The Watershed Association

Tuesday Night Arts (Wimberley Parks and Rec)
2021-02-12 19:00 - 21:00 (America/Chicago) | Online
Tuesday Night Arts is a new program from Wimberley’s Parks and Recreation Department in collaboration with the Wimberley Valley Arts and Cultural Alliance (WVACA) created to support artists during COVID and provide a venue for our community to become familiar with the fabulous artists who live here. Jointly produced with WVACA, the two-hour interview and demonstration program will highlight an artist from each of 4 areas: Visual, Literary, Culinary, and Performing Arts.
The programs will take participants “behind the scenes” into the studios of accomplished professionals, who will share their own artistic journeys and talents and offer advice to aspiring painters, actors, musicians, writers, chefs and creatives of all kinds – and provide enjoyment for all who join.
Every second Tuesday of the month, tune in to view the work from 4 different artists, musicians, writers, poets, or chefs from their home studios. A new artist goes live every 30 minutes so come for your favorites or stay to see them all.

Amplify Austin - Day of Giving
2021-03-04 | Online

Climate and Weather Trends in the Hill Country (HTGCD Speaker Series)
2021-03-04 17:30 - 19:00, 2021-05-06 17:30 - 19:00, 2021-07-01 17:30 - 19:00 | Online
The Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation District has announced its 2021 Water-20 Speaker Series. Subject matter experts will discuss a variety of water topics important to Hays County residents.
Hays County is listed by the US Census Bureau as the second fastest growing county in the United States. Great schools, good housing, proximity to growing business opportunities, and a beautiful landscape are all drivers for our growth.
Its most precious resource is water. The Trinity Aquifer deep below has a limited recharge capacity and will not support the growth coming in the next 20-years. The County needs to maximize efficiency of use and diversify its water supply portfolio to keep local communities healthy and viable long into the future.
Rainwater is already being collected on homesteads and larger buildings across Hays County. Water-wise landscaping, land conservation, and climate trends are all important parts of a strategy to protect our aquifers.
Speakers will present at 5:30 live and online. Dial-in information will be on the District website www.HaysGroundwater.com the week before each presentation. Check the schedule for upcoming dates.
Topics will include:

March 4, 2021: Scalable Solutions — Rainwater Harvesting with James Grizzard, Harvest Rain
May 6, 2021: Water Wise Lawns and Gardens with Hays County Master Naturalists
July 1, 2021: Climate and Weather Trends in the Hill Country: John Nielson-Gammon, State Climatologist

Additional topics to follow:

Benefits of Land Conservation on Water Resources: Lori Olson, Texas Land Trust Council
Wimberley One-Water School – Innovative Conservation Design with Nick Dornak, Meadows Center for Water and the Environment

Groundwater Awareness Week
2021-03-07 - 2021-03-13 | Online
Stay tuned this week for aquifer information, well maintenance tips, spring flow trends, and more! We’re planning to highlight the essential role of groundwater in the Hill Country in honor of National Groundwater Awareness Week!

Wild Neighbors webinar: Animal Tracks and Signs
2021-03-12 12:00 - 13:00 | Online
Join Austin Wildlands on Friday, March 12 from noon to 1pm for this month’s Wild Neighbors webinar: Animal Tracks and Signs: The Language of Nature with Jonah Evans, State Mammologist for Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. He’ll talk about how tracks can tell stories about the hidden lives of animals.
Register for the webinar here.

Fix-A-Leak Week
2021-03-15 - 2021-03-21 | Online
Leaks are problematic in so many ways. Not only do they waste water, but they create needless extra work for water well pumps and septic systems. This can have an impact on your water bill or even shorten the life of your equipment. This week we encourage everyone to fix that pesky leak and celebrate a job well done!

