News
Proposal for urban gondola system in Austin will not move forward
The plan to build a gondola cable car system in Austin, in what would have been the largest system of its type in the world, is not moving forward. In a list of shared conclusions released by Capital Metro, the transit agency says gondolas are best suited to “niche”...
Vista Ridge pipeline water suppliers still fighting in court
With construction of the Vista Ridge pipeline set to begin in a month, two water suppliers at the core of the deal are back in court fighting over payments and contracts.
In Hays County, water fight springs anew
Two years after expanding the reach of an Austin-area groundwater district to regulate pumping in Hays County, lawmakers are considering measures that would water down oversight. The measures appear to favor Greg LaMantia — a politically connected South Texas beer...
UGRA Releases “Be Flood Aware” Video
The Board of Directors of the Upper Guadalupe River Authority (UGRA) previewed the recently completed Kerr County flood awareness video “Be Flood Aware” at their regular meeting on Wednesday, March 22, 2017. In order to promote flood danger awareness, UGRA joined...
Jacob’s Well: An Endangered Species?
In 1996 David Baker, an area landowner, formed a 501(c)3 called Wimberley Valley Watershed Association to preserve the area for future generations. The preservation efforts have been significant, acquiring land around the well to allow for less development and for...
Texas Water Symposium planned for April 27 in Fredericksburg: Invasive Species Impacts On Water Resources, Economics and Ecosystems
The final Texas Water Symposium of the 2016-2017 series has been set for 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 27th at the Texas Tech Hill Country University Center, Fredericksburg, Texas. The Texas Water Symposium is free and open to the public. Download event flyer Join our...
Hill Country Land Trust Video: Hill Country Woodlands
The Hill Country Land Trust has released their fifth video in a series of videos on land management topics. Hill Country Woodlands explores the challenges of restoring and maintaining healthy woodlands. This video examines examples of declining and healthy woodland...
Applications being accepted for the Texas Master Naturalist Hill Country Chapter Class of 2017
Beginning April 1, Texas Master Naturalist Hill Country chapter will be accepting applications for the class of 2017. Texas Master Naturalists (TXMN) is a corps of trained volunteers who provide education, outreach, and service dedicated to the beneficial management...
Sengelmann: Water is not a commodity to be pumped to depletion
A recent commentary in the Express-News by Simon Sequeira, the CEO of Quadvest Water & Sewer Utility in Magnolia, attempts to blame all of the state’s water issues on groundwater conservation districts, or GCDs. The commentary (“The next generation of water wars;...
Growth in San Antonio area counties still near the top in U.S.
Three northern neighbors of Bexar County continue to draw new residents at a pace that ranks them in the nation’s 10 fastest growing larger counties, according to U.S. Census estimates released Thursday. Kendall, Comal and Hays counties have made the top 10 list in...
State program makes conservation pay for farm, ranch owners
Floodwaters frequently prompt family members and an armada of cowboys for hire to round up their cows and move them to higher ground. Historic flooding on the Brazos last summer made much of the ranch accessible only by boat for weeks. “You’d have to be crazy to want...
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...