Smithsonian Institute Archives Relating to the Hill Country
Found on the Smithsonian Institute website, this study is an excellent comprehensive summary of the unique natural features, challenges and conservation goals for the Hill Country Region.
Please click here to review the complete site including links to resources and maps.
Geography
The Edwards Plateau, lying east of the continental divide, is a plateau sloping gently eastward, dropping on average about 180 cm per km, but steeper at the western margin. The southern and eastern margins, and to a lesser extent the other parts, are much dissected by the following rivers: Colorado of Texas, Guadalupe, Nueces, Rio Grande/Pecos, and tributaries thereof (Map 8). This is an ancient evolutionary arena. Most of the land surface has been exposed continuously for occupation by terrestrial biota for at least 65,000,000 years. The plateau consists of three sub-regions:
1. The north-western sub-region, with little macrorelief (i.e., flat or gently undulating), a true plateau geomorphically, comprising about half the Edwards Plateau. Elevation 700-1000 m. Soil is a dark stony clay loam where present, but much of the surface consists of outcrops of Cretaceous limestone. The part of the Edwards Plateau west of the Pecos River is sometimes called the Stockton Plateau.
2. The southern and eastern margins are dissected by canyons separated by flat or undulating divides. The dissected part is locally known as the Texas Hill Country (picture); roughly half of the total area of the Edwards Plateau. Virtually the entire surface consists of outcrops of Cretaceous limestone. Elevation: 250-800 m, or as low as 100 m in the bottom of the canyon mouths.
3. Most geomorphologists also include in this broad category a relatively small area of about 6000 km², known as the Granitic Central Basin, or Central Mineral Region, in the north-central margin. In this area the Cretaceous limestone has been removed by erosion. A variety of rocks crop out, ranging from Archean through upper Palaeozoic in age. The soil, where present, is thin and stony. The exposed rocks are largely granitic and gneissic, with some sandstones and limestones. Elevation: 500-800 m.
Average annual rainfall varies from about 800 mm on the eastern encanyonated margin to 500 mm at the western margin. Rainfall is erratic on the eastern margin and its dependability declines even further westward. Virtually all rain runs off rapidly in the eastern and southern parts. In the north-western quarter of the Plateau, water accumulates for some days after rains, gradually permeating the underlying strata. Some years are virtually rainless. In relatively "normal" years, rainfall is low in winter and spring through April, but a peak of rainfall occurs in May/June followed by a summer slump and then another peak in September, tapering off in October. Rainfall usually occurs as local, moving, showers or storms, originating from cumulus clouds. Rare flooding is associated with the "hurricane season", May through October. Winter snow is rare, scant and usually melts within 24 hours.
Average annual temperature for the Edwards Plateau is approximately 21°C. Monthly average temperatures vary from around 11°C in January to 30°C in August. Temperatures are lowest at the western, higher parts of the Edwards Plateau, and higher at the eastern, lower parts. But, as in the case of precipitation records, extremes are in several ways more important statistics for the biologist. July afternoon highs often range to 41° or 42°C and January night-time lows often approximate -10°C. The lowest night-time temperature ever recorded in the Plateau was about -23°C. The average last spring frost is usually in late March and the earliest frost in autumn is in mid-November.
Vegetation
The "original" (c. 1800) vegetation was grassland or, more commonly, a type of open savanna, with shrubs and low trees along rocky slopes (Correll and Johnston 1970; Stanford 1976; Hatch, Gandhi and Brown 1990). "Tall" prairie grasses (about 1 m tall in late September, the month of maximum height) are still common on level or nearly level rocky outcrops and protected areas having good soil moisture. Shallow or more xeric, exposed sites support "midgrasses" (maximum heights usually 20-50 cm) and those areas with much grazing have a predominance of "shortgrasses" not more than about 15 cm in height. The vegetation in 1800 was therefore not as dense or lush as would be expected in a climate with a mean annual precipitation of 500 to 800 mm, but this is because of the unpredictable rainfall. In the early 1800s and even up into the 1840s, 1850s and later, the open, grassy nature of the landscape was associated with recurrent fires which suppressed woody growth. Fires are well known to be propagated on relatively level ground, but not on steep slopes. Thus the woody brush was confined to the steeper slopes and canyon walls.
Presently not only the rocky slopes but many of the undulating uplands, especially in the eastern and southern halves, carry a dense growth, 3-8 m tall, of shrubs and small trees, mostly oaks (Quercus fusiformis and other species) and juniper (Juniperus ashei). This invasion of woody plants into former grasslands is attributed to the suppression of fires in historical times, which allowed the woody invaders to displace some of the grassland. Some writers invoke the working of cattle and other livestock on the landscape to help explain these historical trends. At the north-western margin of the Edwards Plateau, the vegetation grades into that of the "mesquite-tobosa country" of the Rolling Plains, also a short-grass savanna with mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) dotting the short tobosa grass (Hilaria mutica) which forms vast almost mono-specific stands on flatlands with slow run-off.
