Texas Water Development Board announces the 2020 Texas Rain Catcher Award recipients

September 8, 2020
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Economics of Sound Planning, Land Conservation and Stewardship, Land Stewardship, Low Impact & Sustainable Development, News, Planning and Development, Rainwater Harvesting, Water Conservation, Water Planning, Water Resources

The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) announced today the recipients of its annual Texas Rain Catcher Award, a rainwater harvesting competition and recognition program. The award recipients have displayed excellence in rainwater harvesting in Texas in four categories: commercial/industrial, agricultural, educational/governmental, and residential. Congratulations to the 2020 Texas Rain Catcher Award winners: Anodamine, Inc. for its rainwater harvesting system and reuse for industrial processes The Upper Trinity Groundwater Conservation District and the Parker County Livestock Improvement Association for their rainwater…

Hays County kicks off Wimberley Valley Trails Initiative

Hays County is kicking-off its new Wimberley Valley Trails initiative, an effort to develop a multi-year vision to improve connectivity in the City of Wimberley and surrounding areas. This vision includes a system of hike and bike trails, multi-modal transportation options, and other strategies to help connect people with nature and link regional points of interest in the community. Read more from San Marcos Corridor News here.

Water, Texas: Three thirsty Texas cities are global leaders in water innovation

August 20, 2020
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Drought, Economics of Sound Planning, Groundwater Resources, Low Impact & Sustainable Development, News, Planning and Development, Water Catchment Areas (Watershed), Water Conservation, Water Planning, Water Quality, Water Resources

Emily Dickinson once wrote that “water is taught by thirst.” In Texas, a state that knows no bounds of economic ambition but is regularly disciplined by deep droughts, water is indeed taught by thirst. That is especially true in three big Texas cities that are globally significant innovators in water planning, technology, and use. Austin adopted a 100-year water plan in 2018 that essentially calls for conservation and recycling programs so advanced that the city anticipates supplying a healthy share…

Meadows Center, Wimberley Library District announce partnership, plan for ‘One Water’ in library renovation

The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment at Texas State University and the Wimberley Village Library District Board of Trustees have teamed up to launch a new One Water project for the Wimberley Valley community. With technical support from the Meadows Center, the planned 15,000-square-foot library expansion and a 3.8-acre lot will be designed for both water conservation and water quality protection while serving as a community laboratory and educational resource for natural resource protection. Read more from San…

County sets $75 Million Parks Bond for November ballot

The Hays County Commissioners Court voted in favor of a bond election this November for parks, conservation, connectivity and flood mitigation projects at $75 million. “If you look at the astronomical amounts of development going on,” [Commissioner] Smith said. “I know that there are properties or watershed features in my precinct I know of that will not be here if we wait. These are truly once in a lifetime projects.” Read more from Lance Winter with the San Marcos Daily…

POSAC proposes bond for public access to all parks

Hays County is nestled in the Texas Hill Country with incredible natural spaces. If public access isn’t always attainable, how can residents enjoy these areas during the pandemic? The Parks and Open Space Advisory Commission (POSAC) recommends the Hays County Commissioners Court call for a bond by Aug. 17. For the upcoming election in November, POSAC recommends a total bond initiative for $75 million to $80 million. Between $60 million to $65 million is looking to be used toward the tier…

Opinion: More concrete ditches and paved-over prairies? Houston must pivot to nature-based flood mitigation

With damage already felt from Hurricane Hanna on the middle and lower Texas coast, and the potential for a devastating hurricane season upon us, the fear of a repeat Hurricane Harvey is top of mind for Houston-area residents and local elected leaders alike. However, many are unaware that leaders in the region have an unprecedented opportunity to set Houston and Harris County on a more resilient and equitable path when it comes to mitigating the impact of future flooding events.…

Springs that form Headwaters of San Antonio River protected forever

The springs that form the headwaters of the San Antonio river will be forever protected from development, thanks to an agreement involving the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word and Green Spaces Alliance. On Friday, leaders of the Headwaters Preserve at Incarnate Word told the Rivard Report they had placed the 53-acre preserve north of downtown under a conservation easement. A conservation easement is a restrictive covenant that permanently bars construction, paving over natural surfaces, mining, or drilling on…

Hays County Parks & Open Space Advisory Commission makes recommendations to Court

Press Release: Hays County Parks and Open Space Advisory Commission (POSAC) - For Immediate Release: July 31, 2020 The Hays County Parks and Open Space Advisory Commission (POSAC) made its recommendations to the Hays County Commissioners Court on July 28 for a potential bond package in the range of $75 to $80 Million to fund new parks, trails, open spaces, natural areas, habitat, water quality and flood mitigation lands in Hays County. Over the past five months, POSAC received 18 projects proposals from…

Hays County aims at enhancing connectivity, recreation options with Cape’s Pond Project

Hays County is aiming at enhancing and expanding regional connectivity and recreation options for county residents with the acquisition of 28.7 acres of property near the San Marcos River... Hays County General Counsel Mark Kennedy said in a press release that the project was discussed as a “key land acquisition to provide multi-modal transportation connectivity between currently disconnected areas of San Marcos and local hike and bike trail systems, including those that are in the planning stages.” Read more from…