San Marcos, TX – September 30, 2025 — “Rapid growth, drought, and land-use change are putting enormous stress on our rivers and aquifers,” said David Baker, Executive Director of the Watershed Association, opening a presentation to the Hays County Commissioners Court. “The Blanco-Cypress Watershed Protection Plan is how we protect public health, safety, and quality of life—getting ahead of these threats with smart, local action.”
The presentation, sponsored by Commissioner Morgan Hammer, provided an update on the Blanco-Cypress Watershed Protection Plan (BCWPP) Interlocal Agreement (ILA), now in its second year. The ILA, signed in May 2024 by Hays County, the Cities of Wimberley and Woodcreek, the Watershed Association, and Texas State University’s Meadows Center for Water and the Environment, created a three-year pilot program to fund Clean Rivers Program monitoring, special studies, and a full-time Watershed Coordinator housed in Hays County Parks and Natural Resources
Hammer thanked the partners after the update, noting, “To understand Hays County is to truly understand our water. We are blessed to have such a unified front, and this work benefits the entire county, not just the Valley.” She also acknowledged the Executive Committee members present in court: Wimberley Mayor Jim Chiles, Mayor Pro Tem Rebecca Minnick, Mayor Pro Tem Chrys Grummert, and Council Member Debra Hines. Woodcreek Mayor Jeff Rasco submitted a letter of support as he was unable to attend in person.
Thirty Years of Progress
The Watershed Association, founded in 1996, has been working nearly 30 years to protect Jacob’s Well, Cypress Creek, and the Blanco River. When Jacob’s Well stopped flowing for the first time in 2000, it became a wake-up call for the community. Baker reached out to the Meadows Center, then beginning its role as a statewide leader in watershed science, to launch local monitoring.
That partnership began in 2003 with Clean Rivers Program monitoring started by the Watershed Association and supported by City of Wimberley and the Meadows Center at that time called the Rivers Systems Institute on Cypress Creek and the Blanco River. From there, a timeline of progress took shape:
2003 – Clean Rivers Program monitoring begins.
2008 – TCEQ funds watershed plan development.
2014 – EPA approves the Cypress Creek Watershed Protection Plan, the first in Texas to integrate groundwater protection.
2024 – Local partners sign the Blanco-Cypress ILA to ensure long-term implementation
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“This plan is rooted in decades of collaboration,” said Jenna Walker, Director of Watershed Studies at the Meadows Center. “Philanthropy, government, academia, volunteers, and local businesses have all contributed. With the ILA we now have shared governance, measurable outcomes, and a dedicated coordinator to keep the work going.”
Year One Results
In its first year, the ILA has produced tangible outcomes:
- 1,775 students and teachers reached through 33 school programs.
- 30+ storm-drain markers installed.
- 12,000+ residents engaged through outreach.
- 368 water samples collected annually across 43 monitoring sites
These efforts have already revealed challenges. Nutrient spikes in the Upper Blanco tied to wastewater discharges and elevated E. coli in Cypress Creek downstream of Wimberley have prompted corrective actions, including dye tracing studies and groundwater pumping curtailments
Ancillary benefits of nonprofit partnership have also emerged. Baker pointed to the Watershed Association’s Public Utility Commission rate-case victory, which resulted in a $4.7 million refund to Aqua Texas customers, including direct refunds for ratepayers in Woodcreek and Woodcreek North. “That’s the kind of added value we can bring—protecting not only our water, but also the pocketbooks of local residents,” he said.
Recognizing County Leadership
The court and staff were recognized for their collaboration. Baker and Walker praised Watershed Coordinator Jonas Rosenthal for “driving daily progress”—coordinating monitoring, data collection, training, outreach, and citizen response. They also thanked Tammy Crumley (Director of Countywide Operations), Jay Taylor (Parks and Natural Resource Manager), and Caylie Houchin (Natural Resource Coordinator) for their teamwork, noting that the program’s success depends on cross-departmental effort.
Commissioners across the court expressed strong support:
Commissioner Walt Smith stressed countywide impact: “While Wimberley often gets attention, water challenges span all of western Hays County—and the county in general. We really appreciate all you do.”
Commissioner Dr. Michelle Cohen called for east-side expansion: “I’ve spoken with Jonas about Plum Creek and Kyle and San Marcos. We need to ramp up efforts there too.”
Commissioner Debbie Gonzales Ingalsbe underscored the basics: “We take it for granted—turn on the faucet, and there’s water—but there’s so much more behind that. This collaboration is vital for the health of our communities.”
County Judge Ruben Becerra commended the effort’s persistence: “Not everyone will agree, but you’re doing this because it’s right. What you’ve presented shows that protecting water is protecting our way of life, and we’re grateful for your leadership.”
Public comment from Woodcreek Mayor Jeff Rascoe offered one of the day’s strongest endorsements: “As Jacob’s Well goes, so ultimately goes Cypress Creek and everything it brings to the Valley. We cannot ignore the interconnected water web that sustains us. The BCWPP team is uniquely suited to guide policy to preserve and protect this invaluable resource that nourishes us and provides almost limitless beauty and recreation. It is my hope that Woodcreek continues to support the BCWPP for as long as it takes—and that the County and our partners increase their commitments. Water is life, and the lifeblood of our county.”
Next Steps
Looking ahead, the BCWPP team will continue to support subdivision-rule revisions for conservation development, map stormwater and wastewater systems, expand One Water workshops, and launch the Water Wise program this fall, beginning on October 25th in Wimberley.
Baker closed with a reminder: “Clean water sustains our health, our property values, and our economy. Protecting it is protecting our way of life.”
The Watershed Association and Meadows Center will deliver a similar update to the Woodcreek City Council on October 8, continuing local engagement
Click Here to Review the BCWPP PowerPoint Presentation
Click Here to Read the BCWPP – ILA Report
Click Here to Watch Hays County Commissioners Court Meeting Sep. 30th Video Presentation