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News
2011 Night Sky News
December 23, 2011 Commissioners endorse preserving night skies, PEC offers support Kimble County and the PEC agree to work together to protect nights skies. “As Judge Murr stated, the night sky is part of the region’s scenic beauty that brings significant economic and...
2011 Billboard News
November 2, 2011 Scenic Texas at Work This month’s “Scenic Views” a newsletter from Scenic Texas features an announcement of “This Space Available,” a feature documentary exploring grassroots efforts to deal with visual pollution worldwide. Learn more from Scenic...
November 2011 News Archive
November 30, 2011 It could take years for state's aquifers to fill A historic drought has depleted Texas aquifers to lows rarely seen since 1948, and it could take months — or even years — for the groundwater supplies to fully recharge, scientists who study...
Preserve created to help warbler, Camp Bullis
The San Antonio Express News reports: “An intricate land deal has been completed that will protect the military missions of Camp Bullis as well as habitat of the endangered golden-cheeked warbler north of San Antonio, officials said Wednesday. Three years in the...
October 2011 News Archive
October 17, 2011 Texas ranchers, farmers, seeing record losses in grip of drought, say, 'These are desperate times' Agricultural losses attributed to the drought have reached a record $5.2 billion, according to a report prepared by Texas A&M System's AgriLife...
September 2011 News Archive
September 28, 2011 DAVE MCNEELY: It's time to stop taking water for granted The water shortage in Texas can certainly use some prayers, and maybe even some rain dances. But it's going to take more than that — much more. That was the conclusion Saturday of panelists at...
Lake Travis Economic Impact Report unveiled
The lake dropped to its third lowest level in recorded history this week. It is currently sitting just below 630 feet. The Lake Travis Coalition, which compiled Thursday's report, found that when the lake falls below 661 feet, there's a big hit to those who rely on...
2011 Water Quality News
December 28, 2011 Dangers of fracking still becoming clear The word "fracking" may sound funny, but it describes a drilling practice that has created a serious boom in natural gas production in Texas and elsewhere, and with the boom has come serious worries about...
2011 Water Planning News
December 29, 2011 The Texas Water Crisis Texas water authorities at every level are on alert. Last summer’s extremely hot, dry weather was a wake-up call. Now more than a dozen Texas towns are in danger of running out of water. Texas is in a water crisis. To make it...
2011 Water Conservation News
September 25, 2011 Water conservation a habit we must keep The current drought eventually will end — we think. But even if rain starts to fall in the next few weeks, the record-setting droughts of 2009 and this year should be reminders that if we're not currently in a...
2011 Rainwater News
December 20, 2011 Water a hot topic in Hill Country despite recent rains "Statistics provided by the Texas Water Development Board show that groundwater withdrawal from the Hill Country's Edwards and Trinity aquifers increased dramatically between 1975 and 2010. In...
2011 Groundwater News
November 16, 2011 Our treasured springs need protection The canary is in the coal mine and he's thirsty. Without thoughtful stewardship, public treasures such as Jacob's Well, Hays County's historic perennial spring, as well as the private legacies of the many unnamed...
August 2011 News Archive
August 30, 2011 Senator Wentworth: Planning for the Rains to Come (eventually) Senator Wentworth promotes HCA’s Rainwater Revival as he informs constituents about Kendall County's action to strengthening watering restrictions and water conservation measures. Read the...
July 2011 News Archive
July 27, 2011 Understanding Your Remarkable Riparian Areas Why would you want to know about this? Creeks, Rivers and Riparian areas are special and they are often misunderstood. Much damage is done by well meaning uninformed people acting on wholehearted belief in a...
June 2010 News Archive
June 30, 2011 Environmental Stewardship appeals GMA 12 DFC The Bastrop County-based nonprofit organization Environmental Stewardship submitted a petition to Groundwater Management Area 12 (GMA-12) appealing the desired future conditions for the aquifers within all...
