New 1,000-Unit Multi-Family Complex on the Recharge Zone

The Save Our Springs Alliance urges the Austin City Council to reject this Thursday’s Item 42, the proposed rezoning of Circle C Tract 110. The rezoning case concerns approximately 67 acres at 11010 ½ South Mopac Expressway Southbound, one of the last major undeveloped parcels in Circle C. The developer wants to remove conditional overlay restrictions that currently limit the site primarily to office development. 

We understand that the developer now wants to develop a large (~1,000-unit) apartment complex. 

We’ve got concerns. The site is governed by the Circle C Development Agreement, approved by City Council in 2002 to settle prior litigation. The office use limitation for Tract 110 was a negotiated protection designed to reduce development intensity over the Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone. It also was part of a strategy to identify areas where office development could be built and be assessed a fee to help fund additional conservation land acquisitions.

Tract 110 lies over the Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone, where development carries extreme water quality risks. Sediment and polluted stormwater can move quickly through caves, fractures, and other underground pathways toward Barton Springs. Water quality ponds help reduce post-construction pollution, but they are not a substitute for the more protective approach of limiting development intensity and preserving natural areas over the Recharge Zone in the first place.

We are concerned that converting this tract from office to multifamily use would undermine commitments made in the prior Circle C agreement, including the expectation that office development would help generate assessment funds to acquire and protect additional recharge-zone lands.

The developer argues that once the agreement expires in 2032, future development could allow more impervious cover under current code. Even if that is true, the site would still be subject to the SOS Ordinance’s 15% impervious cover limit, and the proposed 16-acre cap on impervious cover on this 67-acre tract is not a sufficient reason to accelerate environmental harm with such an intensive use or to permit the abandonment of environmental commitments. 

For these reasons, SOS opposes the proposed rezoning and will urge the City Council to reject it. Council should honor the prior agreement, maintain the existing development limits, and avoid increasing environmental risk in one of Austin’s most sensitive recharge-zone areas.
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If you would like to sign up to speak on this item, you may do so here. The public hearing for the item will be at or after 2 PM, September 10, at Austin City Hall, 301 W. 2nd Street, Austin, TX 78701. You must register to speak in advance of the meeting.

Saving Salado Creek, One Wastewater Permit at a Time  

This water win belongs to everyone who showed up for the Salado Creek, and we need your voice too. SOS, along with our partners at the Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance and Save Salado Creek, reached a settlement agreement at the end of August with a developer that was proposing to discharge up to 700,000 gallons per day of treated municipal sewage into Salado Creek on the Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone and near habitat for the threatened Salado Springs salamander. Amongst other provisions, the settlement agreement reduces the volume that the developer is permitted to discharge, requires the developer to treat the wastewater to higher standards, and requires the developer to beneficially reuse a significant amount of the wastewater throughout the development.

You can check out news coverage of the agreement here at this link. 

Unfortunately, the fight to save Salado Creek is far from over, as there are still several wastewater discharge permits into the creek pending before TCEQ. 

TCEQ is holding a public meeting next Monday for one of these pending discharge permits, and we hope that you will take a look at the permit information and attend the public meeting or submit comments before the end of the meeting. Once again, this permit proposes to discharge treated municipal sewage containing high contractions of nutrients and other pollutants into Salado Creek over the Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone and near threatened salamander habitat.
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SPEAK UP FOR SALADO CREEK: To submit comments online opposing the permit, visit this website (https://www14.tceq.texas.gov/epic/eComment/) and enter permit no. WQ0015664001.

Data Center Profiteers vs. The People Put the Industry on NoticeLast Wednesday, the people of Austin took the fight to the front door of the downtown Marriott for the Datacloud USA conference and brought a few "Brobots" with us. We showed up and showed out to let the data center industry know that Central Texas' water and land is no longer for sale. And we had fun doing it!
Conference attendees stalled to film us as they arrived, then kept slipping outside to watch as our crowd grew larger and louder. Turns out our robot costumes and chants were considerably more interesting than the billionaire AI fever dream being peddled inside. Our peaceful rally made waves in the press and, more importantly, strengthened the growing case against this extractive, short-sighted industry that wants to turn Texas water and power into private profit. People are organizing, pushing back, and this movement is now impossible to ignore. Give now to help our legal and advocacy efforts keep up the pace.

