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
What Happens to the U.S. Midwest When the Water’s Gone?
"For the past 60 years, the Ogallala has been pumped out faster than raindrops and snowmelt can seep back into the ground to replenish it, thanks largely to irrigation machinery like the one sleeping nearby. As a result, in parts of western Kansas, the aquifer has...
Commentary: Texas Hill Country is on the Edge of Night
“Without leadership from our rapidly urbanizing cities, we stand to lose all of the groundwork we’ve laid to protect night skies in the Hill Country,” said Katherine Romans, Hill Country Alliance executive director. “San Antonio was on the right track in including the...
Water Forward: Planning for the Next 100 Years, August 3 in Austin
The next installment of the Imagine Austin Speaker Series will focus on developing a water plan to take us through the next century. Austin Water Director, Greg Meszaros and Integrated Water Resource Plan Community Task Force Chair and HCA board member, Sharlene...
Commentary: Let’s base Hays County water policy on science, not guesswork
Hays County Pct. 3 Commissioner Will Conley writes that he will ask the county judge and fellow commissioners to help fund an initiative to “develop the science and monitoring that we need to make informed decisions” about groundwater pumping from the Edwards and...
Efforts to reduce feral hog numbers show promise
While using a toxin that could help put a dent in the worldwide feral hog plague still has hurdles to clear, preliminary studies are showing promise, according to wildlife biologist John Kinsey. “This is not the end-all, be-all control measure, but it can become...
Drought conditions slowly returning to South Texas
Aside from yesterday's one-one-hundredth of an inch of rain, San Antonio hasn't seen a significant amount of measurable rainfall since early June. That lack of rain is starting to take its toll on the area water supply, possibly bringing back drought conditions. It...
Salt Lick owner breaks ground on unique conservation development in Driftwood
"In contrast to large master-planned communities that tout man-made amenities like golf courses and swimming pools, “these are the only amenities,” he says of the 9 miles of nature trails and scenic views from bluffs overlooking Onion Creek." Toward a Regional Plan...
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