News
State parks embrace measures to protect dark skies at night
“The stars at night, are big and bright, deep in the heart of Texas...” The 1942 Hit Parade song paying tribute to the Lone Star State’s starry skies strikes a sour note today in large cities nestled deep in the heart of Texas, where artificial light pollution has...
I Received a Letter Saying They’re Taking My Land…Now What?
Patrick L. Reznik, an attorney with Braun & Gresham, answers a few common questions about the rights of Texas landowners threatened by eminent domain, a process by which private and public entities condemn private lands to build transmission lines, pipelines, rail...
Texas Land Conservancy takes us to the Pedernales
Carolyn and Roy Horton are passionate stewards of Sandylands Ranch, a sweeping property that backs up to the Pedernales River in the Hill Country. Texas Land Conservancy (TLC) sat down with Carolyn and Roy to ask them about their stewardship ethic, their love of the...
Three Part Workshop on Wildlife Tax Valuation Scheduled in Boerne
The Cibolo Nature Center in Boerne plans on starting the new year with a 3-part workshop on Texas's wildlife tax valuation. If you are a landowner with 20 acres or more and are interested in learning more about switching your land from agricultural to wildlife...
Firm’s plan to pump, sell water raises alarm in northern Hays County
A new player has plans to sell up to 5.3 million gallons of water per day to utilities in Hays County, where rapidly growing communities are increasingly desperate to secure water. But the location of Houston-based Electro Purification’s well field, near the...
TPW Magazine Profiles Texas Conservation Hero Terese Hershey
The January/February edition of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Magazine features a profile of Terry Hershey, an important pioneer in the history of conservation. Hershey left a lasting impact on the Hill Country and the rest of Texas by championing the use of...
Conserving private lands conserves water
Former President and Texas native Lyndon B. Johnson once said: “Saving the water and the soil must start where the first raindrop falls.” In Texas, where about 95 percent of the land is privately owned, and 83 percent of that land is rural farms, ranches and forests,...
Genuine Land Stewardship
by Steve Nelle The topic of land stewardship has gained a great deal of public attention during recent years. This is a good trend since it helps focus greater awareness to the importance of how the land is treated, and the people who carry out responsible land care....
Blanco Chamber of Commerce recognizes thirteen local businesses for exemplary outdoor lighting
On Friday, December 12, the Blanco Chamber of Commerce recognized four Blanco businesses for their night sky-friendly outdoor lighting and support of night sky preservation. Accepting the Chamber’s Night Sky-Friendly Business Recognition Program Certificates of Merit...
Hamilton Pool Road targeted for 1600 homes
A TCEQ Public Meeting will be held Monday night, December 15th to hear concerns about the wastewater treatment plant to service this large, dense proposed development. Community members encourage participation as this development will profoundly change the Hamilton...
Can we start thinking of water as a crop?
Water is not traditionally thought of as a crop, but Water As A Crop® and its partners are hoping to change that. This organization promotes the idea that water falling on private, rural land can be effectively conserved and marketed in a manner similar to crops. In...
Now it’s time to implement SWIFT
You’ve been hearing about SWIFT for months, TWDB is now ready to implement this revolving loan program for water supply projects. The first round of applications is due February 3rd. Conservation is the least expensive, most efficient strategy of all which is why...
Scientists Seek Public Help to Track Monarch Butterfly Milkweed Habitat
“Where have all the monarchs gone?” This is becoming an oft repeated query, and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department biologists are asking for citizen help in answering the question. Since monitoring of overwintering monarch butterfly populations 1993, the WWF has...
US cities increasingly embracing water conservation
Los Angeles is a city that is notorious for its use of water- importing it from hundreds of miles away and delivering stormwater to the Pacific Ocean through the Los Angeles River, which largely has been converted to a concrete ditch. The story that is less often told...
Why Water is Not the New Oil
The legislative session is gearing up, and increasing groundwater production will be the objective of at least a couple of bills. Groundwater will be an important asset for Texas' future water portfolio, but should maximization be the goal? That's one of the questions...
