News
Three Bills Filed to Ensure Clean Water Recharges the Edwards Aquifer
Senator José Menéndez, Representative Donna Howard, and Representative Tracy O. King have filed bills that many believe are needed to protect the quality of water in the Edwards Aquifer. S.B. 1796 (Menéndez) / H.B. 3467 (Howard) state “The commission (Texas...
Conservation Of Private Land And Wildlife A Benefit For All
Colleen Schreiber | Livestock Weekly | Those attending the recent annual meeting of the Texas Chapter of The Wildlife Society heard from a diverse group of speakers about the value of conservation, the need to manage natural resources from an economic perspective,...
Cities unconvinced by Workman’s groundwater bill
Though a bill has been filed by state Rep. Paul Workman (R-Austin) to create a groundwater conservation district in southwestern Travis County with the goal of monitoring and protecting the area’s supply of ground water, few stakeholders if any are satisfied with the...
Texas Water Symposium – Audio Streaming Available: Watershed Protection Programs in Texas
The audio recording of the most recent Texas Water Symposium is now available on Texas Public Radio’s website, www.tpr.org. Experts in watershed protection planning convened on Thursday, February 24th at Texas State University in San Marcos to discuss the growing...
The Farmers Market at the Cibolo- Boerne’s Community Farmers Market Opens March 11
One of the many draws to Boerne is the warm sense of community that is apparent around town. From a walk down Main Street or dining at one of the local eateries to hiking the miles of trails or visiting the ducks at Cibolo Creek, Boerne offers comfort and familiarity....
HCA Director’s Notes – March 2017
As the last cool days of winter seem to be fading from memory, it is a good time to reflect on how 2017 is shaping up in Texas. Spring arrived early this year, and one of the warmest winters on record has our highways popping with color before the first of March. At...
Judge blocks rule change allowing feral hog poisoning
A Texas Department of Agriculture rule change that would have permitted the use of warfarin-laced bait to poison feral hogs is on hold after a state district judge in Austin issued a temporary restraining order Thursday. Wild Boar Meats, a meat processing business,...
The Texas Night Sky Festival will shine brightly once again
Close to 3,000 people attended the inaugural Festival in 2016. Back for its second year, on March 18, at the Dripping Springs Ranch Park from 2 p.m. – 10 p.m., thousands will again come together for a celebration of the starlit skies of Texas. This year, the Texas...
BU and CGMF collaborate on innovative, long-term Texas water management project
Boston University's Institute for Sustainable Energy (ISE) and the Cynthia and George Mitchell Foundation (CGMF) announced the funding and pursuit of a series of studies with the goal of assessing how siloed municipal water agencies in the state of Texas can...
The Hill Country Alliance’s 11th annual photo contest kicks off March 1
Capturing Conservation: The Land, Water, and Spirit of the Texas Hill Country - The Texas Hill Country is a unique region of pristine springs, sprawling landscapes, diverse wildlife, star-filled skies, historic towns and hidden oases. With a rapidly growing...
TPWD Announces New Paddler Camp Sites on Iconic Devils River
The Devils River is one of the premier paddling and fishing destinations in Texas, drawing outdoor enthusiasts each year to enjoy the preserved natural beauty, excellent sport fishery, and native wildlife along its clear waters. But the river is not for the faint of...
At Davis Mountains Preserve, explore a ‘sky island’
“You don’t need an understanding of biodiversity or ecosystems to be struck by how unique the Davis Mountains are when you drive into them,” says Laura Huffman, State Director of the Nature Conservancy in Texas. A few years after the purchase of that first...
Western cities try to cut light pollution
The next best chance for Westerners to see shooting stars is coming soon, between April 16 and 25, when the Lyrids meteor shower, one of the oldest known, will streak across the sky after midnight. In May the Eta Aquariids arrive, followed by the Delta Aquariids in...
Texas Tribune Q&A with HCA’s Katherine Romans
HCA Executive Director, Katherine Romans, discusses water issues facing our region in this week's Trib+Water Q&A. "The Hill Country is really a region of extremes, where it goes from serious droughts to catastrophic flooding in an incredibly short period of time....
