News
Tomorrow: Growth is focus for local forum
February 18th, the League of Women Voters will be holding a forum to present the findings of the just-released study “Toward a Regional Plan for the Texas Hill Country,” which was done by the University of Texas School of Architecture. The study focuses on ways of...
The Hill Country Studio wins Groundwater Stewardship Award from BSEACD
Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer Conservation District (BSEACD) has named Hill Country Studio a 2015 Groundwater Stewardship Award winner for their comprehensive report "Toward a Regional Plan for the Texas Hill Country." "The Hill Country Studio addressed regional...
With a rush for water, experts debate what will happen to aquifers
Four groundwater scientists grappled with some big questions about the aquifer in Central Texas expected to be tapped to supply fast-growing San Antonio and Austin. A water symposium at Texas State University on Thursday addressed the Carrizo-Wilcox Aquifer, a layer...
TPWD, partners plan riparian restoration workshop for Blanco River
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, and several partner organizations, and are planning a riparian recovery workshop for landowners impacted by the Memorial Day flood. Free grass and sedge plants will be given away and agency staff will train landowners in proper...
Union Pacific stops passenger train idea in its tracks
Union Pacific dealt a major blow to a proposal to connect San Antonio and Austin with passenger rail by pulling one of its tracks from a possible plan. UP ended its agreement with the Lone Star Rail District to study the feasibility of running passenger trains on a...
South Llano River State Park installs night sky quality meter
Ken Kattner, of Putnam Observatory and key leader on HCA Night Skies Team, recently donated valuable high-tech scientific equipment to monitor sky quality at South Llano River State Park near Junction. Dedicated to preserving large swaths of Hill Country night skies,...
New Texas Farm and Ranch Lands Conservation Council Holds Inaugural Meeting
Armed with $2 million in legislative appropriations to help bring more of the state’s high-value working farm and ranch lands under long term conservation protection, the Texas Farm and Ranch Lands Conservation Council held its inaugural meeting under the...
Will Dripping Springs sewage expansion foul Onion Creek?
From his rolling Hill Country spread, Wes Pitts can watch changes in gray-green Onion Creek as it riffles by. This is the same creek that twice in 2015 flooded poor neighborhoods in Southeast Austin, but here, miles upstream, on a windy, dry late January day, it wends...
State Senate hopefuls sound off on issues
Six Republican candidates vying for the Texas Senate District 24 seat of retiring Sen. Troy Fraser attended a candidate forum recently at the Hill Country University Center. Ross Ramsey, executive editor of the Texas Tribune, moderated a two-hour forum in which...
Interregional Water Piping to Supply Thirsty Regions Debated in Statehouse
Texas House of Representatives Committee on Natural Resources debated the long-term ability of water rich rural regions to supply the thirsty growth of municipalities. Growing Texas metroplexes will continue to advocate for Interregional water supply pipelines to...
Waters of the United States and the Clean Waters Act: New EPA Rules
There has been considerable interest in the Hill Country about the EPA’s new Waters of the US (WOTUS) rules clarifications. The debate revolves around the EPA including more waterways into its jurisdiction under the Clean Water Act than it traditionally has. (We...
Sewage Spill in the Llano River
Ironically, a few days before the Texas Stream Team training at Texas Tech Junction, members of the Llano River Watershed Alliance hiking just downstream of the junction of the North and South Llano Rivers, observed pools of algae-covered water along the Llano River...
Texas Night Sky Festival – Coming March 5th A Star-Studded Event for the Whole Family
As light pollution continues to increase from rapidly growing urban sprawl, the sparkling starlit night skies of Texas have dulled for many across the state. Instead of allowing our magnificent star-filled nights to fade into a cherished memory, there is a statewide...
Regional Experts Recommend Swift Action to Conserve the Hill Country
According to a report published last week by regional thought leaders, the need now is greater than ever to ramp up preservation efforts for the Texas Hill Country’s natural landscape. With the Austin-San Antonio-San Marcos region experiencing an explosion in...
Protecting The Hill Country’s Scenic Beauty From Suburban Sprawl
A new study makes several recommendations for protecting the Texas Hill country's cultural heritage and scenic beauty from the intense population growth that Austin and San Antonio have seen. A big focus on planning for the future, the report recommends mapping what...
