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
Dry Springs in Central Texas Warn of Water Shortage Ahead
Almost every other day, Charlie Flatten gets a call about another local water well gone dry. Last week, he tried to help one woman find a water truck to fill her home cistern. But all the hauling companies had suspended service amid a deepening shortage in Central...
‘Faucet got turned off’: Hill Country lakes, streams struggling as drought drags on
Paul Bertetti, the Edwards Aquifer Authority’s senior director for aquifer science research and modeling, said the drought is a long-term issue for the aquifer, which started the year with water levels about 30 feet below historical norms “We’ve been exceedingly dry,...
Hays groundwater district says water company overused 89M gallons in 2022, impacting Jacob’s Well zone
A groundwater district in Hays County said one Central Texas water provider overpumped nearly 90 million gallons of water in 2022, leading to “by far” the largest penalties for overuse in the district, which manages the Jacob’s Well zone. The Hays Trinity Groundwater...
The invisible laws that led to America’s housing crisis
In the 1910s, US cities began enacting policies that would shape neighborhoods and, unintentionally, lay the roots for the severe housing shortage today: single-family zoning laws. Zoning laws, at their most basic, follow a simple concept. In one part of town, only...
‘It’s heartbreaking’: Jacob’s Well stops flowing for sixth time in recorded history
Jacob's Well, the popular spring-fed swimming hole in Wimberley, has reached zero flow for the sixth time in its recorded history. All six of those times have occurred in the last 23 years — and it's become more frequent. Earlier this summer, the Hays County park...
Comal Springs have only stopped flowing once in recorded history. Could it happen again?
The impacts of the current long-term drought are far-reaching. Jacob’s Well is closed, San Antonio Water System has stepped up enforcement of water usage and Canyon Lake is nearing an all-time low. These are all bad situations, but it could become even more critical...