South Llano River State Park earns dark sky status
Looking for darkness, shooting stars and comets? Head to South Llano River State Park, which just became the third state park in Texas – along with Copper Breaks State Park and Enchanted Rock State Natural Area – with International Dark-Sky Park status. South Llano...
Proactive Stakeholder Collaboration Aims To Benefit Freshwater Mussels in Texas
Freshwater mussels may lack charisma, as they look like nothing more than rocks. But that belies the natural wonders of their life-history and their incredibly important role in the ecology of streams and the people and economies that rely on the same water. Work...
What is the Future of Water in Texas?
LISTEN: State Representative Lyle Larson from San Antonio joins Robert Puente, President and CEO of San Antonio Water System; Blair Calvert Fitzsimons, CEO of the Texas Agricultural Land Trust; and Meredith Miller, Senior Programs Coordinator for The Meadows Center...
Spicewood area project calls for more than 3,000 homes
A $150 million project is expected to bring thousands of new rooftops and other development to the Spicewood area over the next 15 to 20 years — one of the largest master-planned communities proposed in recent years for a growing part of Central Texas. The 2,200-acre...
Developments and bonds in Gillespie County
Several noteworthy articles out of the Fredericksburg Standard this week, including this piece about an upcoming bond project that could finance new parkland for the City of Fredericksburg, and this one about a new subdivision coming into the north eastern corner of...
SB 740, 741 and 742 – Taking Aim at Eminent Domain Reform
The Texans for Property Rights Coalition applauds the filing of SB 740, 741 and 742 aimed at eminent domain reform. The bills expand upon progress made in landmark 2011 eminent domain legislation. The three bills, authored by Senator Lois Kolkhorst, will help level...
Are There Any Lingering Drought Effects in Texas?
Micke Mecke | Ranch & Rural Living | Most of Texas has been blessed with average or above average rainfall for the past year or more! It is not uncommon to hear your TV weather folks say “The drought in Texas is over,” and often that is echoed in the local coffee...
Conference presentations from “Planning for Growth in Comal County”
Scientists, engineers, conservationist, and planners recently came together in New Braunfels for the two-day “Planning for Growth in Comal County” conference. The wide range of topics discussed included growth, public lands, watershed protection, and land...
Act today to protect and preserve rural Texas lands
It’s the beginning of another legislative session, and while water may not be top of the agenda, we’re never off the hook. Someday, this state will face another serious drought. Through its regional planning process, Texas is far ahead of most other states when it...
Ecology and the Land Steward
All landowners are practicing ecologists, whether they realize it or not. Ecology is not about hugging trees, environmental activism or even the love of nature. Ecology is the study of the interrelationships between and among all parts of the environment. These parts...
Next stop for Texas-NM water dispute: Supreme Court
Attorneys for the states of New Mexico and Texas learned yesterday that a lawsuit over the waters of the Rio Grande will head to the U.S. Supreme Court. For New Mexico, a lot is at stake. Though Texas also named Colorado in the suit, its real target is New Mexico....
Perceptions of Groundwater Survey
The Perceptions of Groundwater Survey is supported by the Meadows Center for Water and the Environment. Dr. Joni Charles, an Associate Professor of Economics at Texas State University, is conducting a research study to assess public perceptions of groundwater and...
‘A Conservative Climate Solution’: Republican Group Calls for Carbon Tax
A group of Republican elder statesmen is calling for a tax on carbon emissions to fight climate change. The group, led by former Secretary of State James A. Baker III, with former Secretary of State George P. Shultz and Henry M. Paulson Jr., a former secretary of the...
U.S. News & World Report names Austin best place to live in U.S.
A report confirms what many already know: Austin is the best place to live in the U.S., knocking Denver from the top spot in 2017. U.S. News & World Report surveyed people nationwide to find out what they consider important in a hometown. They then took those...
Rainwater Harvesting Tax Break Bill Filed in Austin
State Rep. Jason Isaac (R-Dripping Springs) has introduced a bill that could offer a tax break to homeowners with rainwater harvesting systems. The bill, HB 1334, allows the governing body of a taxing unit to exempt from taxation the portion of appraised value of a...
Austin approves review of Dripping Springs permit
Preliminary findings from Austin’s evaluation of Dripping Springs’ Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) draft permit shows the city “meets the criteria” for its beneficial reuse program. The city of Austin evaluated “potential impacts on the qualify of...