The mission of the Hill Country Alliance is to bring together a diverse coalition of partners to preserve the open spaces, starry night skies, clean and abundant waters, and unique character of the Texas Hill Country.
Our Work
Land
The Texas Hill Country region covers over 11 million acres in 17 counties of mostly privately held land.
Water
Thirteen Texas rivers begin in the Hill Country and provide water for millions of downstream neighbors.
Night Sky
The Hill Country sits on the edge of night and as development pushes westward, we are losing our view of the night sky.
Community
90% of Hill Country lands are in unincorporated areas where there is little authority to plan for growth.
Collaboration
HCA serves as the backbone organization and fiscal sponsor of the Texas Hill Country Conservation Network.
Latest News
IN THE GARDEN: Pesky Pests; Repel and Attract; and Dark Sky Lighting
Ben Eldredge of Cibolo Nature Center eloquently explains the importance of dark sky lighting: “Our stars are fading behind a vail of light. As communities grow, the amount of light grows with them, casting more light into our atmosphere. This light interacts with...
$7.5M treatment plant greenlighted in Wimberley
With funding now accounted for, Wimberley is moving forward with the addition of sewer lines in downtown, as well as its proposed $7.5 million wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). The joint project marks the city’s initiative to accommodate a growing population and...
Night Sky Friendly Program
Our recent award of the Night Sky Friendly Business Recognition Program, sponsored by the Mason County Chamber of Commerce goes to Benjie’s. This program recognizes businesses that use light fixtures that use less electricity and preserves our beautiful starry skies....
Replacing Mother Nature Can Be Expensive
“We take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude,” Dr. Tom Arsuffi stressed near the beginning of the most recent Texas Water Symposium. The panel discussion, moderated by Katherine Romans, Executive Director of the Hill Country Alliance, also...
Attorney General Says TCEQ Must Ignore Zoning and Other City Ordinances When Approving Concrete Crushing Facility
On April 19, the attorney general issued an opinion (KP-190) concluding not only that the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) does not have to, but in some cases is not allowed to, consider zoning and other city recommendations when approving permits for...
White House, EPA headed off chemical pollution study
Scott Pruitt’s EPA and the White House sought to block publication of a federal health study on a nationwide water-contamination crisis, after one Trump administration aide warned it would cause a "public relations nightmare," newly disclosed emails reveal. The...
Electro Purification is back
A Houston-based firm at the center of controversy in 2015 is now looking to draw roughly one billion gallons of water per year from the Trinity Aquifer. Electro Purification (EP), which had failed in its attempt to secure water in 2015, submitted a request to the...
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