Wimberley Valley Trails Initiative Public Survey Period
2021-03-25 - 2021-04-12 | Online

Wimberley Valley Trails Initiative Virtual Public Meeting
2021-03-25 17:30 - 18:30 | Online
Virtual Public Meeting will be held on Thursday, March 25th from 5:30 – 6:30 pm and kicks off the public comment period. Find out more and register for the meeting (or view the archived video post-meeting) here:
Public Meeting | Wimberley Vly Trails (wimberleyvalleytrails.com)
What is Wimberley Valley Trails?
The Wimberley Valley Trails Study is a planning effort by Hays County and the City of Wimberley to increase safety, mobility, and connectivity in the Wimberley and Woodcreek areas through a system of hike-and-bike trails, sidewalks, and related improvements.
Key focus areas:

Multi-use Corridors Master Plan – develop a conceptual Trails Master Plan for walking, hiking, biking, and other transportation options to connect points of interest in the Wimberley region with a series of safe, accessible, multi-use corridors.
Old Kyle Road Improvements – Identify improvements to enhance connectivity, safety, and accessibility between the Wimberley Square to Blue Hole Park and other sections of the trail along the road.

Study Goals:

Involve the community in the planning efforts.
Develop a design based on the history, culture, and natural environment of the region.
Improved connections to points of interests such as parks, schools, and local businesses.
Improve safety, mobility, and connectivity to points of interests such as parks, schools, and local businesses.

Find out more: Home | Wimberley Vly Trails (wimberleyvalleytrails.com)

Our Water, Our Environment and Our Way of Life: Economic Drivers for the Wimberley Valley
2021-03-31 10:00 - 12:00 | Online
The Cypress Creek stakeholder’s semi-annual public stakeholder meeting includes a special online event, “Our Water, Our Environment and Our Way of Life: Economic Drivers for the Wimberley Valley.” that features round table discussions with Wimberley Valley experts and keynote speakers:
Lon Shell, Hays County Pct. 3 Commissioner
Dr. Joni Charles, Associate Professor of Economics at Texas State University
Charlie Flatten, General Manager of the Hays-Trinity Groundwater Conservation District
Stick around after the presentations to hear updates on the Cypress Creek Project’s Watershed Protection Plan and other big happenings within the Wimberley Valley
Register online for meeting link

MUDs in Blanco - Community Meeting
2021-04-06 18:00 - 19:00 | Gem of the Hills, 2233 US-281,, Blanco, TX
Protect Our Blanco is co-sponsoring an educational event with the Hill Country Alliance to help prepare our elected officials and Blanco citizens for growth – Municipal Utility Districts (MUDs)! While we all know that growth can be good and is inevitable, we also know that if it’s not managed effectively we are endangering our precious community.
Find out more about research and innovative solutions for water supplies, wastewater reuse, and water quality protections on the Blanco Water Reclamation Task Force resource page.
This is a free event and you can attend in person at Gem of the Hills or via ZOOM. The link is in the flyer and below:
Please click this URL to join. https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85721357704?pwd=[REDACTED]
Passcode: [REDACTED]
Or One tap mobile:
+13462487799,,85721357704#,,,,*[REDACTED]# US

Protecting Air & Water Through Pipeline Leak Detection
2021-05-18 11:00 - 13:00, 2021-05-20 11:00 - 13:00 | Online
The Pipeline Safety Trust is planning for a return to an in-person conference in 2022, they will continue with virtual conferences. They have two sessions planned for May. The event flyer details topics, speakers, and panelists. Please go to the Conference Page to register. Look for events on the Pipeline Safety Trust Facebook page for more information and updates as the conference gets closer.
May 18, 11am -1pm CDT:
In the first session, discussions will focus on methane, a potent greenhouse
gas, and the new Congressional mandate that pipeline operators begin to eliminate methane emissions.
May 20, 11am – 1pm CDT:
In the second session, discussions will address the August 2020 Colonial Pipeline disaster in North Carolina. The 1.2 million gallon spill, one of the largest gasoline spills in our nation’s history, has contaminated the community’s groundwater.
Organizers are very excited for our topics, speakers, and panelists. Questions for the audience Q&A, can be submitted to questions@pstrust.org. There is a suggested donation of $10 for attending the event. If you are inclined to give more, that would be wonderful! But the organizers don’t want an inability to contribute to keep you from participating, either.