Comal Commissioners Support Trinity GCD Bill
Comal commissioners are supporting proposed legislation to create the “Comal Trinity Groundwater Conservation District.” “The GCD is necessary because the Trinity, a major source of well water in the Hill Country area west of Interstate 35, already has dropped some 87...
How Underground Sensors in Texas Will Help NASA Predict Drought and Floods
Stanley Rabke’s family has lived and worked on their Hill Country ranch since 1889. Generations of Rabkes have struggled with the extremes of Texas weather, but one storm sticks out in Stanley’s memory: it came after the drought of the 1950s. Learn about the Bureau of...
Riparian & Stream Ecosystem Workshop Dec 25
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Hill Country Alliance and The Nature Conservancy will be hosting a riparian workshop Friday, Dec 25 in Stonewall. The "Texas Riparian & Stream Ecosystem" workshop will focus on the Pedernales River Watershed and will cover an...
Travis County OKs Land Water and Transportation Plan
Despite the fact that Texas counties have very little real control over how unincorporated land is developed, Travis County is giving it its best effort, as Commissioners approved a comprehensive Land Water and Transportation Plan on Tuesday. Read more from Austin...
CCGCD provides rainwater harvesting resource videos
Storing and using the rainwater that falls on your roof can improve the quality of your drinking water and free you from the restricted use of water for your landscape in time of drought. Cow Creek GCD has provided several video examples to show how it's done.
GEAA announces low impact development manual
The Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance has published "Watershed Stewardship for the Edwards Aquifer Region, a Low Impact Development Manual." The manual was designed for developers, landscape architects, and all of those who live on, or are planning to build over our...
Mason County community ready to do battle
Residents are concerned that a sand quarry would destroy the tranquility of the rural community. Because mines typically operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, a quarry would bring noise and heavy truck traffic to the area…and because Pontotoc is emerging as a...
Texas’ Courts Legal Treatment of Groundwater is Fluid
Groundwater rights have been hotly debated in Texas for as long as there has been the ability to pump it. Unlike surface water, which is owned by the state and held in trust for the public, Texas courts have ruled that groundwater is the surface owner’s vested private...
Depleting the Water, 15 minutes you shouldn’t miss
This Sunday’s 60 Minutes segment on Groundwater Depletion in California’s Central Valley explores California’s drought and the depletion of it’s Central Valley aquifer due to agricultural over-pumping. With dwindling reservoirs here in Central Texas and ever growing...
HCA honored by Hays County Master Naturalists!
HCA has been recognized as an "HONORARY MEMBER” in the Hays County Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalist for exemplary service and commitment to the community and natural resources of the State of Texas. The recognition took place Saturday, November 15th at the HCMN...
The Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge
This amazing natural resource area is devoted to protecting the habitats of hundreds of species of native flora and fauna, grasslands, wooded hills and canyons, and vital watersheds. Thousands of school children visit and participate in hands-on learning experiences...
Prince Charles says people’s connection with countryside is dying
"Prince Charles has warned that the majority of people have 'lost any real connection with the land' as he outlined his concerns about the future of the countryside. He stressed the benefits to the wider economy of the countryside's 'ecosystem services' - with meadows...
Landowners Appeal Party Status to State District Court
by Environmental Stewardship Landowners Bette Brown, Andrew Meyer, Darwyn Hanna, as individuals, and Environmental Stewardship, a non-profit organization, filed a petition on November 7 in State District Court in Bastrop County, seeking to reverse a decision by Lost...
HCA to co-host Workshop on Riparian Function in the Pedernales Basin
The Hill Country Alliance, in partnership with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and The Nature Conservancy, will host a workshop on the nature and function of stream and riparian zones in the Hill Country. The workshop will feature presentations on riparian...
Texas Water Symposium, Nov. 20 in Kerrville
Join us for the final Texas Water Symposium of 2014 - Thursday, November 20 from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm at Schreiner University. The topic for the evening will be Balancing Rural and Urban Water Needs: How Local and Regional Planning Activities Ensure Long-Term Supplies....