GBRA Planning for Habitat Conservation Plan

Habitat Conservation Plans (HCP) are designed to protect endangered and threatened species from activities within their range.  The Guadalupe Blanco River Authority announced last year that they are working to develop a basin-wide Guadalupe River HCP, which includes the Blanco River.  The first public meeting in the planning process will be held on Tuesday, June 28, 2022 at 10:00am at the GBRA River Annex (event details link).

This HCP will serve as a planning tool to minimize and mitigate the impacts of activities including the provision of water and wastewater service on 11 covered species. The covered species include three salamander species included, four birds, one butterfly, and three freshwater mussels:

1. 1. 1. Cascade Caverns salamander
      2. Fern Bank salamander
      3. Undescribed Eurycea species #2 salamander
      4. Golden-cheeked Warbler songbird
      5. Red Knot shore bird
      6. Whooping Crane
      7. Monarch Butterfly
      8. Piping Plover shore bird
      9. False Spike freshwater mussel
      10. Guadalupe Orb freshwater mussel
      11. Guadalupe Fatmucket freshwater mussel

Good water quality and water availability are essential for each of these species.  Managing water resources in drought-prone Central Texas where population increases are setting records is no easy task.  We commend the GBRA for taking initiative to develop an HCP to protect habitat for these sensitive species.

Find out more about the GBRA HCP and sign up for the HCP contact list at Guadalupe River Habitat Conservation Plan – Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority (gbra.org).