawsuit seeks to protect residents and businesses in the Uvalde County area from what plaintiffs...
Vulcan encounters opposition to proposed quarry in Comal County
Vulcan Materials Co. recently filed permit requests to put a limestone quarry on 1,500 acres of land along Highway 46 and FM 3009 in Comal County, Texas, but neighbors have organized some resistance, News 4 San Antonio reports. “The ideal would be that it would not be...
Study: Deadly Wimberley floods rooted in weather patterns, intensified by development
The 40-foot wall of water that gushed down the Blanco River in May 2015, wiping out parts of Wimberley and killing more than a dozen people, was largely a natural phenomenon. But a new study shows that development along the waterway made its impact on the fast-growing...
Tax valuation for songbirds?
Anyone interested learning more about requirements and best practices for Wildlife Tax Valuation can attend a two-part Wildlife Tax Valuation Workshop from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 3 and Saturday, Feb. 10 at the Cibolo Nature Center in Boerne. Click here for...
Schools in Mason and Center Point Win Rainwater Revival Grants to Fund Water Conservation Projects
Managers of the Rainwater Revival School Grant Program were happily overwhelmed with 6 grant applications from Hill Country schools this year. Though all projects had merit, the three judges made difficult choices and picked two deserving high schools in Mason and...
Meadows Center Reports Groundwater Significant To Pedernales River Flow
The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment at Texas State University has released a series of reports that indicate groundwater provides a significant contribution of flow to the Pedernales River and Lake Travis. The Pedernales River is an important source of...
Drippings Springs wastewater proposal may impact local wells
The creek eventually flows into Barton Creek and into the Edwards Aquifer, where Austin sources its drinking water. The latest study by the Hays Trinity Ground Water Conservation District used pink dye to trace the water to nearby wells. At least three wells were...
Chile creates five national parks over 10m acres in historic act of conservation
The Texas Hill Country is roughly 11 million acres. Chile has recently announced 5 new national parks totaling 10 million acres. Chile has created five sprawling national parks to preserve vast tracts of Patagonia – the culmination of more than two decades of land...
Dupnik moves on
John Dupnik is leaving his position as the general manager of the Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District. Dupnik has held that position since 2013 and, prior to that, was a regulatory compliance team leader for the district. He announced his resignation...
New UTSA study examines the causes and consequences of the 2015 Wimberley floods
A new study by Chad Furl, postdoctoral research associate, and Hatim Sharif, professor of civil and environmental engineering at The University of Texas at San Antonio, delves into the 2015 Wimberley, Texas floods that destroyed 350 homes and claimed 13 lives. Furl...
Commercial development along West Highway 71 moves forward in 2018
In late 2017, the Spillman family, descendants of Hill Country pioneers and namesakes of Spillman Ranch, put under contract 20 acres of land located at 14310 W. Hwy. 71 in the city of Bee Cave, Realtor Jerry Stein said. As part of the sale the family will retain 4...
South Llano River State Park to Hold First Annual Birding Festival
South Llano River State Park is excited to announce its First Annual Birding Festival, sponsored by the Friends of South Llano River State Park, to be held Friday, April 27 through Sunday, April 29th, 2018. The Festival will feature guided bird walks, including...
Save the Date: 2018 Kent Butler Summit, Apr. 4 in San Marcos
Save your space now! The 4th Kent Butler Summit is being planned for April 4th 2018. With a theme of Pipes, People, Pavement, and the Future of Water in the Hill Country, we will cover some of the major issues determining the future of our region and its resources....
Directors notes – January 2018
As we start a new year, I am looking forward to what 2018 holds for all of us and the Hill Country. Last year was a record-breaking year for HCA – which included the largest year-end giving campaign for HCA. Thank you to the more than 70 families that donated more...
Uvalde County water district sues over change in Edwards Aquifer rules
The Uvalde County Underground Water Conservation District is suing the Edwards Aquifer Authority over water-rights rules that the district said would threaten the amount of groundwater available to property owners west of San Antonio. The lawsuit centers on a...
