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WVWA and the Landowners win favorable ruling from the Court in the case of Wimberley  Valley Watershed Association, Johanna L. Smith, H.K. Acord, Janete Acord, James R. McMeans and David Glenn vs. Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation District, Defendant and Wimberley Springs Partners (WSP) Intervenor.
Plaintiffs filed suit seeking to require the District to grant us a contested case hearing on the application of WSP to pump 997 acre feet of water per year from five wells in the vicinity of Jacob’s Well for a golf course development.
Both the District and WSP filed Motions for Summary Judgment seeking to have our suit thrown out. The matter was heard by Senior District Judge Dwight E. Peschel on February 26, 2013. The Court has ruled in our favor denying the motions.
The Court further found that the HTGCD action in denying our requests for contested case hearing “…was arbitrary, capricious, and an abuse of discretion.” We anticipate that the case will proceed to a final judgment consistent with the above. There is no indication at this point as to whether or not the opposing parties will seek to further challenge or appeal the Court’s ruling.
The WVWA is excited to welcome Parc Smith, Marcus Gary and Jason Pinchback to the 2013 WVWA governing board. We are honored by the addition of these three dynamic young conservation leaders to guide the future development and direction of the Wimberley Valley Watershed Association. WVWA is blessed by your service and dedication to make positive change in our communities.
Thank you all for your commitment!
What is Groundwater to the Gulf?
Groundwater to the Gulf is a field-trip based institute for Central Texas teachers that emphasizes  techniques for teaching water-based curricula to students in grades 4 through 8. Participants follow the path of water in Central Texas from its origins to its final destination in the Gulf of Mexico. Topics include: hydrology, groundwater, urban watersheds, water quality, water protection, and water conservation.
2013 Dates: Monday, June 17th starting at 1pm - Thursday, June 20th
The 83rd Texas Legislature opened its regular session this month, and water is a high priority issue on the legislative agenda. But most of the focus thus far has been on establishing a new fund to finance water infrastructure projects. 
Texas does have important water and wastewater infrastructure needs, but conserving and protecting existing water resources should also be a high priority for state legislators. Contact your State Representative and State Senator and urge them to take action this session to conserve and protect Texas water resources and establish priorities for funding water projects and programs.
As of January 1st the Wimberley Valley Watershed Association has passed on the day to day management of Jacob's Well Natural Area Preserve to Hays County staff. The Restoration Rangers are still helping care for the preserve and working with the County on procedures and guidelines set forth in the conservation easement regulations. It has been exciting to see the vision of the WVWA's preservation take form in the county’s site master plan and great getting to know the county staff working at Jacobs Well.
Loving and learning about the Hill Country
Now in our 7th year, the HCA photo contest is a wonderful way to explore, learn and teach about the special qualities of the Texas Hill Country. We’re not only looking for photography that captures the spectacular beauty of this region, but also illustrations of the rare qualities worth protecting and stories that need to be told. -
Unique recharge features that are so important to our water supply, habitats for endangered birds, spring-fed creeks and streams, native plants, natural stream banks, and great examples of wise land stewardship practices.
Professional and citizen monitoring ensure that the water quality in Cypress Creek and the Blanco River will remain high for future generations.
by Travis Tidwell
The Cypress Creek Project is a collaborative process initiated by local stakeholders in the Cypress Creek watershed with the purpose of keeping the creek "clear, clean, and flowing." The project is a partnership involving the Environmental Protection Agency, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, a coordinating committee of local stakeholders, and is facilitated by The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment at Texas State University.
Contact: For Immediate Release
Christy Muse, Executive Director
Hill Country Alliance ( christy@hillcountryalliance.org)
www.HillCountryAlliance.org
512.560.3135
TEXAS’ WATER OPTIONS: BEFORE PIPELINES & DAMS
Author: Mike Mecke, HCA Advisory Board and Water Team member. Mike is a retired rangeland and water resource specialist residing in Kerr County. He is a regular columnist for Ranch and Rural Living Magazine.
(March 8, 2013) Texas has been growing rapidly for many decades and seems that we are also getting hotter and drier.