We’ve settled on the theme for this year’s 10th annual Barton Springs University, inspired by a famous Bruce Lee quote: “Be Water, My Friend: Understanding, Adapting to, and Protecting Our Shared Resources". In a 1971 interview, Lee used water as a metaphor for adaptability and self knowledge. Water's strength and beauty comes from its ability to respond to the world around it without losing its essence.

Please consider joining us as a volunteer for Barton Springs University, a day filled with hands-on learning about how water shapes our world, how our world is changing, and how we can rise to meet the challenges we face, together. 
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As always, thank you for holding the line for water with us. 

Onwards,

 SOS Alliance ​

City Council Data Center Resolution & What's Next? 
On Thursday, August 27th, Austin City Council unanimously approved Item 61, directing city staff to develop new regulations governing data centers in Austin and, most importantly, to explore banning larger facilities altogether. Thank you to everyone who came out to speak and improve the weak proposal city staff initially brought forward. With your public pressure, Council amended the resolution to:

• Direct staff to develop the most restrictive definition of a data center that is legally and practically possible, including the potential to prohibit larger facilities
• Require individual review of any proposed data center requesting 20 MW or more of power or 85 million gallons or more of water
• Require consideration of reclaimed and non-potable water
• Explore carbon-free energy and energy-storage requirements
• Add standards addressing landscaping, impervious cover, heat mitigation, power generation and building requirements
• Examine environmental-justice concerns and avoid concentrating new data-center development in East Austin
• Monitor permit and land-use applications while the new rules are being developed
• Bring binding regulations back to Council by the end of 2026

Just as important, Council removed some procedural obstacles that could slow the process and directed staff to move quickly toward regulations, including a possible moratorium or ban on data centers above specified thresholds. 
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But let's be clear: Council did not ban data centers on Thursday. They kicked the question back to city staff to come up with a real regulatory framework. After taking months to produce a starting point, staff now have another few months to do substantially better. You can still help define large-scale data centers and help keep them out of Austin by writing Council and staff below. 

Historic Barton Springs Bridge Moves Toward Second State Recognition
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The 100-year old Barton Springs Bridge, already protected under federal historic preservation law as the leading feature of the Zilker Park National Register Historic District, and recently recognized by Preservation Texas as one of six "Most Endangered Places in Texas,"  recently moved toward official Texas "State Antiquities Landmark" status. 
Last month Save Our Springs Alliance, in partnership with O'Connell Architecture, petitioned the Texas Historic Commission for recognition as an official State Antiquities Landmark. Last week THC staff approved the application, writing that "Because the bridge is already listed in the National Register, it has already been determined to be significant and therefore qualifies for SAL designation." The application will now move toward the Commission for approval over the next 90 days. 
Meanwhile, the Austin City Council continues to charge ahead with the demolition project, paying millions of dollars to city staff and consultants to justify tearing down the historic bridge and replacing it with an ugly highway-style bridge that's almost twice as large. "It really makes no sense; they have not considered reasonable alternatives, which means the City cannot demolish the bridge without violating state and federal historic, park, and environmental protection laws. This also puts the City at risk of losing any federal grants they hoped to apply to the project" said SOS attorney Beatrice Anderson. "Both City and State engineers have shown that the bridge is safe and can be repaired – likely for much cheaper than demolition, too. It's way past time for the City Council to reverse course, stop sinking taxpayer dollars into this unnecessary demolition, and save this historic park and community treasure."  

Thank You for Attending the Environmental Troubadour Celebration

Last week, friends, musicians, and longtime community allies gathered to celebrate Bill "Mr. Habitat" Oliver, environmental troubadour, and tireless champion for the places we love. And what a celebration it was! 
The afternoon gathering also unveiled the Bill Oliver Environmental Troubadour Award, created to carry Bill’s extraordinary legacy forward for generations. For more than 40 years, Bill has used music, humor, storytelling, and heart to inspire people's love --and protection-- for the natural world. The new annual award will recognize two (or more) emerging musicians, songwriters, poets, bands, or collectives whose work advances environmental awareness, conservation, climate justice, habitat protection, and a deeper connection to the Earth. Most importantly, Bill was genuinely surprised by the award and called it “the best day of my life.” 
The award will provide recognition, performance opportunities, visibility through partner organizations, and a cash honorarium to help emerging artists continue their work. In the spirit of Bill Oliver, it will connect music with the environmental movement, storytelling with stewardship, and art with action.
Now, we need your help to build the fund that will make this legacy last. If you’d like to help raise funds, spread the word, connect us with potential supporters, or get involved in developing the award, reach out to us directly and we’ll point you in the right direction.