Flora
The earliest professional botanical collections in the Edwards Plateau were those of Jean Louis Berlandier, who accompanied a bison-hunting party in the Hill Country late in 1828. Another notable Texas botanist, Ferdinand Lindheimer, settled at the mouth of a Hill Country canyon in 1843 and collected in the area for some years. Many of the species of the region carry his name. A few other botanists collected in the area in the nineteenth century and early twentieth centuries. From the 1920s onward, many botanists have collected here. The Edwards Plateau is well known botanically. Approximately 2300 species of native vascular plants have been recorded from the Edwards Plateau (Correll and Johnston 1970; Stanford 1976; Hatch, Gandhi and Brown 1990). An additional 200 species are introduced. A study of the distributions of the species outside of the Edwards Plateau indicates that about 500 of the gramineous and herbaceous, especially the prairie-type, species tend to be those of wide distribution in the grasslands of North America, many extending south into north-central Mexico and north into the Great Plains and even into southern Canada. Of the shrubs and small trees, most reach their northern and/or eastern limits in the Edwards Plateau, and thus can be thought of as having floristic relationships more with the calcareous mountains and plateaux of northern Mexico (the Sierra Madre Oriental, broadly construed). Many of these plants seem to "spill over" to some extent onto the edaphically similar limestone uplands just east of the Edwards Plateau, for example, the upper Cretaceous Austin Chalk outcrop, or farther south onto the calcareous hills of the Rio Grande plain, especially the Bordas Scarp.
Only a few species (about 10% of the Plateau flora) are strictly endemic, that is, they are not known to occur at all outside of the Edwards Plateau. But the list of strictly endemic species includes some truly fascinating threatened and endangered species. In the listings below a careful attempt has been made to list the rarest species first, and less and less rare species in sequence. Topping the list are the beautiful and endangered Styrax texana and the threatened Styrax platanifolia, known from a few canyons in the Hill Country (Gonsoulin 1974). The rare, beautiful and probably endangered Salvia penstemonoides deserves an early listing, followed by: Dalea sabinalis (Barneby 1977), Streptanthus bracteatus, Crataegus secreta (Phipps 1990), Philadelphus ernestii, P. texanus, Penstemon triflorus, Carex edwardsensis (Bridges and Orzell 1989), Seymeria texana (Turner 1982), Tridens buckleyanus (Gould 1975), Anemone edwardsiana, Penstemon helleri, Matelea edwardsensis, Amsonia tharpii, Ancistrocactus tobuschii, Onosmodium helleri, Erigeron mimegletes, Tragia nigricans, Berberis swaseyi, Amorpha texana (Wilbur 1975), Hesperaloë parviflora, Galactia texana, Opuntia edwardsensis (Grant and Grant 1979, 1982), Kuhnia leptophylla (Turner 1989), Perityle lindheimeri (Powell 1974), Tradescantia edwardsiana, Chaetopappa effusa (Nesom 1988), C. bellidifolia (Nesom 1988), Quercus laceyi, Vitis monticola (Moore 1991), Buddleja racemosa, Garrya lindheimeri (Dahling 1978) and Verbesina lindheimeri.
One special case is that of Muhlenbergia involuta which appears to be a series of sterile first-generation hybrids between M. lindheimeri and M. reverchonii. These hybrids are known only from the Edwards Plateau, which is the overlap-area of the ranges of the two putative parental species.
Examples of more widespread species of which endemic varieties occur in the Edwards Plateau are few. Some examples are Samolus ebracteatus var. cuneatus, a variety of a very widespread American tropical complex (Henrickson 1983) and Aesculus pavia var. flavescens, a local variety of a species widespread in the woodlands of south-eastern U.S.A. Likewise, Vitis aestivalis var. lincecumii is the Edwards Plateau race of a grape widespread in eastern North America (Moore 1991). Pediomelum hypogaeum var. scaposum on the other hand is a variety of a species widespread in the southern Great Plains and Prairie States (Grimes 1988). Croton alabamensis is a special case, with one extremely rare variety endemic to northern Alabama and an even rarer variety endemic to the eastern Edwards Plateau (Ginzbarg 1991, 1992).
