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
Lessons From Hurricane Harvey: Houston’s Struggle Is America’s Tale
The mayhem that Hurricane Harvey unleashed on Houston didn’t only come from the sky. On the ground, it came sweeping in from the Katy Prairie some 30 miles west of downtown. Water drains naturally in this stretch of Texas, or at least it used to. At more than 600...
San Marcos City Council Votes To Enter Lease-Purchase Agreement
The San Marcos City Council voted on Wednesday to enter a lease-purchase agreement with the Trust for Public Land to purchase 102 acres of undeveloped land. The property is located near Country Estates and is currently owned by Texas State University. The...
Land office turns to private sector to develop water as new revenue stream
Revenues from the crude and natural gas found in the Delaware Basin are flowing into state coffers, benefiting the state’s general fund, transportation funding and the state’s public schools and universities, among others. Now, water is about to be added to the...
Hundreds of dams in Texas could fail in worst-case flood
The earthen dam on the outskirts of this Williamson County city certainly does not look flimsy. At 35 feet high and nearly a third of a mile long, it has done a reliable job of holding back floodwaters on Chandler Branch, a normally placid tributary of Brushy Creek,...
Experiencing the Dark Skies of Texas
The stars. I think I share a common experience with many people who grew up in an urban or suburban environment. You manage to learn about Orion and his belt, the Big Dipper and its little companion, and of course the North Star. You have a chance to see them on...
National Parks Struggle With a Mounting Crisis: Too Many Visitors
The rocky shorelines, shifting deserts and winding canyons of the country’s 59 national parks have been hallmarks of American vacations for generations. But the number of park visitors has reached an unprecedented level, leaving many tourists frustrated and many...
Bandera Electric Cooperative helps customers choose dark sky friendly lighting
By Patti Berkstresser | Bandera Electric Cooperative and The Real County Night Skies team, part of Keep It Real-ly Beautiful, have taken a major step in the reduction of light pollution in our community. BEC has installed three Dark Sky Compliant outdoor lighting...
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