Water and Natural Resources Stewardship
The Hill Country of Central Texas enjoys picturesque rural landscapes interspersed with beautiful springs, creeks, streams and rivers that provide habitat to an abundance of aquatic and riparian species. The two major aquifers of the region, the Trinity and the Edwards, supply water to rural and metropolitan populations. However, due to increasing population centers, stress on wildlife and ecosystems, and diminished creek and spring flows, the Hill Country is a region threatened by difficulties in maintaining water sustainability for all inhabitants.
Groundwater is a mostly unseen and unexperienced part of our lives. As the recent drought has shown, groundwater helps to form the basic flows of rivers and springs in the Hill Country. When groundwater levels drop, creeks can dry up and springs cease to flow. Dry wells can be devastating for rural landowners and their livestock.
Land and water stewardship are a part of the Hill Country heritage of settlers, ranching and rural communities. Regional organizations such as the Hill Country Alliance, Hill Country Conservancy, and The Cibolo Conservancy focus on stewardship and caring for the land through the participation of landowners and stakeholders. Collaboration with national organizations (The Nature Conservancy, Sierra Club, Clean Water Action, National Wildlife Federation) provides additional support on large-scale projects.
Education and outreach plays a big role at all levels. From K-12 classroom discussions about aquifers and drinking water to university-led initiatives to add to the knowledge base of sound water and and natural resources management, informed stewardship is a primary driver. Examples of these education and outreach programs:
The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment "Land-terns", a Conservation Leadership Initiative
Texas AgriLife Extension Service, programs in Agriculture & Natural Resources, 4-H & Youth Development
Texas Tech University at Junction Outdoor School
A recent interview between BC Water News and Byron Buck, Executive Director of the State and Federal Contractors Water Agency in CA, included this question and response:
"If you could change one thing about...water policy, what would it be? Education about water."
What's the Take-away Message?
During 2010-2011, groundwater has been increasingly a part of dialogue about development in the Hill Country. Through discussions with groundwater legal experts and representatives of Wimberley Valley Watershed Association and the Hill Country Alliance, as well as groundwater-related bills proposed in the 82nd Legislature, some key points were found in common with these groups:
• Hill Country aquifers are declining.
• Groundwater in the Hill Country is a shared resource.
• Groundwater planning ensures that the resource is shared equitably.
• Groundwater is a renewable, but finite resource.