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

Oak trees sprawl out, casting shade over a yellow field of tall grass.

Land

The Texas Hill Country region covers over 11 million acres in 17 counties of mostly privately held land.

Sunset fades over red trees and the flowing water of a rocky creek

Water

Thirteen Texas rivers begin in the Hill Country and provide water for millions of downstream neighbors.

The Milky Way illuminates a brilliant blue, starry sky over a Hill Country river.

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.

A little boy in cowboy boots and a button down shirt swings a rope in the middle of a rodeo arena.

Community

90% of Hill Country lands are in unincorporated areas where there is little authority to plan for growth.

Image shows a man in conversation with speakers, while a woman looks on attentively in the background.

Collaboration

HCA serves as the backbone organization and fiscal sponsor of the Texas Hill Country Conservation Network.

Latest News

May marks wettest month for Texas in recorded history

May marks wettest month for Texas in recorded history

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reports that May was the wettest month on record for the Continental US- and the wettest for both Oklahoma and Texas in recorded history, with rainfall totals almost twice the average levels. Recent rains have...

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Texas planners look to aquifers to prepare for next drought

Texas planners look to aquifers to prepare for next drought

The torrential storms of last month essentially ended one of Texas’ worst droughts, but much of the excess water has already flowed into the Gulf of Mexico or will evaporate by year’s end. With a wary eye toward the next prolonged dry-streak that inevitably will come,...

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Flood Aid TX, June 28th

Flood Aid TX, June 28th

The United Way of Hays County is partnering with ADRN, Crosswind Promotions, the City of Austin and others to hold a benefit concert for flood relief.  The concert line-up includes Ray Benson, Jack Ingram, The Spazmatics and many more. The concert will be held from...

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City Says No Thanks to Niagara Water Bottling Deal

City Says No Thanks to Niagara Water Bottling Deal

Ten days ago, a rezoning application by California-based Niagara Bottling to build a water bottling plant at Brooks City Base was fast-tracked for City Council approval by the Zoning Commission, but the deal is now dead. The company’s rezoning application has been...

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Chairman of Water Development Board Stepping Down

Chairman of Water Development Board Stepping Down

Carlos Rubinstein, chairman of the Texas Water Development Board, has announced he is stepping down after serving in the position for nearly two years. Rubinstein led the board into a new era after it was handed greater authority over water supply projects by the...

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The Texas Drought is over, but what about the next?

The Texas Drought is over, but what about the next?

The drought that just ended (in all but a small corner of the Texas Panhandle, according to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor) made Texans aware of the importance of a reliable water supply, for themselves and for the state’s economy. The Texas Legislature in 2013...

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Our Water Future Is Not For Sale

Our Water Future Is Not For Sale

San Antonio’s business-as-usual is putting our water future at risk. Last week Brooks City Base sought rush-rush rezoning approval to allow Niagara Bottling to put San Antonio’s water in plastic bottles to sell nationwide. This, while San Antonio Water System (SAWS)...

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