The Boerne Star By Milan Michalec, Cibolo Nature Center | Posted: Tuesday, March 5, 2013 11:45 am 
Beginni ng with the first humans who wandered through the land between the Edwards Plateau and the Coastal Plain of Texas, better known as the Hill Country, once abundant groundwater sustained the growth of this region. Here, countless artesian springs were the foundation of life for the native people over the course of thousands of years and fostered the expansive growth of permanent settlement beginning with the Spanish Missions of the 15th Century.
A hearing has been set for
November 13 on pending Motions for Summary Judgment in a suit filed by Concerned Citizens and the Wimberley
Valley Watershed Association (WVWA) against the Hays Trinity
Groundwater Conservation District (HTGCD).
Concerned Citizens and the WVWA have appealed to the District Court
to require the HTGCD to hold a contested case hearing on the application of
Wimberley Springs Partners to pump millions of gallons of groundwater from the
Trinity Aquifer in the vicinity of Jacob’s Well.
The District and Wimberley Springs Partners
have asked the court to deny the appeal by summary judgment. Judge Bill Henry is scheduled to hear the
pending motions which could determine the outcome of the case. The economic and environmental health of the Wimberley Valley are at stake. Citizens who are interested in protecting the
flow of Jacob’s Well, Blue Hole and Cypress Creek may attend the court to show their support and hear the presentations.
Motions for Summary Judgment are set to be heard by Judge Henry at 9
a.m. Tuesday November 13. The matter
will be heard in Courtroom 10, 3d Floor of the new Government Center
for which directions from the web site are the following:
Those who wish to attend should arrive at the the
Hays County District Clerk offices have moved to the new Government
Center at 712 South Stagecoach Trail, San Marcos, TX 78666.
GPS
locators/maps do not have the correct location of our new building and
may show you a similar, private address that is not close to the
Government Center.
To
find the Government Center: take the Wonder World Drive exit off of
IH-35 and head west, or head east on Wonder World Drive from Hunter
Road. At the bottom of the Wonder World Drive railroad overpass, turn
North on South Stagecoach Trail. The Government Center is a large, stand-alone building at the end of the cul-de-sac.
Saturday, October 20th, 4pm- 7pm
Dancing Waters Retreat
1405 Mt Sharp Rd Wimberley
Join Friends of Jacob's Well and WVWA
for a picnic at the Well with music by Kim Miller and Blue Grass Jam
with Mike and Louie Bond and Amanda Mora with Cellist Mollie Fischer. Go to www.wimberleywatershed.org to RSVP by contributing your $35 family membership fee. Your online membership renewal supports WVWA's programs to keep Jacob's Well, Cypress Creek and the Blanco River clean, clear and flowing and includes entry to the membership picnic, a T-shirt, monthly news updates, and a chance to win the Weekend Retreat in Junction
Wimberley Valley Watershed Association
PO BOX 2534
Wimberley, Texas 78676
Cypress Creek Watershed Fall Gathering
The Meadows Center and community partners are hosting the Cypress Creek Project Fall Gathering at the Wimberley Community Center on Sunday November 11, 2012 from 12pm-4pm (Veteran's Day).
The event will be a fun way for the community to learn more about its
water resources and how to protect them. There will be activities and
information to promote volunteer water quality efforts in the watershed,
update the community on the current status of project efforts, and to
explore our wonderful hill country environment and visit with neighbors.
Texas Stream Team
will be in attendance with an interactive watershed model, water
quality testing demonstrations, and species identification. Local
businesses and partnering organizations will also be available, as well
as food and drinks, a water-wise landscaping talk, and a raffle.
Members of the Cypress Creek Project team will also be on hand
displaying the project's progress, what to expect within the next year,
to gain feedback about the plan and its implementation, and to answer
any questions.
For more information about the Cypress Creek Watershed Protection Plan, visit our About Us page, or feel free to call or email. We look forward to seeing you!
Keeping our Water Healthy: New Easements to Protect Edwards Aquifer
Posted on September 28th, 2012
By By Dr. Francine Sanders Romero
 The
mechanics of the program have evolved somewhat since its inception
over ten years ago, but the essence remains consistent-utilize an
acquisition mechanism to maintain land over the Aquifer Recharge Zone
in a relatively undevel
oped state, thereby protecting our primary water source. Citizens are
on board with the effort, having supported this .08% sales tax
supplement three times (2000, 2005, 2010), all by comfortable margins.
