Neighbor to Neighbor News Pass it on... January 13, 2014

Hill Country News Devils River faces threats from groundwater pumping and export Many eyes are on SAWS in the weeks ahead as decisions are made about regional water supply, i.e. bringing in water from outside of Bexar County. One of the three proposals being considered is from a water marketer seeking to pump and pipe 150,000 acre-feet of water per year from the Edwards-Trinity Aquifer in Val Verde county to San Antonio, San Angelo and other western cities. The Devils River Conservancy and numerous others have sprung into action in opposition to water export in the region that could have serious consequences to inflows of the Devils River, Amistad Reservoir and the Rio Grande below. Get facts here. Read HCA comments to SAWS and the City of San Antonio here. "Opposition Grows to Val Verde Water Plan." Read more from SA Express-News here. Wimberley Citizens and HEB seek common ground Important commitments for rainwater harvesting, night sky lighting, drainage and other considerations, make this new HEB in one of the Hill Country's most charming communities more tolerable. City Council meets Thursday, January 16th, learn more from Hays County's Citizens Alliance for Responsible Development here. Developer decides not to purchase land near Bracken Cave All of the advocacy outreach opposing the Crescent Hills project adjacent to Bracken Bat Cave has paid off - Stratford Land officially declined to purchase the property. “Meanwhile, a coalition of conservation groups and local officials worried about the impact of development on the bats and the land remains interested in buying the 1,545-acre parcel and still is trying to raise money.” Read more from the San Antonio Express here. GEAA is helping rally support for this conservation opportunity, read GEAA’s recent outreach communication here and find out how you can help. Premier of WATERSHED: Exploring a New Water Ethic for the New West, Jan 15 Enjoy the regional premier of the movie WATERSHED, to be followed by a panel discussion featuring international water policy experts. The evening will feature discussion of drought and water policy in Texas and around the world. Sponsored by the Paramount Theatre and the Cynthia and George Mitchell Foundation. Learn more and purchase tickets here.  Troubled Waters: The State of Texas Rivers The Texas Tribune examines Texas’ major rivers, all of them threatened by drought, climate change and rapid population growth. Link to the full series and interactive map here. Or, link directly to the story related to a specific Hill Country basin; Colorado, Devils, Guadalupe, San Saba. This valuable series will continue so stay tuned for more revealing reporting from the Texas Tribune. Exploring Conservation Design in Central Texas with Randall Arendt, Jan 24 at the Wildflower Center Early Bird Registration ends January 16th! Join Randall along with local planning professionals for a day full of conservation development and low impact development education. Our region is growing and developing at an alarming rate, this workshop will take a look at ways to grow wonderful communities and conserve the natural resources we depend on. Citizens, elected officials, builders, landowners, students and developers - everyone is welcome. Creative solutions for the future come alive when diverse groups join together to plan for the future. Learn more and register here. More Hill Country Headlines Rainfall and Recharge Reality for the Laurels Ranch, Kendall County Bennett endowment to provide ongoing AgriLife Extension land stewardship programming 2030 District Points San Antonio Towards Sustainability The Hill Country Land Trust Welcomes Its First Executive Director Saving Rural Roads: One-Man Mission Turns to Island-wide Effort Forget Golf Courses: Subdivisions Draw Residents With Farms The Examiner speaks of direct discharge as a Hill Country “Land Heist” Texas Water Star Program workshop for urban water users set for Feb. 14 Much At Stake as LCRA Chooses a New Leader Winter Trout Fishing Coming to the Beautiful Llano River Upcoming Events January January 13-14 & 20-21 in Austin - Certified Interpretive Guide Training Workshop - Details January 15 in Austin - WATERSHED, Regional Premiere & International Panel of Experts - Sponsored by the Paramount Theatre & The Cynthia and George Mitchell Foundation  - Details January 17 in Austin - City Forum: Beyond Landmarks Public Health as a Paradigm for Preservation - Details January 18 in Bee Cave - Travis County Judge Candidate Forum - Details January 21 in Austin - Docent Training at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - Details January 21 in San Antonio - Connections: Streetcar and Comprehensive Plan, Plus Commuter Rail between San Antonio and Austin – Details January 24 in San Antonio: Save the date: Wildlife 101, presented by David K. Langford - A meeting of the Native Plant Society of Texas, free and open to the public - Details January 24 in Austin - Exploring Conservation Design in Central Texas by Randall Arendt - Details  January 24 in Llano - Land Stewardship Workshop for Central Texas Land Contractors - Details January 28 in Canyon Lake - Food Safety & Agricultural Practices - Presented by The League of Women Voters of the Comal Area - Details February February 7-9 in Seadrift - Women of the Land - Land stewardship training program - Details February 14 in San Antonio - Earth-Kind Landscaping Workshop - Details February 14 & 21 - Save the Date - "San Antonio Environmental Challenges: Opportunities in Resiliency" - Two-Day Conference - Details February 26-28 in Austin - 2014 Texas Land Conservation Conference - Details