Zebra mussels spotted in Lady Bird Lake; Lake Austin now ‘infested’

March 30, 2018
News

Zebra mussels have been spotted in Lady Bird Lake, and Texas wildlife officials now consider Lake Austin to be “infested” with the invasive species. Lady Bird Lake was upgraded to “suspect” status because mussels or their larvae have been found at least once after the Lower Colorado River Authority found several larvae in a plankton sample, according to a statement from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Lake Austin is considered infested once wildlife officials confirmed an established, reproducing population of zebra mussels.…

March 30, 2018
Groundwater Resources

A national Latino rights advocacy group and San Antonio’s water utility submitted a filing this week in a long-quiet federal court case concerning whether Latinos are adequately represented in the entity that manages the Edwards Aquifer. It’s been six years since the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) sued the Edwards Aquifer Authority, arguing the structure of its board is unconstitutional because it gives unequal representation to the less-populated areas surrounding Bexar County. The authority’s structure disproportionally favors Anglo voters in these…

March Director’s Notes

March 28, 2018
News

Supporters and Friends, Spring is the perfect time to see the Texas Hill Country in all its glory! The warmer weather brings with it the beginning of many days spent swimming in our spring-fed rivers and streams. During this time of year, I am reminded why the Hill Country is such an incredible place to live (despite the summer heat!). It also reminds me of the challenges and decisions that lie ahead for the Lone Star state. If we keep…

Burnet workhop provides landowners with information on conservation easements

March 28, 2018
News

The Hill Country Conservancy and the Hill Country Alliance are joining forces to host a landowner workshop from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Friday, April 20, 2018, at Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service office, 607 N. Vandeveer, Burnet, TX 78611. This workshop will focus on conservation easements—a tool available to help landowners steward and protect their land investment and family legacy for the long term. Conservation easements are one of the most flexible and effective means to protect private property.…

US National Park Rangers Look to the Stars with Skywatching Training Program

March 23, 2018
News

The U.S. National Park Service (NPS) has partnered with the McDonald Observatoryto create training programs for park rangers and improve skywatching events. The observatory, which is run by the University of Texas at Austin, will offer two workshops for national park rangers. One of the workshops will be offered in the spring at McDonald Observatory, while the second will be offered on-site at a U.S. national park, according to a statement from the observatory… Read more from space.com

Pioneers Taking on “Dark Sky” Project

March 23, 2018
News

In Mason, the students of the Pioneers Youth Leadership program have taken on Dark Sky Preservation as a focus for sharpening their leadership skills in their community. Working with their teacher Megan Bierschwale, Hill Country Alliance (HCA) Night Sky Program Manager Cliff Kaplan, and HCA Night Sky volunteer and Texas Master Naturalist Bridget Langdale, these students will write newspaper articles, give public presentations, host public star parties, improve the outdoor lighting at their school, and help business owners similarly improve…

Coke, Nestle Near Ownership of World’s Second Largest Aquifer

March 23, 2018
Groundwater Resources

A concerted push is underway in South America that could see one of the world’s largest reserves of fresh water soon fall into the hands of transnational corporations such as Coca-Cola and Nestle. According to reports, talks to privatize the Guarani Aquifer – a vast subterranean water reserve lying beneath Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay – have already reached an advanced stage. The deal would grant a consortium of U.S. and Europe-based conglomerates exclusive rights to the aquifer that would last…

GBRA To Host Clean Rivers Program Steering Committee Meeting

March 23, 2018
News

The annual Clean Rivers Program Steering Committee meeting will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday, March 29, 2018, at the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority (GBRA) River Annex building, 905 Nolan Street, Seguin, Texas. The meeting, which is open to the public and sponsored by GBRA as well as the Upper Guadalupe River Authority, provides updates on the Clean Rivers Program activities within the Guadalupe River Basin. Lauren Willis, GBRA water quality permitting and project coordinator, says she’s looking forward to communicating information to…

Decline In Hunters Threatens How U.S. Pays For Conservation

March 23, 2018
News

Tom Wrasse is at his hunting shack alone. Light pours into the small room from a window framed by antlers, harvested from the surrounding central Wisconsin woods. On the opposite wall is a collage of fading photos, showing how big the hunting parties out here used to be. “I try to keep the tradition alive,” Wrasse says, looking at the photos over a cup of coffee. “But no, they’ve all gone their separate ways.” In rural Wisconsin, the passion for…

Census estimates show another year of rapid growth for Texas suburbs

March 23, 2018
News

Home to burgeoning suburban communities, the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington area was behind more than a third of the state’s population growth from 2016 to 2017. Picking up 146,000 new residents, the Dallas metro area once again experienced the largest population growth of any metropolitan area in the country, with Tarrant, Dallas, Denton and Collin counties all ranking in the top 10 counties in the United States that gained the most residents, according to population estimates released Thursday by the U.S. Census Bureau……