But, the innovative nature of this particular program, beginning to
garner nationwide attention, may not be fully appreciated.
With
Council consideration pending, this is an appropriate time to provide
an overview of the aquifer's program. After all, CAB (comprised of
representatives from various city/regional entities) will generally be
recommending the expenditure of millions of dollars per purchase. In
almost all cases this will not be to purchase the land outright, but
for a conservation easement - typically on a large ranch in Uvalde or Medina County (although purchases in Bexar may also materialize). Read more..
Every
Saturday morning, volunteers arrive at 9:30 to lead, assist, or “shadow” tours
of the Jacobs Well Natural Area. EVERY
Saturday? Well, holidays are an
exception, but Jeff Vasgaard actually arrived last New Years Day to conduct a
tour for a neighboring property owner.
Sometimes
it’s hot, sometimes it’s cold and we never know how many will come. Why do we
do it?
We do it
because we have inexplicably fallen in love with the Jacobs Well spring and its natural area.
We do it because
we are convinced of the need to share knowledge concerning the aquifer that
feeds the spring and more general knowledge concerning water and natural
resources.
We do it because we can learn from veteran
tour leaders.
“Jeff Vasgaard
gave his one of his fabulous and very engaging explanations and tour and I
chimed in from time to time. I think it’s fun to participate in
tandem. Jeff and I agreed in advance which areas he would “call on me” to
address, which was helpful for me as the “assisting” volunteer.”
Helen Foster
 We do it
because we learn from the amazing variety of tour participants.
I remember a time last spring passing along the cliff trail when a man reached
up and put his hand right in the middle of what I had thought was a clump of fungus. The “fungus” scattered
in all directions because it was actually hundreds of Daddy Long Leg spiders!
We do it
because it is always surprising!
 “The
surroundings are ever changing and therefore always interesting - light bulb
moments every time a tour goes out.” Suzanne Davis
We do it
because people appreciate our efforts.
“A recent tour group expressed great appreciation and asked if
the Master Naturalists ever consulted with people on their properties – what
trees to plant, what native grasses were present or could be added. Jeff
agreed generously to consult and share information about how to improve the
health of her property. It was a very positive outreach, in my view.” Helen Foster
We do it because we love sharing this sacred place and natures
magic with our community and visitors from around the world. Come join us we are there every Saturday at
10am at Jacob’s Well Natural Area!
Sometimes
the Texas Hill Country shares its bewitching beauty openly; other times
it requires planning to be in the right place at the right time.
Thirteen photographers will share their stunning photographic scenes
when the 2013 Hill Country Alliance (HCA) calendar goes on sale this
week. "All the photos selected for the calendar not only delight the
eye, but convey the fragile relationship we have with the trinity of
land, sky and water in the region," said HCA Executive Director Christy
Muse. "HCA and its partners are committed to protecting the ecosystem of
the Hill Country so that it can be enjoyed responsibly for years to
come. We're gratified that these photographers have depicted our region
with such meaning." Grand prize-winning photographer Rob Greebon made
several trips to Pedernales Falls State Park to plan and photograph the
night sky vision of the Milky Way above the park. First place winner
John Bryant Baker took his winning photo on the San Marcos River in the
early spring of 2011. Said Baker, "I grew up in Fredericksburg so the
Hill Country is in my blood, and developing a deeper connection and
understanding of this land and these rivers is important to me." Leslie
Shoots, second place winner, shot his winning photo last summer during
the long hot drought. "I first came across this dried up mud hole along
the banks of the river. Later when long-awaited rains finally came, I
found it filled with water with the cracked mud still visible on the
bottom," he said. "Seeing the lone bush reflected on the surface, I
turned my camera upside down to put it on the horizon." Read more..
by Asher Price for the Austin American Statesman
Austin voters can decide in November whether to support $30 million in bonds to buy land and development rights to protect water quality in the Barton Springs portion of the Edwards Aquifer. Proposition 13 is the latest in a history of bond initiatives aimed at steering developers away from land in the Barton Springs recharge zone.
