Our Work
Land
HCA’s Land Program seeks to increase private land stewardship and permanent land conservation across the Hill Country, and works with regional land trusts to educate owners about conservation easements, track conservation metrics, and consider conservation priorities.
Water
HCA’s Water Program assists grassroots groups that champion water stewardship in their communities, advocates for policies that protect groundwater and surface water, and promotes resilient water supplies through the advancement of One Water projects.
Night Sky
HCA’s Night Skies Program helps Hill Country counties and cities minimize the impacts of light pollution through education and outreach, the establishment of outdoor lighting policies, and the recognition and celebration of certified Dark Sky Places in our region.
Communities
HCA’s Communities Program builds connections across county lines, supporting rural leaders in protecting the unique character of their communities while promoting innovative approaches to building healthy, vibrant communities throughout the Texas Hill Country.
The Latest
Majority of America’s underground water stores are drying up, study finds
Many of America’s critical sources of underground water are in a state of rapid and accelerating decline, a new study has found. More than half of the aquifers in the United States (53 percent) are losing water, according to research published Wednesday in Nature....
Another hot, dry summer may push parts of Texas to the brink
Two consecutive summers of brutal heat and drought have left some parts of Texas with notably low water supplies going into 2024. A wet year or a well-placed hurricane could quickly pull these regions back from the brink. But winter rains have disappointed so far....
Jacob’s Well was dry for seven months—One company just kept pumping
After sitting dry for 222 days, Jacob’s Well, the iconic artesian spring near Wimberley, has started to flow again. From mid-June through mid-January, the popular swimming hole was a miserable sight: the water level had receded below the lip of the well’s mouth,...
Texas companies reported releasing 1 million pounds of excess pollution during recent cold snap
Frigid weather this month caused industrial facilities across Texas to release unplanned air pollution as machinery froze, power went out and icy conditions blocked service crews. Over four chilly days between Jan. 14 and 17, companies submitted reports to Texas’...
Thousands of oil and gas wastewater spills threaten property, groundwater, wildlife and livestock across Texas
In the state’s latest Joint Groundwater Monitoring and Contamination Report, the Railroad Commission had included 557 groundwater contamination cases caused by oil and gas operations. The spokesperson said cases where chloride contaminated the groundwater—of which...
CNN names Texas Hill Country one of the best places to visit in the world this year
A new report says that one of the best places to visit in the entire world is right here in Central Texas. CNN Travel named the Texas Hill Country one of the best places to visit in the world in 2024. The region was included alongside 23 other destinations, including...