Thanks for sticking with us to the end. We’re not letting up on the big water fights that matter close to home, but we’re also making time to celebrate, take a little recess, and stay connected to the people and places that make this work worth doing. Sometimes that means swapping the protest signs for a little sparkle mid-week! We hope you’ll join us at the rally tomorrow morning and at Kendra Scott this Friday.
It’s good to be in this fight with you. Thank you for showing up, however you show up!

Onwards, 

 SOS Alliance ​

Data Center Action Week Recap

Thank you to everyone who showed up for Data Center Week of Action! It was pretty incredible to see Texans across the state come together to learn and push back against the massive buildout of AI data centers threatening our water, land, air, and communities. Whether you spoke at a Texas Senate hearing, joined a webinar, emailed your elected officials, or posted online calling for a special session, you helped the growing movement saying Texas water is already too limited to give away to Big Tech.
   Check out the recordings of all the webinars and presentations below:

• Tax and Budget Impacts of Data Centers and How to Testify and Lobby at the Legislature recording
• Water, Noise and Land Impacts of Data Centers and How to Use Social Media for Your Data Center Campaign recording
• Electric Grid Impacts and Air Pollution from Data Centers and How to Write a Letter to the Editor recording
• Find, Track and Challenge TCEQ Permits for Data Centers (w/SOS attorney, Victoria Rose!) recording
• Tax and Budget Impacts of Data Centers by Shannon Halbrook, Every Texan
• Testifying at the Texas Legislature by Ian Seamans, Environment Texas
• Water Use, Noise and Land Impacts of Data Centers by Rachel Hanes, GEAA and Tom Entsminger, NWF
• Organizing and Using Social Media for Your Data Center Campaign by Kamil Cook, Public Citizen
• Air Pollution from Power Production for Data Centers by Griffin Bird, EIP
• Find, Track and Challenge TCEQ Permits for Data Centers by Victoria Rose, Save Our Springs and Kathryn Guerra, Public Citizen

Support the Legal Action Needed to Stop Data Centers

In case you missed it, SOS recently filed a lawsuit on behalf of the Data Center Action Coalition and affected residents against the Guadalupe County Commissioners Court to stop two massive data center projects, CloudBurst and Palomino Alpha. Records show that the county approved tax abatements and related development agreements in violation of the Texas Open Meetings Act, Texas Tax Code, and state conflicts-of-interest laws. The tax abatements, as they stand, give an estimated $150 million in county property-tax subsidies. The CloudBurst and Palomino Alpha projects together would turn more than 1,700 acres of rural Guadalupe County into AI data centers spanning more than 4 million square feet, costing local residents through new utility infrastructure, and affecting rural quality of life through huge on-site power plants, local heat effects, heavy water use, and wastewater discharges into tributaries of the San Marcos River. 
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Our legal team is working to challenge these approvals, protect public participation, and make sure massive data center projects don’t move forward at the expense of Texas water and communities.

Please consider making a gift to our Data Center Legal Fund today.

Austin Environmental City Council Candidate Forum August 22
A candidate forum focused on environmental policy and transparent governance will be held on Saturday, August 22, 2026, from 12:45 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at UA Local 286 Plumbers & Pipefitters, 814 Airport Blvd., Austin, TX 78702. The forum will feature candidates for Austin City Council Districts 1, 3, 5, 8, and 9, with district groups appearing in the order of 9, 8, 5, 3, and 1. KUT Senior Correspondent on Energy and Environment Mose Buchele will moderate.
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The event is intended as an opportunity for community members to hear from candidates on environmental issues and related governance topics ahead of the fall election. For more information, contact Kaiba White at [email protected].*