If we extend our consideration of endemism to limestone uplands generally in northern Mexico and southern, central and western Texas, we find many species that occur in the Edwards Plateau and range perhaps 100 to 300 km outside of the strictly defined Edwards Plateau. Among the species that are not strictly endemic to the Edwards Plateau but also occur on the edaphically similar limestone uplands of central and southern Texas (including the Austin chalk) are Euphorbia jejuna, Brickellia dentata, Agalinis edwardsiana, Physostegia correllii (Cantino 1982), Clematis texensis, Penstemon guadalupensis, P. brevibarbatus, Yucca rupicola, Muhlenbergia reverchonii, Vernonia larsenii (King and Jones 1975), Argythamnia simulans, Dichromena nivea, Thelesperma curvicarpum, Mirabilis lindheimeri, Desmanthus reticulatus, Pediomelum cyphocalyx (Grimes 1988), Desmanthus velutinus, Hedeoma acinoides, Panicum pedicellatum, Salvia roemeriana, Tetragonotheca texana, Lespedeza texana, Salvia dolichantha, Salvia texana and Quercus buckleyi (Dorr and Nixon 1985).
Species common to the flora of limestone uplands of western Nuevo Leon and Coahuila (Mexico) and also the Edwards Plateau include: Colubrina stricta, Hesperaloë funifera, Pinus remota (Bailey and Hawksworth 1979), Bouteloua uniflora, Pistacia texana, Pavonia lasiopetala, Muhlenbergia lindheimeri, Hunzikeria texana (Hunziker and Subils 1979), Antiphytum heliotropioides, Salvia engelmannii, Lythrum ovalifolium, Passiflora affinis, Penstemon baccharifolius, Scutellaria microphylla, Forestiera reticulata, Rhus virens, Thelesperma longipes, T. simplicifolium, Chaptalia texana, Chrysactinia mexicana, Bernardia myricifolia, Galphimia angustifolia, Croton fruticulosus, Acacia roemeriana, Stillingia texana, Indigofera lindheimeri and Cassia lindheimeriana.
Many other species of the Edwards Plateau could be listed as widely distributed in the south-western U.S.A. and northern Mexico. Examples are Thamnosma texanum and Pinaropappus roseus. A compilation of species common to both the desertic and montane floras of trans-Pecos Texas and adjacent areas and the Edwards Plateau will probably total 300 species. A few species are known to be endemic to non-limestone substrate in the Central Mineral Region, e.g. Campanula reverchonii and Valerianella texana (Mahler 1981). Two widespread subtropical ferns are found in Texas only on Enchanted Rock, one of the granitic knobs of the Central Mineral Region: Blechnum occidentale (Seigler and Lockwood 1975) and Cheilanthes kaulfusii.
Useful plants
The region abounds, during years of normal rainfall, with grasses and herbs useful for foraging by domestic stock. In comparison to this role in ranching, the direct human values of these and other plants of the Edwards Plateau are miniscule. An industry of moderate proportion derives fence posts from the abundant Juniperus ashei of the region. These posts have the reputation of high decay-resistance, when in contact with soil, as compared to any other readily available natural posts. A small industry in the region derives, through steam-distillation, an aromatic oil from the roots, trunks and branches of the same Juniperus ashei. The aromatic oil is incorporated into germicidal bathroom cleaners, all of which have the word "pine" in the name. Exploitation of trees for timber and lumber is of negligible importance. A small industry derives firewood for sale to householders and restaurateurs, mainly from Prosopis glandulosa and Quercus fusiformis. A couple of endemic species have been taken into the horticultural trade, namely Clematis texana and more importantly Hesperaloë parviflora.
Social and environmental values
The region comprises mainly small to large ranches with a mixture of domestic stock including many cattle and slightly fewer goats. Sheep are infrequent, followed by even fewer pigs. Hunting privileges, contracted months or even years in advance of the annual season, provide significant revenues to landowners. The major species hunted is the white tailed deer. Harvests of Rio Grande turkey, wild boar, javalina (collared peccary), bobwhite and scaled quail, and mourning doves are of lesser value. Some ranchers stock exotic species, such as various African and Indian antelopes, for sport hunting. Others stock ostriches and emus, these large birds being valued principally for their skins used in making "cowboy boots". Non-hunting recreation and tourism brings in some revenue. Eco-tourism, specifically ornitho-tourism brings thousands to catch a glimpse of the increasingly uncommon endemic black-capped vireo (Vireo atricapillus) and the golden-cheeked warbler (Dendroica chrysopareia). Hill Country rivers, clear, relatively cool and lined with stately Taxodium distichum trees, attract thousands of visitors, principally from the even hotter and more humid coastal cities such as Houston. In the last 20 years the Hill Country has blossomed as a sun-belt retirement area with relatively low land values and other low living costs, compared to the traditional overcrowded areas The region comprises mainly small to large ranches with a mixture of domestic stock including many cattle and slightly fewer goats. Sheep are infrequent, followed by even fewer pigs. Hunting privileges, contracted months or even years in advance of the annual season, provide significant revenues to landowners. The major species hunted is the white tailed deer. Harvests of Rio Grande turkey, wild boar, javalina (collared peccary), bobwhite and scaled quail, and mourning doves are of lesser value. Some ranchers stock exotic species, such as various African and Indian antelopes, for sport hunting. Others stock ostriches and emus, these large birds being valued principally for their skins used in making "cowboy boots". Non-hunting recreation and tourism brings in some revenue. Eco-tourism, specifically ornitho-tourism brings thousands to catch a glimpse of the increasingly uncommon endemic black-capped vireo (Vireo atricapillus) and the golden-cheeked warbler (Dendroica chrysopareia). Hill Country rivers, clear, relatively cool and lined with stately Taxodium distichum trees, attract thousands of visitors, principally from the even hotter and more humid coastal cities such as Houston. In the last 20 years the Hill Country has blossomed as a sun-belt retirement area with relatively low land values and other low living costs, compared to the traditional overcrowded areas in California, Arizona and Florida. The population approximately doubled in the dacade 1981 through 1990, from 1,000,000 to 2,000,000 (these estimates do not include the nearby cities east and south of the Hill Country).