Area groups, citizens have conservation conversations
As one of the fastest-growing counties in the nation with 10,000 or more residents, according to Census Bureau statistics, officials say land conservation is a topic of concern in Comal County. The Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance, the Hill Country Alliance and the...
Landowners association to hear speakers
The Ranchers and Landowners Association of Texas will begin its 2018 membership year with an informative pair of speakers at a meeting scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 23, at the Bandera Electric Cooperative Community Room. Jimmy Gaines, president of the Texas Land...
Cape Town Is 90 Days Away From Running Out of Water
After three years of unprecedented drought, the South African city of Cape Town has less than 90 days worth of water in its reservoirs, putting it on track to be the first major city in the world to run out of water. Unless residents drastically cut down on daily use,...
Dye tests show connection between Onion Creek and Middle Trinity
Initial results from an ongoing study have found Onion Creek is “hydrologically connected” to the Middle Trinity Aquifer, according to a memo to the Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer Conservation District (BSEACD). Doug Wierman, an independent geoscientist working with...
Panhandle Roadkill White-tailed Deer Tests Positive for Chronic Wasting Disease
A roadkill white-tailed deer collected by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department personnel on U.S. Highway 87 between Dalhart and Hartley has tested positive for chronic wasting disease. This marks the first discovery of CWD in a Texas roadkill and the first case in a...
Report: Almost 25,000 Texans Are Drinking Tap Water With High Levels of Radium
Water in the small Central Texas town of Brady has the highest radium levels in the state — almost double the legal limit set by the EPA, according to a new report. But Kim Lenoir, the city manager in charge of cleaning up Brady’s water supply, says she isn’t alarmed....
States Confront the Spread of a Deadly Disease in Deer
On the edge of a south-central Montana village, where deer hunting is a way of life, the game check station has become the front line of the state’s efforts to stop the spread of a deadly infection known as chronic wasting disease. It has ravaged deer herds throughout...
Conservationists form coalition
The Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance is asking the public for its ideas about how to create a coalition that would organize efforts to conserve open space in Comal County. The group says it wants to create a “critical mass” to realize shared goals at a planning...
Water 101 – Boerne Native Plant Society Of Texas Chapter Meeting
Boerne Native Plant Society of Texas Chapter Meeting February 6 at the Cibolo Nature Center in Boerne will feature Water 101. Water, essential for life, is our most precious and valuable natural resource. But water supply is limited and under increasing pressure from...
Challenges of Rapid Growth
What happens when an area known for its natural beauty and resources experiences rapid population growth? The Texas hill country is such an area, and the swift influx of people is resulting in a severe strain on resources. The Hill Country Alliance (HCA) is a group of...
New sewer system causes stir in Wimberley over fears it digs financial hole
A new sewer system that will only service half a city has some in Wimberley saying their leaders are digging a financial hole that will be hard to climb out of. The plan has been in place for years, but when an agenda item popped up this week claiming the city lost...
Judge Rules For Local Landowners In Groundwater Export Dispute
A state district judge in Bastrop has ruled in favor of four local landowners in a dispute over permits that allow massive amounts of groundwater to be pumped from Lee and Bastrop counties. Judge Carson Campbell’s January 4, 2018 order (see below) ruled that the Lost...
Despite rules, former Hays commissioner to remain at CAMPO board
The Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization board, the long-term planning group for the region’s roads and highways, took the eyebrow-raising action on Monday of making its leader a man who no longer holds public office. Former Hays County Commissioner Will...
In Dallas as in Phoenix, people look to trees for relief from urban heat islands
Few neighborhoods in America need trees more than South Oak Cliff, a sun-blasted shade desert in this rapidly warming Texas city. Like much of Phoenix, the south-side Dallas district lacks sufficient shade for comfort during summer and safety during heat waves, when...