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Water Catchment Areas (Watershed)

US Supreme Court Dismisses Texas Petition For Review In Pecos River Dispute

US Supreme Court dismisses Texas petition for review in Pecos River dispute

The Pecos river runs from the Sangre de Cristo Mountains near Santa Fe, New Mexico through New Mexico and Texas and eventually into the Rio Grande River at the Texas-Mexico border near Del Rio, Texas.  In 1949, Texas and New Mexico signed the Pecos River Compact, and Congress ratified the Compact.  The Compact provides for the “equitable division and apportionment of the use of the waters of the Pecos River” with the intent to “remove causes of present and future…

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The Importance And The Magic Of Water

The importance and the magic of water

The importance and the magic of water WATER! Yes, cool, fresh and refreshing WATER! As I begin reflecting on the cusp of Thanksgiving, it grows out of a brief conversation with one of our granddaughters. She wanted to know what kind of "thanks list" I was coming up with for 2020. I responded, "We are grateful for continued health and distanced life in this wilderness time of viral threat." Then I added, "I'm digging deep for life's essential ingredients, first…

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Flood Group Designates Planning Sponsor

Flood group designates planning sponsor

Flood group designates planning sponsor It’s been an open secret for decades, but the devastating floods of 2015 drove the point home — any meaningful flood resiliency can be achieved only with regional cooperation. Steps are now being taken to make that a reality. The Region 11 Guadalupe Flood Planning Group, which had its inaugural meeting in November 2019, has designate the Guadalupe Blanco River Authority as its planning group sponsor. Read more from Anita Miller with Hays Free Press…

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How Texas Is Changing How It Plans For Floods

How Texas is changing how it plans for floods

How Texas is changing how it plans for floods Just as the state is dealing with one crisis, it's also preparing for the next. But this time, it's trying to get ahead of the problem. We all remember Hurricane Harvey's devastating impact on the Gulf Coast in 2017. That's triggered an unprecedented effort to prevent the same damage from happening again. Read more from Karina Kling with Spectrum News here.

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Mothering Earth Podcast: Watering Outdoors Tips

Mothering Earth Podcast: Watering outdoors tips

Mothering Earth Podcast: Watering outdoors tips Most of the water we use is used outdoors. A lot of it goes to watering lawns. Water conservation outside the house means designing gardens that use less water, and using more efficient ways of watering plants.This program provides practical advice that you can put to use immediately, to become a wise user of one of our most precious resources, namely water. Learn more and listen to the podcast from Mothering Earth here. https://soundcloud.com/salwak/mothering-earth-76-watering-outdoors-tips

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Out Of Sight, Never Out Of Mind

Out of sight, never out of mind

Out of sight, never out of mind Bioretention basins help keep water quality high for endangered species Bioretention basins come in all shapes and sizes. Some can look like a mere swale in the landscape and others can be highly-landscaped and decorative components of a city’s infrastructure. Whatever the outward appearance each bioretention project might be, the engineered water filtering functionality predominantly takes place below ground and out of sight. “Cities across the country began implementing stormwater treatment practices or…

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Families Threaten To Sue Over Wastewater Released Into Hill Country Waterways

Families threaten to sue over wastewater released into Hill Country waterways

One of the biggest concerns with all the growth in Central Texas is wastewater and what to do with it. For years, the KVUE Defenders have shown the growing number of cities dumping treated wastewater into the rivers and lakes where we get our drinking water and enjoy with our families. Now, the fight against it is landing some cities in court. Read more from KVUE here.

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Hamilton Pool Road Development Dispute Has Implications For Entire Barton Springs Zone — Key Decision Imminent

Hamilton Pool Road development dispute has implications for entire Barton Springs Zone — Key decision imminent

Update: The "imminent decision" to be taken up by West Travis County PUA at their November 19 meeting was postponed until their next meeting, on December 17. If anyone is feeling nostalgic for a 1980s or early 1990s style Austin growth battle they might want to check in on Bee Cave and the surrounding area. There, residents are locked in a fierce, high stakes battle with the City Council and the West Travis County Public Utility Agency (WTCPUA) over a…

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Edwards Aquifer Authority’s Ambitions Put It At Odds With San Antonio Water Utility

Edwards Aquifer Authority’s ambitions put it at odds with San Antonio water utility

The authority that regulates pumping of the Edwards Aquifer is interested in expanding its role over the coming years. But its largest customer, the San Antonio Water System (SAWS), is resisting efforts to raise aquifer fees. Earlier this month, the EAA passed a $34.1 million budget for 2021, with no planned increases in aquifer management fees charged to well owners who pump the Edwards Aquifer within its jurisdiction. Since 2012, the EAA has avoided raising its fees of $84 per…

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SwRI Researchers Evaluate Impact Of Wastewater Systems On Edwards Aquifer

SwRI researchers evaluate impact of wastewater systems on Edwards Aquifer

Southwest Research Institute developed an integrated hydrologic computer model to evaluate the impact of different types of wastewater disposal facilities on the Edwards Aquifer, the primary water source for San Antonio and its surrounding communities. The research results will guide authorities on what actions to take to protect the quality and quantity of water entering the aquifer. Read more from EurekAlert here.

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