Economic assessment
The current value of resources and services that the Edwards Plateau provides to the national economy on a sustainable basis is difficult to ascertain. Minor forest products are not only minor, but negligible in importance.
The Edwards Plateau serves as an important watershed and ground-water recharge zone for several of the most important cities of the region (Waco, Temple, Belton, Georgetown, Austin, San Marcos, New Braunfels, San Antonio, Uvalde, Del Rio), lined up along its eastern and southern margins where rivers disgorge onto the coastal plain. All these cities rely for their water supplies on the streams flowing out of the Edwards Plateau and the large springs at its eastern and southern edges (which are marked by the Balcones Fault Zone). Water percolates through the permeable limestone to the water-table, thence to the springs and wells. A number of streams have been dammed in the last 50 years to ensure the continuity of water-supplies and to support aquatic recreation. Watershed protection has not been, and still is not, a priority with governmental agencies of the region. As a result of the rapid population growth, the quality of the surficial and subterranean water has deteriorated in recent years. Nevertheless, the Edwards Plateau's function as a water recharge and supply zone will in the future become more and more its major economic value to the human population of the region. Vegetational integrity and maturity are known to correlate positively with the quality of underground and surficial water.
Threats
The plant resources of the region have been threatened for hundreds of years by an over-abundance of non-native and native animals. Some species have survived the intensive over-browsing only as a few individuals. For example, probably fewer than 15 individuals of Styrax texana exist in the wild. This is an extreme case of poor survival and perhaps indicates the likelihood that some species became extinct prior to botanical exploration. The threat continues and in some areas is further exacerbated by high deer populations which are no longer controlled by natural predation. The major acute new threat, accelerating in recent years, is the development of land for residential and light industrial purposes, especially in the Hill Country near the largest cities (Austin, San Antonio, Waco). Diffuse urbanization, being the result of literally millions of independent decisions to buy small parcels and settle in the area, appears to be immune from governmental regulation without a massive public awakening.
Conservation
The only lasting and worthwhile effort to minimize loss of biotic and genetic diversity will be to establish large biological reserves selected for their relatively undisturbed state. While this concept is not new to existing policymakers and those with financial resources, at the present time only a miniscule area of the region has been set aside. It should be noted that, in contrast to other western states which initially were carved out of federal territorial land (and which therefore presented more opportunities for establishment of federal parks and forest reserves), Texas initially had virtually no federal lands. State and municipal parks in the Edwards Plateau total only c. 30 km² or possibly 35 km². There is no National Park, save one of c. 1 km² devoted mainly to historical interpretation. While no true wilderness presently survives in the Edwards Plateau, tracts of several hundred to several thousand hectares still exist that could be set aside. It is suggested here that a minimum 2% criterion be applied, that is that concerned governmental and private initiatives work together to set aside appropriate tracts with the minimum goal being 2% of the land area, or about 2000 km². That will represent an almost hundred-fold increase over present holdings. Only then can any reasonable expectation that the biotic richness of the region will be passed on to succeeding generations.
The Latest News
LCRA was selling water from Burnet County well that's now dry
The Lower Colorado River Authority was selling water from the Spicewood Beach water system less than four weeks before the well serving the area ran dry, officials said Wednesday. Read full Statesman.com article.
Panel discussion with the Imagine Austin Citizens' Advisory Task Force, February 10
The University of Texas will host the next installment of its City Forum series, February 10, with a panel discussion on the City of Austin's long-awaited comprehensive plan, Imagine Austin. Learn More
TWDB to Decide “Desired” Future of Trinity Aquifer on March 1st
The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) was scheduled to review two challenges and decide on the reasonableness of the Desired Future Conditions for the Trinity Aquifer in the Texas Hill Country at their February 1st board meeting. At the request of WVWA, the Board President granted a continuance yesterday and moved the agenda item to the March 1st scheduled board meeting. TWDB is expected to rule on a protest to the Desired Future Condition (DFC) goal adopted by GMA 9, a goal that some argue is not sustainable. The proposed DFC allows for an average of 30 feet of additional groundwater decline over the next 50 years (an average of 19 feet across Hays County). Read More
Travis County passed new rules to protect water resources
After months of vetting by a diverse volunteer stakeholder committee made up of scientists, developer interests, landowners, residents and groundwater planning professionals Travis County Commissioners unanimously passed recommended new subdivision rules dealing with water use. “Already built or planned subdivisions and those with five or fewer lots that use surface water or have a rainwater collection system to back up groundwater would be exempt from the rules.” Read a brief from the Austin American Statesman that includes a link to the feature article from earlier this week here. Read Travis County staff summary to the Court here.