Help Us Bring the Next Generation to the Springs​
It’s official, our 10th annual Barton Springs University Day (BSU) will take place on Tuesday, October 27th! Every year, SOS brings 1,000+ high school students to Barton Springs Pool for a day of hands-on science, sustainability workshops, and water-focused exploration, all free of charge. Word on the stream: there might be an American eel in attendance this year. From aquifer science to eco-advocacy, students learn directly from experts shaping and protecting the future of Central Texas. Our hope is that every BSU attendee leaves with a core water literacy that inspires them to become the next water and nature stewards of our region. We’re looking for sponsors and volunteers to help make this year’s BSU Day the best one yet.

Work for a company that wants to give back? Help them stand apart by bringing Barton Springs University Day to life and ensuring every Title 1 school in the area can participate. 
Know a business that benefits from being near Barton Springs or wants to help protect the natural beauty of central Texas? Send us an introduction! A connection from someone who already believes in this mission can go a long way. 

Many attendees at BSU Day will experience Barton Springs and discover the hidden world of the aquifer for the first time. Let’s give the next generation a reason to fall in love with the springs, too. By pushing back against the data center drain and learning about candidates who care about the natural world, young people have a chance of inheriting a place that’s still wild, beautiful, and full of people who care.

Onward, towards a better future,

 SOS Alliance 

As part of an ongoing Meet Our Team series, we're celebrating Megan Wutzke's one-year anniversary with SOS and invite you to get to know our Outreach Coordinator a little better!

In just one year, Megan has become an indispensable part of the SOS team. She brings equal parts go-get-em and good humor to everything she does, from coordinating volunteers and mentoring interns to organizing Barton Springs University and helping connect more people to our mission. She's the kind of person who can make you laugh in one breath and inspire you to protect Texas water in the next.
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We sat down with Megan to talk about what led her to Save Our Springs, why water conservation matters, what keeps her hopeful, and the surprising journey that took her from pastry chef and journalist to drone-flying instructor before finding her place at SOS. 

Q: What part of this work is most rewarding for you?
A: I love working with young adults; the 16-25 age range is a wonderfully chaotic time, where you really start to achieve childhood dreams…or, find unexpected new pathways. I enjoy fostering an appreciation for our natural environment and empowering young people to take a stand for what they believe in. 

Q: What’s a common misconception you hear about Texas water?
A: Lately, I’ve been hearing a lot of people say that since the highland lakes are full, our water systems must be healthy and our drought must be over. Not true! The lakes are one part of our water systems, but our aquifers still need to be protected from overpumping. Conservation isn’t just for times of drought. 

Q: What’s something unexpected about you? a fun fact!
A: I’ve had a wide variety of jobs: grocery bagger, line cook, pastry chef, bartender, HIV counselor, ESL teacher (in Kenya and Italy), disaster debris clean-out, dog trainer/walker, chemistry tutor, Americorps math teacher, journalist, standardized test grader, hummus seller, and drone-flying instructor. 

Q: Where’s your favorite place you’ve ever gone swimming?
A: Tough question! I grew up in northern Minnesota, so I always love playing in Lake Itasca, where the Mississippi River starts, but it is pretty shallow for actual swimming. I also love paddling and swimming in the Crow Wing River - it was a 50-year family tradition for my father’s side to go on an annual canoe trip (about 30 canoes and 100 people!) on the Crow Wing River, and that's how I learned how to swim. In Texas, though, you know it's got to be Barton Springs.
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Q: If you could take anyone on a Texas outdoor adventure, who would it be and where would you go?
A: There is a hidden cave in Big Bend State Park (not the national park!) where I used to camp when I lived in West Texas. I’ve been meaning to take my husband, but I think he is less excited than I am to go camping in cougar country

July 24, 2026 -- For 12 hours, we watched Austin City Council debate the future of the Dog's Head. In the end, the majority voted in favor of the TIRZ, but what I'll remember most isn't the vote, it's the PEOPLE THAT SHOWED UP. THANK YOU AUSTIN FOR DEFENDING DOG's HEAD!

Neighbors from every corner of Austin showed up with courage, passion, and deep love for our fair city city. SOS, GAVA, PODER, PSL Austin, and so many community members spoke truth to power. Even after the agenda was pushed to the end of the night, people refused to give up.

