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
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...
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,...
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...
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...
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...
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...