Groundwater Management Zone. Days before the Covid-19 pandemic redefined our lives, the Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation District voted to form the Jacob’s Well Groundwater Management Zone through “Rule 15,” designed to manage water supply and protect spring flow in the unique upper Cypress Creek Watershed. Formed alongside the Regional Recharge Study Zone, which centers on the Blanco River and Pleasant Valley Springs, the GMZ enjoys special pumping curtailment rules and spring flow protection. WVWA was a driving force for many years to convene the dozens of public and private stakeholders who met across a year to create the Zones.

Parks & Open Space. Coleman’s Canyon Preserve was a signature accomplishment of 2020, ranked by Hays County’s Parks and Open Space Commission as the top project for Prop A bond funding. And what a victory for county voters to approve $75 million in bond funding by a 2-to-1 margin. Now, Jacob’s Well Natural Area will more than double in size, and protect crucial source waters and karst features like the Wimberley Bat Cave. Our Regional Conservation Fund proposal supports Hays County’s impressive advance in conserving land and water and creating public access to the Blanco River at the beautiful Sentinel Peak Preserve, over a mile of the river, for generations to come to enjoy.

Blanco Water. The City of Blanco created the Blanco Water Reclamation Task Force in September working cooperatively with Protect Our Blanco, facilitated and supported by WVWA and The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment and partners including Hays County. The task force is investigating alternatives to direct discharge that will allow the city to grow while protecting water quality, water supplies, and habitat.

Market Makers. In May, Texas Water Trade selected WVWA and Jacob’s Well for its technical assistance grant program to implement market-based reduction of groundwater pumping to protect spring flow, especially during drought. Work with TWT partners is proceeding apace to solve the multidimensional puzzle of ensuring sustainable flow in our bustling and rapidly growing watershed.

Jacob’s Well Community Garden is situated on 5 acres of WVWA land adjacent to Jacob’s Well Natural Area. There are 27 individual gardeners and 3 gardens grown to support the Crisis Bread Basket. We are proud to support the volunteer run garden and hope to expand and grow the garden to extend the reach and teaching opportunities associated with sustainable agriculture, expanding rainwater harvesting, incorporating permaculture design, and bringing the local community together to grow healthy organic produce. WVWA is reviewing a new masterplan to address water management and catalyzing regeneration of the watershed through the Jacob's Well Community Garden Expansion Project. We hope to inspire and inform local residents to restore their land and increase Jacob's Well's viability, vitality, and capacity for evolution. Watch for launch in 2021.

Network Partners. Over the last five years, WVWA has conceived and launched the Texas Hill Country Conservation Network (THCCN) with key partner organizations to build collaborative power. THCCN has identified more than 150 land and water conservation organizations across central Texas. WVWA research created the collective impact mode for scaling conservation across the region; now THCCN is governed by a steering committee of twelve member organizations, coordinated by the Hill Country Alliance. Rapid growth pressures across the region require its innovative and aligned response. THCCN advances land conservation, watershed protection, groundwater science and public policy, and One Water infrastructure design. 

TESPA. Trinity Edwards Springs Protection Association has settled its joint lawsuit with WVWA against Kinder Morgan. Earlier this year, Kinder Morgan moved its pipeline route to avoid any Blanco River crossing--sparing Tonkawa Homeowners Association members and their park--and agreed to use only dry boring, limiting damage to porous limestone geology. TESPA and WVWA will continue to support monitoring and groundwater modeling for the protection of karst topography. Prior to the TESPA lawsuit, WVWA got agreement that only dry gas products—no liquid hydrocarbons, as originally considered—will be carried in the 42-inch line. TESPA and WVWA now turn to EP’s direct threat to groundwater in its request to draw 2.5 million gallons per day from the Trinity Aquifer. We will work resolutely to safeguard homeowners’ wells, Jacob’s Well, and Cypress Creek at the heart of the Wimberley Valley.