May 31, 2010
Good management of forages extends to lakes and streams
Good management of riparian zones is important for groundwater quality as well as surface water because creeks and rivers often channel water into aquifers. Read full article by Robert Fears here.
May 28, 2010
Kerrville alarmed by proposed power towers
Kerrville – City Council voted Tuesday to oppose a route proposed by the contractor that calls for a 345-kilovolt line to track Interstate 10 through valuable parcels here, including the city’s gateway at Texas 16. Read full SA Express-News article here.
May 26, 2010
Cypress Flows, News from The River Systems Institute
What is the economic loss to Wimberley if water flow or quality declines in Cypress Creek? What is a CCN? Rainwater harvesting and water conservation tips…this newsletter is a must read for everyone in Hays County and those in the Hill Country Region who would like to learn about the importance of watershed based planning. Click here for more.
Submit comments now to shape your region’s water policies
EDF hosts “Texas Water Solutions” an informative blog for citizen participation in state water planning processes. A torrent of draft regional water plans have flooded the state this spring, as a part of the state’s regional water planning process. Public hearings and public comment periods on these draft plans present critical opportunities for Texans to let planners know their opinions about how best to meet the future water needs of people and the environment in your area. Visit the blog for more information.
TxDot comments on strategic plan are due Friday, May 28th
The Texas Department of Transportation is seeking public comment on its 2011-2015 Strategic Plan. Learn more here.
May 25, 2010
Texas AgriLife Extention offers online rainwater harvesting training course
Texas AgriLife Extention is offering a self-directed online course designed to help small acreage landowners gain an understanding of how to collect rainwater for livestock. Click here for details.
TLC Preserve of the Month: Las Fogatas
The Texas Land Conservancy features “Las Fogatas” or Ferguson Ranch, a beautiful conservation property in Gillespie County owned by Phil Ferguson and Kathy O’Neal. Learn more about this Conservation Easement here.
May 22, 2010
Water suppliers may need to consider the health of mussels
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service may decide by the end of the year whether 11 species of mussels are endangered. If the answer is yes, the state’s river authorities might have to recalculate how much water they can distribute to industry, farmers and growing cities and still leave enough in Texas’ already stressed rivers to keep mussels healthy. Read full Statesman.com article here.
May 19, 2010
Cibolo Nature Center announces three upcoming programs
Sustainable Concept House Workshop, May 29th, and two Rainwater Harvesting Workshops, June 12 and July 10. Click here for more.
May 15, 2010
Hays County couple gives tour of restored, conserved land
When Julie Johnson and her husband, Gordon, bought 100 acres in Kyle more than 10 years ago, their plans for the property did not include farming. The sprawling land that had once been thick with lush native grasses had been overgrazed by cattle and was beat up. Read full Statesman.com article here.
May 14, 2010
Public hearing set June 14 on new groundwater rules
After a months-long, sometimes contentious process to formulate new groundwater rules for Kendall County, a public hearing on the matter has been set for the board’s regular meeting June 14. Read full Boerne Star article here.
May 12, 2010
Does This Look Like a Drought? Forecasters Say It Will… and Soon
In Blanco County, we know what drought looks like. It looks like last summer, when creeks and ponds dried up and the grass went “crunch” under foot. What we see now, after six months of rain, is gorgeous green…full ponds, running streams, a record wildflower year, and even a little flash flooding this spring. Drought doesn’t look like this. Last week, the forecasters said El Nino definitely is fading, and predicted a return to drought conditions within a few months. Read more here.
May 10, 2010
SOSHE meeting Tuesday evening in Fredericksburg
“Transmission Line Easements in Lieu of Condemnation”, 6:30 May 11th, learn more about this and other related news from Save Our Scenic Hill Country Environment here.
May 9, 2010
Regional transportation plan nears approval
The CAMPO board, recipient of more than 4,000 public comments submitted on the draft plan in recent months, will take one last listen in a public hearing today. The meeting will start at 6 p.m. in Ballroom B of the Austin Convention Center. Read full Statesman.com article here.
May 5, 2010
Landowners oppose increasing effluent into creek
Increasingly, the deck seems to be stacked against them, but a group of landowners, residents and business owners along Hamilton Creek in the southern part of Burnet County are making a belated attempt to combat the city of Burnet’s effort to be allowed to dramatically increase the amount of effluent it can discharge into the creek. Read full Highlander article here.
TxDOT Holds Public Meetings on Statewide Transportation Plan
The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) will host a series of open-house style public meetings across Texas to give citizens an opportunity to provide feedback on a long-range plan that provides the agency with a blueprint for the state’s future transportation needs. Read more here.
San Antonio considers funding options and priorities for road projects
The San Antonio Metropolitan Planning Organization is hosting “listening sessions” This Thursday, May 6th and Saturday May 8th to provide public information about which road projects Bexar County will committed for funding in the short term. Learn more here.
May 4, 2010
Reality of Drought-An Update
“…to sustain these flows, the efforts of private property owners, whose land stewardship practices can reduce runoff and improve recharge, are directly linked to the responsibilities of a Groundwater Conservation District, through which locally elected Directors strive to equitably manage this resource for all.” Read the report and preceding articles here.
GMA 9 Joint Planning Meeting Monday May 10 in Kerrville
Hill Country Groundwater District boards and staff meet regularly to work towards common desired future conditions for this region. On this agenda, to be held in May 10th in Kerrvile, planners will be briefed from Texas Water Development Board staff about recent progress with water availability models. Stay informed. Read full agenda here.
May 3, 2010
Protecting a precious resource: Good to the last drop?
Last year State Comptroller Susan Combs urged lawmakers to take action to avoid a major water shortage in the wake of two decades of explosive population growth. Read full Amarillo Globe News article here.