Spicewood Beach and neighbors getting water trucked in
A Central Texas community has run out of water amid a statewide drought, prompting the Lower Colorado River Authority to start trucking in water. Read more from Statesman.com.
Rethinking water: Growing population, limited supply mean costs destined to rise, experts say
Is water too cheap? Perhaps the most obvious indication that it is, said Michael Webber, a University of Texas professor who heads a research group focused on water and energy, is how freely we use it. A growing population requires more water, which the state says can't come from one source. Addressing the state's water needs requires a range of solutions, most of which are expensive. Read more from Statesman.com.
New Study shows billboards hurt nearby property values
A new study shows that billboards negatively affect the values of neighboring properties. It also found that cities with strict billboard controls are experiencing greater economic prosperity than those with controls that are less strict. Read full article in Scenic America's newsletter, Scenic Overlook.
Couple's fight with pipeline company pits Texans' love of oil vs. love of land
The Gipses are one of hundreds in the Crossroads with pipelines crisscrossing their property. For the Gipses and others, their worries aren't about fracking or possible pollutants. For them, the problems start with two legal words: eminent domain. Read full VictoriaAdvocate.com article.
Night Skies showing Venus and the Moon
The HCA photo contest opens on March 1st which is just one month away. Right now the night sky is displaying a wonderful show of the Moon and Venus. Check out these beautiful, inspirational photos. Many local efforts are underway to retrofit outdated lighting in order to protect the night skies. Keep up with this issue and talk with your neighbors about protecting starry skies in the Hill Country.
Lawyer was the bridge over troubled waters
Robert Gulley returned to San Antonio after 44 years to accept a job with the expectation he would fail. His task was to get a 26-member committee representing industry, environmental groups, farmers and cities to agree on how to share the Edwards Aquifer. Read more from SA Express-News.
Burnet/Llano County Water Issues Meeting, January 26
The Central Texas Water Coalition (CTWC), together with Burnet County, will hold an informational session on the region’s most pressing water issues. Area residents and business owners will be able to engage in a Q&A session with a panel of representatives from LCRA, TCEQ, TWDB, Corp of Engineers, and CTWC. Details
LCRA water plan revisions are ready for public comment
“Releasing a new proposed model for managing its water, the Lower Colorado River Authority published its draft water plan Tuesday, detailing stricter guidelines for releasing water to rice farmers and nearly doubling water reserves for cities and power plants.” The plan is posted at LCRA.org. Comments are due February 9th and can be submitted electronically. The LCRA Board will consider the plan at its February 22 meeting. Read more from the Austin American Statesman.
Medina Lake withers on
Medina Lake not been this low in more than two decades, and the lake is expected to continue to lose a few inches every day as the 15-month drought continues. Every drop means less water available for farmers and the city of San Antonio. Read full Houston Chronicle article.
LCRA: Spicewood Beach wells have two to three weeks of water remaining
The well supplying water for about 1,100 residents near Spicewood Beach in Burnet County is at risk of running dry in two to three weeks because of prolonged drought conditions…"We are hopeful that conservation efforts will extend the life of the well, but even so, it is likely the well will become unusable in the next few weeks." Learn More
Drought Emergency Planning Workshops
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) will be hosting drought emergency planning workshops throughout the state in January and February 2012. The workshops will provide local government officials, board members, and their water system operators information and tools to prevent and mitigate water outages. Learn More
Wildfire Preparedness Seminar, January 30 in Kerrville
The Upper Guadalupe River Authority has partnered with Texas AgriLife Extension Service, Kerr County, and Headwaters GCD to bring a wildfire preparedness seminar to our area. Topics will include the current status of the drought, wildfire prevention and preparedness, local burning regulations, and a legislative forecast. Details
Wind Turbines + Transmission: A Performance Art Show
Andy Wilkinson designed the project to capture the changing landscape of wind industry through the voices of those involved and impacted by areas of development. He has interviewed farmers, landowners, wind developers, municipal leaders, and environmentalists. The event takes place at TTU in Junction, Thursday evening 1/26. Learn More
Texas' Water Rights System Gets Tested in Drought
Earlier this month, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality issued a notice to a handful of East Texas groups in the Sabine River Basin: Their rights to river water will be suspended because a hunting and fishing club needs more water. The club's right to water predates the others' rights — literally. Read full Texas Tribune article.