Sustainable Land Stewardship: Creating a Plan for Your Land
2021-05-18 18:00 - 19:30
The Wimberley Village Library is hosting a Zoom webinar about Sustainable Land Stewardship.
Jamie Kinscherff who advises Texas landowners seeking 1-D-1 Wildlife tax status will discuss key elements associated with developing and implementing a sound, informed land management plan.
To register for this event:
Register in advance for this meeting for Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEkcO2hpz8sGdPBgoySKZQYz2Gmx6Ca0uMX

Afterregistering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Organizer: wimberleylibrary@gmail.com

Learn more about the speaker, Jamie Kinscherff (Visit Wimberley bio)

Call for Artists - Sacred Springs Kite Exhibition submissions due
2021-06-01 - 2021-10-01 | Online
Calling all artists! Please submit concepts for art kites by October 1. Artists will receive $1,000 for a selected artwork for the Sacred Springs Kite Exhibition, recognition in the exhibition and accompanying catalog in print and online, as well as in press promotion and community events connected with the touring schedule.
The Sacred Springs Kite Exhibition is the inaugural program of Art4Water, an initiative to advocate for environmental protection through the lens of art. The exhibition is a collaboration between Wimberley Valley Watershed Association (WVWA) and Sky Wind World and brings together the art community around our love for Texas’ great springs. For over a quarter century, WVWA has protected and preserved clean, clear flowing water in Jacob’s Well, across the Hill Country, and all over Texas.
Through this exhibition, Art4Water, Sky Wind World, and WVWA will raise awareness of the vital connection of water to life. With the Well as one example, “Sacred Springs” seeks to float a collection of groundwater icons in the sky.
Full details, touring schedule, and submission instructions:
Art4Water (www.art4water.com)

What's Next for Texas Water?
2021-06-07 12:00 - 14:00 | Online
Texas’ underground water supplies are struggling. That creates long-term uncertainty for landowners who rely on groundwater, the rivers and streams that are fed by it, and the plants and wildlife that will die without it. Yet the Legislature has done little in the 2021 legislative session to address Texas’ water future. So what’s next for landowners, local governments, sensitive ecosystems and the rest of the state?
On June 7, please join a panel of landowners, policy leaders and wildlife experts to assess the landscape for water in Texas, the challenges Texas will face in coming months, and our post-session options for addressing them.
This webinar is co-sponsored by Environmental Defense Fund and the Headwaters Alliance, a coalition of landowners focused on keeping the Hill Country’s springs and rivers flowing.

Natural Bridge Caverns Discovery Days
2021-06-12, 2021-06-13, 2021-06-19, 2021-06-20, 2021-06-26, 2021-06-27
Natural Bridge Caverns | Discovery Days

iNaturalist 101 at Coleman's Canyon Preserve
2021-06-18 08:30 - 11:00 | Coleman’s Canyon Preserve
Join WVWA staff, Restoration Rangers, and Hays County Master Naturalists for an iNaturalist overview and mini-bioblitz at the Coleman’s Canyon Preserve. Please RSVP to robingary@wimberleywatershed.org to be added to the list. Space is limited and access to the preserve is closed to the public at this time.
Attendees will hike and explore the Preserve to document flora and fauna for a species richness project through iNaturalist.
Coleman’s Canyon Preserve · iNaturalist

GMA 9 Desired Future Conditions - Public Comments Due
2021-06-30
GMA 9: 30 foot drawdown of Trinity Aquifer
Groundwater Management Area 9 | Texas Water Development Board

On River Time (Wimberley Radio)
2021-07-07 08:00 - 17:00
David Baker joins On River Time host, Duanne Redus in this week’s radio show live on Wimberley Radio (KWVH, 94.3).
Listen live from 2-3, Thursday July 8th, 2021.
Radio | Wimberley Valley Radio | United States (kwvh.org)

Neighborhood Site Visits - Trinity Aquifers
2021-07-20 - 2021-08-05
This summer the Watershed Association is collaborating with the Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation District (HTGCD) and the Comal Trinity Groundwater Conservation District (CTGCD) to provide a limited number of Trinity Aquifer water well visits. Previous Neighborhood Site Visits have focused on Edwards in the Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer Conservation District and Trinity wells in the eastern portion of the HTGCD.
This year we are focusing on Trinity Aquifer well owners in southwestern Hays County and northern Comal County:

Area 1: July 20 & 22, Burnett Ranches, Mountain View, Lost Springs
Area 2: July 27 & 29, Hill Country Ranches, Ledgerock, Pump Station Rd
Area 3: Aug. 3 & 5, Mustang Valley, Fischer Store Road
Area 4: July 21 & 28, Fischer, RR32, Devils Backbone, Horton Preiss Road

Find out more and sign up for a slot at: Summer 2021 Neighborhood Site Visits – Trinity Aquifers

Financing Nature-Based Solutions: Role of Environmental Credits (webinar)
2021-07-29 13:00 - 14:30 | Online
You probably know carbon markets are heating up rapidly (no pun intended) and demand to buy carbon credits is skyrocketing. But what do you know about the supply chain of carbon credits (and other environmental credits)? How are they originated, who creates them, and how do they get to market?
On Thursday, July 29 at 1pm (Central Time) panelists will delve into the ins and outs of environmental credits such as carbon credits, biodiversity credits, and water credits. If you’ve ever wondered whether your project could create or ‘originate’ credits as a means to get funding, or if you need to find other suppliers to meet your organization’s sustainability targets, this is the session for you.
EcoMetrics and AQAIX are hosting this free webinar. Click here to register:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_3DlRzE8vT1uhuwMwDN6YuA
They have three top experts lined up as panelists:
Sara Cook, Senior Manager, Conservation Strategy, Wildlife Habitat Council. Sara has many years experience leading corporate sustainability practice, and is an expert on efforts to support habitat, biodiversity, and pollinator credit trading.
Brent Fewell, Founder; Earth and Water Law. Brent has over 26 years in conservation and environmental law, and served as principal Deputy Assistant Administrator at the U.S. EPA’s Office of Water. Brent is an expert on various forms of water credits including water quality offset credits.
Dan Linsky, Vice President, Voluntary Markets, ClimeCo. Dan has over 13 years experience in carbon trading and renewable energy, and is an expert on corporate purchasing of credits to offset emissions.

Cypress Flows: Stakeholder Meeting
2021-07-29 18:00 - 19:00 | Online
Hello Cypress Creek Friends and Neighbors,
Due to concerns over rising COVID-19 cases and out of an abundance of caution, we will be moving our Stakeholder Meeting to an online format. Please RSVP to the meeting, to receive instructions on how to join the Zoom meeting.
Cypress Creek Project Stakeholder Meeting
July 29th, 2021 | 6:00 pm
Topics for discussion include:
• A video tour of Blue Hole Primary School by the students.
• Water quality ordinances and new development.
• A new intensive E.coli study on Lower Cypress Creek, led by the Meadows Center.
• Updates on the Wimberley Library’s One Water expansion.
• Conservation efforts at Coleman’s Canyon.
• Hays County Parks and Open Spaces Advisory Commission updates.
• Jacob’s Well Groundwater Management Zone implementation and GMA#9 Desired Future Conditions.
• Upcoming meetings, workshops, and events.
We look forward to hearing from you on these topics and others that you would like to bring to the attention of other engaged stakeholders. A formal agenda will be sent out prior to the meeting.

Karst Walk at Blue Hole Regional Park
2021-09-01 - 2021-09-30 | Blue Hole Regional Park, 100 Blue Hole Lane, Wimberley, TX, 78676, United States
Take a hike! Visit the Karst Walk all September at Blue Hole Regional Park‘s Prince-Provost trail–the trail between the Main Office and the Pavilion near the playground. This is the walking tour of Karst 101 compiled for the #DeepInTheKarstOfTexas education initiative in honor of the International Year of Caves and Karst.

Exercise your mind and body, learn about karst, water, and connections, and enjoy a beautiful part of the Texas Hill Country!

Find out more at: https://watershedassociation.org/…/education-and…/karst/

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