UT Report: Hill Country At-Risk By Development
The Greater Texas Hill Country needs a new plan because its scenery, wildlife and water are being threatened by too much growth and too little regulation. That's according to a report issued by the University of Texas School of Architecture. Travis County Commissioner...
Graduate students partner with Hill Country Alliance on preservation study
Twelve graduate students from the School of Architecture, along with regional planning experts, have partnered with the Hill Country Alliance to publish a study containing strategies to protect the Texas Hill Country and its resources. The Alliance is dedicated to...
New UT study warns of massive Hill Country changes
A new study out of UT-Austin warns that explosive, unregulated growth in the Hill Country could mean its unique 'natural, scenic, and water resources could be... permanently lost to future generations.' The dire warning comes in a 120-page report which looked at...
Regional Experts Recommend Ways to Protect the Texas Hill Country While Supporting State Growth
AUSTIN, Texas — New strategies for protecting the Texas Hill Country came out of a recently published study by regional planning experts and graduate students at The University of Texas at Austin School of Architecture. The study addresses threats to water resources,...
Senate Candidate Forum set Jan. 27 in Fredericksburg
Seven candidates running for the Texas Senate District 24 seat of retiring Troy Fraser will take part in a forum from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 27 at the Hill Country University Center in Fredericksburg. A welcome will begin at 6 p.m. Ross Ramsey, executive...
Information and assistance available for accessing low-interest SWIFT funds for conservation projects
The Texas Water Development Board’s water project funding program known as SWIFT (State Water Implementation Fund for Texas) helps communities develop and optimize water supplies at cost-effective rates by providing flexible low-interest loans. An exciting aspect of...
Rieff: There is no need to sacrifice Texas’ protected wildlife
Texans have always taken pride in our state’s great diversity of wildlife and wildlife habitat. Working with public agencies and private landowners, wildlife biologists and enthusiasts have maintained a tradition of conserving our unique diversity of wildlife and wild...
Transmission line pits land preservation against electric power grid
"In a case pitting electricity demand against Hill Country conservation efforts, the owner of the largest piece of private permanently preserved land in Gillespie County is making a last-ditch effort to persuade state regulators to change the route of a planned...
Still Time to Support the Texas Night Sky Festival
Celebrate the Night Sky on Saturday, March 5th at the free, family-friendly Texas Night Sky Festival to be held at Dripping Springs Ranch Park. It is not too late to show your support! Sponsors have until February 5th to be included in the event publicity. The Hill...
Reminder to Blanco River landowners: Workshop this Saturday, January 23rd
Organizations, agencies and experts in river health are partnering on a workshop to share resources with landowners who may have been impacted by the Memorial Day flood of 2015. This session will share some important notes about recovery of the river and river banks,...
Grassroots success in Spicewood
“Concerns raised by a group of nearby residents involve dust controls, entryways for trucks on Texas 71, potential runoff of chemicals or other materials into a nearby creek," said Michael Moore, founder of Save Our Spicewood. "Spicewood-area residents have approached...
Austin city leaders urged to fast-track ‘high-capacity’ transit plan
Looking to "jumpstart" discussion on the future of Austin's transit system, the Urban Transportation Commission has asked city leaders to explore "high capacity" transit proposals that could be put before voters in November. In its Jan. 12 meeting, the commission...
Clash of land-use priorities troubling
The Lower Colorado River Authority has proposed to construct a large electrical transmission line across the largest piece of protected land — public or private — in Gillespie County, southwest of Austin. Owned by Terese T. Hershey, a renowned conservationist, the...
Advocates Petition EPA to Strip Texas of Some Environmental Responsibilities
Petition says Texas programs no longer meet fundamental federal air and water safeguards, can’t protect the public. Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) and Caddo Lake Institute (CLI) are asking America’s environmental protection agency to strip Texas of some of the...
The Blanco River Flood: The Healing Has Begun
In this TWA Magazine article, retired NRCS biologist Steve Nelle explores the history of major floods in the Hill Country and what lessens we should take away from the Memorial Day 2015 flooding of the Blanco River. One of Nelle’s most important messages? “A healthy...