Texas Fracking Disclosures to Include Water Totals
Starting Feb. 1, drilling operators in Texas will have to report many of the chemicals they use in hydraulic fracturing. Environmentalists and landowners are looking forward to learning what acids, hydroxides and other materials have gone into a given well.
But a less-publicized part of the regulation is what some water experts are most interested in: the mandatory disclosure of the amount of water needed to “frack” each well. Experts call this an invaluable tool as they evaluate how fracking affects water supplies in the drought-prone state. Read more from Texas Tribune.
Let’s teach our kids about Major Rivers, Watersheds and Aquifers
The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) has a great program to educate 4th and 5th graders about water resources. Talk this up with your local Hill Country elementary school teachers, let them know that now is the time to order materials. Let’s work together to help the next generation understand watershed systems, the relationship between groundwater and surface water and the importance of conservation. Learn more, register for webinar and place an order here.
Develop water strategy to slake Texans' thirst
The state's population is expected to nearly double by 2060, from 25.4 million people to 46.3 million, according to the state water plan. New management strategies and supply projects are needed to meet the state's residential, business and agricultural water needs. Failure to act could result in devastating business losses, lost jobs and reduced incomes, the state plan says; public health and economic development will suffer. More from Statesman.com.
1,800-home development in western Travis County to go forward
Home construction at the stalled, 1,400-acre Sweetwater development in western Travis County is likely to start by March. On Tuesday, Travis County commissioners unanimously approved aspects of the project that allow Sweetwater's developer to sell lots and continue building roads for the new residential community at Texas 71 near Bee Creek Road. Read full Statesman.com article.
Could water, power woes threaten state's economy?
Dwindling supplies of water and electricity are imperiling the state's economic future, a Texas Senate committee was told Tuesday. Read more from Statesman.com.
Water rate hike provokes county officials
Kerr County commissioners and the county judge had harsh words for the proposed Aqua Texas water rate increase but have basically no way to fend off the new charges. According to the TCEQ, customers have a 150-day comment or protest period after they receive notice of the proposed rate increase. Read full Kerrville Daily Times article.
KLRN Broadcast: Eagle Ford: Opportunity and Challenge
“Predictions on the billions of dollars in oil and natural gas that will come out of the Eagle Ford shale project are mind boggling... The environmental impact of fracking hasn't been effectively measured yet, and many claim the process pollutes well water, or even might cause earthquakes. Read about the program hosted by Robert Rivard. Tune in to KLRN San Antonio, Thursday, January 12th from 8 – 9 pm.
The Future of Texas Drought, January 12
The Central Texas Water Coalition's January 12 meeting will feature, "The Future of Texas Drought," a presentation by Texas State Climatologist, John Nielson-Gammon. Travis County Commissioner Karen Huber will be on hand to talk about her recently released Lake Travis Economic Impact Study, and Burnet County Judge Donna Klaeger will discuss the proposal for the studies of Burnet and Llano Counties. Learn More
After exceptionally hot and dry 2011, more drought forecast for new year
After enduring the record-setting heat and dry conditions of 2011, drought-weary Texans are being greeted with forecasts of more of the same for the new year. Read more from TexasClimateNews.org.
The 2012 State Water Plan was sent to the Governor on January 5, 2012
“The primary message of the 2012 State Water Plan is a simple one: In serious drought conditions, Texas does not and will not have enough water to meet the needs of its people, its businesses, and its agricultural enterprises.” Learn more from TWDB. Read what Tom Mason, former LCRA General Manager has to say about the plan here.
Keeping rural roots alive without leaving the city
A great story featuring thoughts of Wendell Berry and Wes Jackson, two sustainable agriculture pioneers… “We came here as poor people on rich land, but now we are rich people on poor land," Jackson said. "As we made 'progress,' we didn't realize what we were undoing in the process. Our society is built upon the withdrawal on the "capital stock of the earth." Read story from Statesman.com.
Private Lands, Public Benefits: Innovations to Sustain the Private Lands that Provide Food, Fiber and Water Policy
In early December, the Texas Agricultural Land Trust and Texas Department of Agriculture hosted Private Lands, Public Benefits in Austin, Texas. The full day conference showcased examples of unique, market based approaches to land and natural resource conservation. Topics included; land fragmentation and loss of rural lands, purchase of development rights or “PDR” programs, the value of natural ecosystems and conservation easements. Learn more about the conference and access speaker presentations. Learn more about Land Conservation and Conservation Easements.