Much of the rain that falls on the porous limestone of the Barton Springs zone trickles underground and, ultimately, washes into Barton Springs. Since 1998, the city of Austin has spent $128.4 million to acquire the land or development rights of 26,577 acres. Other government entities and environmental groups have contributed an additional $14.9 million toward the acquisitions.
The Travis County Republican Party opposes all seven propositions in the $385 million bond package, saying the city shouldn't take on more debt. However, Proposition 13 has widespread support, as have previous water quality bonds. It is endorsed both by environmental groups, which generally are opposed to suburban development in the environmentally sensitive Hill Country, and by real estate interests, as the stymieing of development on some tracts typically makes neighboring land more valuable.
3rd Annual Rainwater Revival
October 27, 2012 • Boerne Convention & Community Center • 10am to 4pm
From the seven hills of ancient Rome to today’s Texas Hill Country,
rainwater collection has spanned the globe and the ages. To celebrate
this timeless conservation practice, rainwater collection professionals
and enthusiasts converge in Boerne, Texas on Saturday, October 27, 2012
for the 3rd annual Rainwater Revival! Open to the public and free to attend, thanks to our wonderful sponsors!
The festive day will be filled with informative and entertaining
presentations by professionals and users of rainwater, water
conservation-related business vendor booths, rainwater system displays,
and plenty of experts to provide guidance and services; as well as food
booths, shopping, live music, plus much more!
Rainwater Revival supports the mission to spread the good word about
rainwater harvesting and water conservation, the importance of which
grows with our ever increasing population.
In addition to a roster of speakers providing an experienced
cross-section of rainwater collection knowledge, the Rainwater Revival
will feature a collection of 55-gallon recycled rain barrels transformed
into works of art by Hill Country artists. The barrels will be
displayed around Kendall County during the weeks leading up to the
Rainwater Revival and then auctioned off at the event.
Who should attend the Rainwater Revival?
• Hill Country Residents & Urban Dwellers who care
about water availability for the future and want to be responsible
stewards of a finite resource
• People Looking for Alternatives to Groundwater and High Water Bills
• Residential Builders & Home Buyers
• Developers looking for a most cost-efficient and environmentally responsible way to provide housing in the Hill Country
• Eco-Aware Families
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Water Symposium to be held in Austin
As
part of the On the Road series of one-day events to be held around the
state, the Texas Tribune and its partners are presenting a symposium on
October 29 in Austin on the subject of water. This day-long event, set
against the backdrop of the worst one-year drought in Texas history,
will consider the economics and politics of the state water plan and
address the various legal and environmental obstacles to confronting the
crisis. Speakers include House Speaker Joe Straus; state Rep. Allan
Ritter, R-Nederland, chairman of House Natural Resources Committee;
state Sen. Glenn Hegar, R-Katy, vice chairman of the Senate Government
Organization Committee; Todd Staples, Texas agriculture commissioner;
Carolyn Brittin, deputy executive administrator of the Texas Water
Development Board; Andrew Sansom, executive director of the Meadows
Center for Water and the Environment; and Laura Huffman, executive
director of the Nature Conservancy of Texas. Andrew Sansom will lead off
the discussion with a brief historical background presentation titled
"How We Got Here." read more |
Water Catchment Scale Planning and Conservation
Water catchments are widely recognized as the most effective
management unit for the protection of water resources, both water
quality and supply. A water catchment (commonly referred to as a
“watershed”) is an area of land where all water flows to a single
stream, river, lake or even ocean. Natural boundaries of water
catchments can be very small for a single creek or stream or quite
large, the Colorado River basin for example. HCA encourages the use of
the term “water catchment” over “watershed”. A water catchment area is
home to a complete water-cycle system. In order to manage these
systems for a healthy future, we must learn to catch, conserve and make
wise use of all water in the system, rather than “shed” that water away
as the term “watershed” implies. read more
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Valley Watershed Association, Johanna L. Smith, H.K. Acord, Janete Acord, James R. McMeans and David Glenn vs. Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation District, Defendant and Wimberley Springs Partners (WSP) Intervenor. 
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