As Drought Intensifies, Wildscaping Can Help Texans Save Water
Texas residents are asked to monitor and reduce their water usage, yet home and land owners may feel they have little control over resource conservation when it comes to manicured lawns and upkeep of green spaces. They may have heard of alternative gardening as a way...
May 2011 News Archive
May 31, 2011 Watershed news from Wimberley Valley Challenges Water Plan to Allow for More Groundwater Pumping Than is Available in the Hill Country, Profile of Jacob’s Well, David Baker receives the Texas Environmental Excellence Award, a Hays County Water Issues...
April 2011 News Archive
April 30, 2011 Hays County planning survey online until May 11th Residents are invited to take the Hays County Parks, Open Space & Natural Areas Master Plan Survey, which will help the County determine interests and priorities of its residents. More information...
2011 Drought News
December 21, 2011 Texas Tree Ring Study Warns of Long Droughts A new study of tree rings adds to evidence that Texas has experienced at least one 10-year drought every 100 years, as well as several "mega-droughts" lasting 15 to 30 years over the centuries. Read full...
March 2011 News Archive
March 31, 2011 Senate votes to make groundwater a vested right The Texas Senate approved a bill Yesterday that would establish groundwater as a vested right protected by the state Constitution. For the bill's sponsor, Sen. Troy Fraser, R-Horseshoe Bay, its passage is...
February 2011 News Archive
February 26, 2011 Uvalde pipeline bill more trouble than it's worth A bill has recently been filed to lift the ban on building a pipeline to transport water from Uvalde County. Read more here February 22, 2011 Kerrville seeks rehearing for CREZ route; LCRA scheduling...
USDA-NRCS and University of SC Release Wildlife Habitat Conservation Video Series
Wildlife Habitat for Good is a new video series filmed in the Palmetto State that illustrates the benefits of wildlife habitat conservation and restoration. Learn more here.
January 2011 News Archive
January 31, 2011 Texas firm plans 50 homes on Horseshoe Bay golf course A Texas-based limited partnership plans to build 50 upscale homes in a gated community near two holes of a Jack Nicklaus signature golf course in Horseshoe Bay, west of Austin on Lake LBJ. And the...
December 2010 News Archive
December 28, 2010 Book chronicles struggles of early Texas environmentalists When a famed, elderly Dallas conservationist and mentor suffered a brain embolism 15 years ago, Austinite David Todd thought he ought to document the environmental stories of that generation...
2010 County Authority News
December 8, 2010 Water, Land Use, Transportation and Economic Development CAPCOG has released the long-awaited Regional Growth Assessment. The report includes an analysis of growth in four key areas – water, land use, transportation, and economic development – then...
2010 Land Stewardship News
December 28, 2010 Texas Land Conservancy announces Llano County easement Joyce Lucas, owner of the Birk-Sommerfeld Heritage Ranch (Llano County), donated a conservation easement on the 444-acre working ranch in December 2010 in order to protect it forever from the...
2010 Habitat Conservation News
November 22, 2010 Critics of Habitat Plan are Spouting Nonsense The most important thing the public needs to know about the proposed plan is that it is completely voluntary. No one who doesn't want to participate would have to do so at any price.” Read SA Express-News...
2010 Conservation Easement News
December 28, 2010 Texas Land Conservancy announces Llano County easement Joyce Lucas, owner of the Birk-Sommerfeld Heritage Ranch (Llano County), donated a conservation easement on the 444-acre working ranch in December, 2010 in order to protect it forever from the...
2010 Water Quality News
August 9, 2010 TCEQ Draws Flak for Studies That Might Result in Weaker Water Quality Standards The efforts of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to weaken water quality standards for numerous Texas streams through so-called “recreational use” studies...
2010 Water Planning News
January 25, 2010 Gov. Perry Names Timmerman Chair of Lower Colorado River Authority Board of Directors Read more here. November 17, 2010 Will Water Rights Be on the Legislature's Agenda? Next legislative session, during the few minutes not taken up with the budget,...