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‘Faucet got turned off’: Hill Country lakes, streams struggling as drought drags on

Paul Bertetti, the Edwards Aquifer Authority’s senior director for aquifer science research and modeling, said the drought is a long-term issue for the aquifer, which started the year with water levels about 30 feet below historical norms “We’ve been exceedingly dry,...

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Hays groundwater district says water company overused 89M gallons in 2022, impacting Jacob’s Well zone

A groundwater district in Hays County said one Central Texas water provider overpumped nearly 90 million gallons of water in 2022, leading to “by far” the largest penalties for overuse in the district, which manages the Jacob’s Well zone. The Hays Trinity Groundwater...

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‘It’s heartbreaking’: Jacob’s Well stops flowing for sixth time in recorded history

Jacob's Well, the popular spring-fed swimming hole in Wimberley, has reached zero flow for the sixth time in its recorded history. All six of those times have occurred in the last 23 years — and it's become more frequent. Earlier this summer, the Hays County park...

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The battle for Zilker Park

It’s not all bad news. There is, at the very least, widespread consensus that Zilker is in dire need of assistance. But what that help looks like—and how much it costs—has become the latest chapter in a long-running and increasingly hostile debate about how much...

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Eclipse roundtables ‘like preparing for a hurricane’ in the Hill Country

DRIPPING SPRINGS, Texas (KXAN) — The Hill Country Alliance, a non-profit focused on conserving and protecting the Texas Hill Country, will host the latest of its Hill Country Eclipse Roundtables on July 25th. The total solar eclipse, happening on April 8th, 2024, is...

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‘It’s a crisis for our community’: Jacob’s Well has zero flow once again

WIMBERLEY, Texas (KXAN) — Jacob’s Well has now had zero flow of water for the sixth time since the summer of 2000, according to the Wimberley Valley Watershed Association. “There are multiple factors contributing to Jacob’s Well’s near-dry condition, and it’s crucial...

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Water resources at risk: Preserving open space in Comal County

The Texas Hill Country has long been revered for its scenic landscapes, pristine water resources, and the allure of a peaceful retreat. In fact, a survey conducted in the 1990s revealed that a staggering 80% of Texans expressed a desire to retire in this picturesque...

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A Comal County ranch owner ponders selling his land, setting off another clash between property rights and environmental concerns

Facing a two-lane highway about 13 miles west of New Braunfels, a 546-acre ranch hugging the west fork of Dry Comal Creek has caused a stir in the community. Behind a small gate, hills dotted with live oaks and a few freely roaming horses can be seen. But neighbors...

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Central Texas water restrictions increase as hot, dry summer persists

A big question some city leaders have to ask this summer is whether residents should have drinking water or a nice lawn. Of course, drinking water is the only answer. That's why at least four cities in the KVUE viewing area have increased water restrictions for...

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Drought-stricken property turned into thriving oasis with rainwater harvesting

Between the ongoing drought and summer heat on the way, water is in short supply and high demand. One local man has found a way to reuse water that falls on his property. "This is just innate to me. This is what I do. I rebuild habitats," said Bill Nash. Read more...

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Critics set to push back against Comal County project that calls for 1,400 homes, wastewater plant

Environmental groups are asking Texas regulators to say no to a proposed Comal County development that calls for 1,400 homes and a plant that could release 600,000 gallons of treated wastewater a day into a creek that feeds the Comal River. The Texas Commission on...

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WATCH: Panelists discuss managing Hill Country development amid finite water resources

Partnerships among land developers, public entities and nonprofits will be vital in managing the Texas Hill Country’s water resources in the coming years, experts said during a panel discussion Wednesday hosted by the San Antonio Report. But whether state legislators...

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Texas’ water infrastructure is broken, jeopardizing quality and supply for a growing state

The Lone Star State’s drinking water infrastructure barely received a passing grade in a 2021 report from the American Society of Civil Engineers, a low mark for the nation’s second-most-populous state with a reputation for bravado. The multibillion-dollar situation...

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Kerr County goes big on BMPs: Operators, community activists and the local government are working together to create a more collaborative environment through a focus on voluntary best management practices

In Texas Hill Country, where there had been an acrimonious relationship between aggregate producers and local residents, the two groups came together – along with local government officials and business people – to develop a voluntary best management practice (BMP)...

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Climate change not part of LCRA water plan. KXAN investigation may change that

Karen Bruett has called Lake Travis home since 1999. “This lake is more than a play thing,” Bruett said, of the body of water just northwest of Austin. “This lake is actually our drinking water. We have that visceral experience of turning on our tap and knowing that...

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House advances bill that could provide billions of dollars for new water projects and fixing aging infrastructure

A new fund to jumpstart massive water supply projects and fix aging water infrastructure across the state would be created under legislation that received approval from the Texas House on Wednesday, in a vote of 136-8. The fund could get between $1 billion and $3...

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Hundreds turn out to oppose permit for Hill Country wastewater plant

As many as 300 people packed into a ballroom of a DoubleTree hotel on the city’s Northwest Side for a public hearing to voice their opposition to the construction of a wastewater plant that would dump millions of gallons of treated effluent into Helotes Creek....

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