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.
Community Resilience
As our region reacts to ongoing challenges, the Hill Country Alliance is working to keep you connected.
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
Is Austin going to run out of water?
On an unseasonably warm day in 2023, conservationist Robert Mace looked down into the clear spring waters near San Marcos and saw signs of trouble. As executive director at the Meadows Center for Water and the Environment, he spends his days studying the ecology south...
Species identified around Natural Bridge Caverns suggest Hill Country protections needed
The first results of a biodiversity study at the Wuest Ranch — home to Natural Bridge Caverns — are in, and environmental experts say they highlight the need for Hill Country habitat protections. The yearlong effort by the Wuest family and Blackland Environmental...
128 acres of Hill Country habitat and history protected forever
In 2005, Dr. Errol and Susan Candy purchased a 128-acre property nestled in western Gillespie County. Initially viewed as a strategic investment opportunity, this venture blossomed into a profound commitment to conservation and environmental stewardship. Revered as...
Hill Country water quality: Challenges and solutions
From supporting a vibrant recreation-based economy, to sustaining our drinking water supplies, clean and clear rivers are the heart of the Hill Country. They have drawn people to the region for centuries. The recent decade of explosive growth and development has...
Formal complaint filed against Aqua Texas for using ‘illegal groundwater supply’
The Trinity Edwards Springs Protection Association (TESPA) has filed a formal complaint with the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC) over practices employed by Aqua Texas, the association announced Wednesday. TESPA claims the company serves its customers with an...
Conservation deal will ban development on 1,200-acre Comal property
Under a new conservation easement, held by the Edwards Aquifer Conservancy, Moore and Dischinger have guaranteed that the land will remain as it is in perpetuity, preventing it from being turned into more suburban sprawl. The agreement also protects vital acres on the...
Hackers target the Muleshoe, Texas water system – not for ransom, but as a test
According to cybersecurity experts, Texas is in the crosshairs of attempts by hackers trying to attack critical infrastructure. And it’s happening in unexpected places, like the tiny town of Muleshoe, Texas, where the water system overflowed in January after a hacker...
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