Environmental impact of CREZ
December 23rd was the final day to submit public comments for the LCRA draft Environmental Assessment (dEA), draft Habitat Conservation Plan (dHCP) and related Incidental Take Permit (ITP). The Study Area includes six counties (Tom Green, Schleicher, Kimble, Kerr, Gillespie and Kendall) The impacts of these 18-story high lattice towers used to build 178 miles of industrial scale transmission lines (known as CREZ projects) will change the Hill Country region forever. Hearings will be set soon, you can find out more and review documents at USFW. Comments filed by SOSHE and CVA are posted on our CREZ Issue page.
The Texas Water Crisis
Texas water authorities at every level are on alert. Last summer’s extremely hot, dry weather was a wake-up call. Now more than a dozen Texas towns are in danger of running out of water. Texas is in a water crisis. To make it official, the Texas Water Development Board December report says the state reservoirs are extremely low even after some autumn rain. More from CleanHouston.org
Dangers of fracking still becoming clear
The word "fracking" may sound funny, but it describes a drilling practice that has created a serious boom in natural gas production in Texas and elsewhere, and with the boom has come serious worries about fracking's effects on the environment. More from Statesman.com.
Final piece of aquifer plan approved
In a brief, anticlimactic ending to a painstaking, four-year-long process, the Edwards Aquifer Authority board voted Wednesday to approve the funding for a habitat conservation plan that should keep the region's main aquifer under local control. The plan calls for habitat restoration at the springs, storing water in an underground reservoir built by SAWS, and for all municipal and industrial pumpers to pay farmers not to pump during droughts. Read more from SA Express-News.
Travis County park purchase to add access to Pedernales River
Earlier this month, Travis County commissioners closed on a 770-acre ranch owned by Eugene and Jean Reimers in southwestern Travis County near the Hays County line that will connect Milton Reimers Ranch Park and Hamilton Pool Nature Preserve. More from Statesman.com
EAA Board Approves Funding Agreement for Habitat Conservation Plan
The Edwards Aquifer Authority (EAA) Board of Directors approved a funding and management agreement on Tuesday, December 28, that details how the EAA will pay for implementing a habitat conservation plan (HCP) aimed at protecting threatened and endangered species whose only known habitats are the aquifer-fed Comal and San Marcos springs. More from AACOG.com
Commissioners endorse preserving night skies, PEC offers support
Kimble County and the PEC agree to work together to protect nights skies. “As Judge Murr stated, the night sky is part of the region’s scenic beauty that brings significant economic and financial benefits to the community.” Read more from the Junction Eagle. More from HCA on Night Skies here.
Water planners urged to base needs on centuries, not decades, of drought data
Over the past 500 years, Central Texas has seen droughts far worse than the 1950s drought of record, according to a report commissioned by the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority and published Wednesday in the December issue of the Texas Water Journal. Researchers warn that makers of water policy should broaden their planning to factor in the possibility of droughts far worse than the spell that set the bar more than a half-century ago. Read more from Statesman.com.
Texas Tree Ring Study Warns of Long Droughts
A new study of tree rings adds to evidence that Texas has experienced at least one 10-year drought every 100 years, as well as several "mega-droughts" lasting 15 to 30 years over the centuries. Read full Texas Tribune article.
Growth of large private water companies brings higher water rates, little recourse for consumers
Across the state, a growing number of suburban Texans are getting their water from large, private corporations owned by investors seeking to profit off the sale of an essential resource. State figures show private companies are seeking more price increases every year, and many are substantial. Read full Statesman.com article.
Water a hot topic in Hill Country despite recent rains
"Statistics provided by the Texas Water Development Board show that groundwater withdrawal from the Hill Country's Edwards and Trinity aquifers increased dramatically between 1975 and 2010. In 1975, less than 10,000 acre-feet were withdrawn annually; that shot up to 41,000 acre-feet in 2010. Mix in recent drought years, and a picture of a thirsty Hill Country natural world comes into sharper focus." Read more from SA Express-News.
Hays County Master Parks Plan Draft Available for Public Review
The draft of the new Hays County Parks, Open Space and Natural Areas Master Plan has been completed and is available for public review through 5 p.m. January 11, 2012. It has not yet been endorsed or adopted by the Hays County Commissioners Court. Read More
Rainwater harvesting system should make this year's wish list
Dear Santa, I've been reasonably good and would like pearl earrings, an electric lap blanket, a digital reading device and, oh yes, a rain water harvesting system. With water being a top concern, you may want to add this to your Christmas wish list. Capturing rain water is a great way to improve your water resources. Read more from MyWestTexas.com.
LCRA downsizes staff, reapproves selling water system for $140 million
The Lower Colorado River Authority has eliminated about 200 jobs in a cost-saving measure and reapproved selling off one of its largest water and wastewater systems for $140 million. Read more from Statesman.com.
New rules for fracking approved
The Texas Railroad Commission approved a rule Tuesday requiring oil and natural gas drillers to disclose most of the chemicals they use in hydraulic fracturing. Read full SA Express-News article.
Vote sinks aquifer funding
The Edwards Aquifer Authority board failed Tuesday to approve funding for a plan to assure continued pumping from the region's main aquifer and protect springflows in San Marcos and New Braunfels. The 8-7 vote against the funding agreement means it will be very difficult if not impossible to meet the deadline established by the state Legislature for a habitat conservation plan. Read full SA Express-News article.
Wildlife Tax Valuation Workshop
The Cibolo Nature Center and Texas Parks and Wildlife are presenting a three part Wildlife Tax Valuation Workshop in January. This indepth seminar is especially for owners with more than 20 acres and emphasizes wildlife management strategies that improve native habitat and increase species diversity. Details
Texas State Parks need $4.6 million to help keep parks open
Record drought and heat, devastating wildfires, and a drop in visitation have led to a critical situation for state parks. See how you can help.
Texas’ multibillion-dollar cost to build wind energy lines raises doubts
Texas electricity regulators proposed the $5 billion project a few years ago to bring West Texas wind power to North Texas and Houston. But the markets and the political mood have changed. Carbon dioxide is no longer the most popular foe. Now it’s electricity shortages and blackouts. Read full DallasNews.com article.
Hill Country Landowners take action to protect springs and property rights
So, what happens when local residents and landowners don’t agree with the groundwater management plan handed down by a regional governing body that affects the future of a precious, local groundwater resource?
The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) has a process for such situations, and it’s now playing out with precision in the Wimberley Valley of Hays County. Read More
A sustainable Hill Country eats locally
December 3rd – December 10th is the 5th Annual Edible Austin Eat Drink Local Week! Hosted by Edible Austin, this is Austin’s premier local food event, celebrating local seasonal food and foodmakers in Central Texas and raising money for Urban Roots and Sustainable Food Center. Learn more about Hill Country sustainable agriculture here.
Regional Rail from San Antonio to Georgetown
Project Connect is a collaboration of transportation agencies exploring “high-capacity transit” for our region. Check out this news segment from KUT and KXAN. Open house public meetings will be held in the Austin area December 6, 8 and 9. Learn More
Submit Your Nominations for the Texas Rain Catcher Award
Time is running out to submit your entry for the 4th Annual Texas Rain Catcher Award. The Texas Water Development Board's (TWDB) Texas Rain Catcher Award is a "rainwater harvesting" competition and recognition program designed to promote rainwater technology, educate the public, and recognize excellence in the application of rainwater harvesting systems in Texas. The deadline for nominations is Dec. 31. More information on eligibility, benefits, judging, entries and past winners is available on the TWDB's Innovative Water Technologies website.
Read more Hill Country newsEmphasized
Upcoming Events
February
February 1-3 in San Antonio - Texas Trails & Active Transportation Conference - Details
February 7 in Austin - Texas Enterprise Speaker Series Presents: What's the Future of Energy? | Details
February 7 in Kerrville - Drought Emergency Planning Workshop - Details
February 9 in New Braunfels - Drought Emergency Planning Workshop - Details
February 10 in Austin - City Forum, Imagine Austin: Looking Back, Looking Forward - Details
February 15-17 in San Antonio - Texas Transportation Forum - Details
February 22-24 in Austin - Texas Land Trust Council's 2012 Statewide Land Conservation Council - Details
February 23-24 in San Antonio - 13th Annual Changing Face of Water Rights Course - Details
March
March 7-9 in Dallas - Texas Water Conservation Association (TWCA) 2012 Annual Convention - Details
March 30-April 1 in San Marcos - Texas Rainwater Catchment Association's 2012 Conference - Details
April
April 25-28 - 13th Annual Nature Quest - Learn from Hill Country nature experts through field trips, workshops, nature by kayak and programs along the Clear Frio, Nueces & Sabinal Rivers - Details
April 27-29 in Fredericksburg - Wings Over the Hills Nature Festival - Details
May
May 5 in Bandera - 12th Annual Medina River Cleanup - Details
August
August 28-30 in Austin - Texas Alliance of Groundwater Districts: Texas Groundwater Summit - Details
See more upcoming events
2012 Texas Hill Country Calendar
This spectacular combination of art, literature and nature is intended to inspire new and creative ways of protecting this fragile region.
Click here to purchase
Imagine a place where vibrant communities draw strength from their natural assets to sustain their quality of life. A place where citizens care about protecting the special qualities of a region – their region. A place where people and partners band together to envision a better economic future, tackle shared challenges and care for the natural, scenic, and recreational resources that define the place they call home.
~This is a Conservation Landscape
Helpful Mapping Resources - Beautiful and informative maps of the region to print and share.
HCA Dynamic Mapping Tool - This dynamic online mapping tool includes water resource information, regional geography, natural resource information, jurisdictional boundaries and more using GIS layers in an easy to use Google Earth platform.