A huge thank you to the incredible Save Our Springs legal team, who have worked tirelessly behind the scenes, and a special shout-out to SOS staff attorney Beatrice Anderson for leading the charge on the Dog's Head advocacy campaign, from legal strategy to community organizing.

We may have lost the vote, but we flipped 3 votes, built a strong record for future action, and shined a light on a process that can no longer be ignored.

This is the foundation of an even stronger movement ahead.

Join Us for the Data Center Week of Action

Are you concerned about data centers but unsure how to get involved?
Join us, along with Alliance for a Clean Texas and Public Citizen, next week for the Data Center Week of Action! 
The Data Center Week of Action runs from July 26th through July 31st, and you can RSVP and learn more HERE.

Each day next week there is a planned webinar to help you learn more about data centers and a specific action that you can take to oppose proposed data centers in Texas. Through a combination of policy briefings, training, and targeted actions, you will learn how to confidently participate in pushing back against data centers to effectively advocate for our shared water and environmental resources. The skills training on Thursday, July 30th will  include a presentation from our Staff Attorney Victoria Rose on how to fight wastewater permits associated with data centers.

The first in-person meetup is a rally on the Texas Capital south steps at 9 AM prior to the Senate Finance Committee at 10:30 AM. We are raising our voices to tell Governor Abbott to call a special session and consider a moratorium on data center construction in Texas. 
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Together, we can gain the skills and join forces to protect our communities. 

Data Center Lawsuit Filed in Guadalupe County

This past Monday SOS Senior Attorney Bobby Levinski filed a lawsuit in Guadalupe County on behalf of affected residents claiming that the county approved tax abatements and related development agreements for the Cloudburst and Palomino Alpha data centers in violation of the Texas Open Meetings Act, Texas Tax Code, and state conflicts-of-interest laws. The lawsuit challenges an estimated $150 million in county property tax-subsidies that would fuel the data centers’ pursuit to turn more than 1,700 acres of rural Guadalupe County into AI data centers spanning more than 4 million square feet and harming local residents through impacts to quality of life, local heat effects, heavy water use, and wastewater discharges.

Records show that Guadalupe County’s Judge Kutscher and his family own 186 acres being sold to the Palomino Alpha data center while at the same time Judge Kutscher voted on policy changes to help clear the way for tax incentives for the data center and brought a Palomino Alpha representative into executive session to discuss the project terms. In addition to other violations of the Texas Open Meetings Act, Guadalupe County obscured plans and decisions related to data centers from the public by omitting key details such as project locations, acreage, subsidy amounts, and others in public meeting notices.

Ultimately, county officials cannot ask taxpayers to subsidize massive data centers while keeping residents in the dark, and public decisions of this scale should be made in the open, not buried in vague agendas or negotiated behind closed doors. Accordingly, this lawsuit asks the court to intervene to stop Guadalupe County from using or enforcing the challenged approvals and to prevent public money from being spent under illegal agreements.

Please join us in our efforts by donating to SOS today to help fund our legal team’s work on this lawsuit and to protect our water and land from the growing threat of data centers.

It's clear from our work in San Marcos that the fight against unchecked data center growth and AI-driven development begins with everyday citizens. Thank you for showing up to learn and fight back with us. Your particpation is critical to this movement. 
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See you at the Capital Monday morning at 9 AM!

 SOS Alliance 

Travis County Declines to Approve Dog's Head Subsidies; 
Show Up for the Colorado River Thursday, July 23rdAt the Tuesday, July 14 meeting of the Travis County Commissioners Court, dozens of concerned residents and environmental leaders spoke out against the request for Travis County to invest half-a-billion in tax dollars (in addition to $1.7 billion from the City) to support infrastructure for the proposed Dog’s Head development. After approximately two hours of public testimony, the Commissioners Court unanimously decided to not take any action. This means the City of Austin now must figure out how they’ll proceed without the County’s participation. 

Throughout the discussion, the Commissioners made clear that the proposal lacked the detail, assurances, and enforceable public benefits needed to justify the extraordinary request for public support. Commissioners pressed for specifics about what would actually be built, what affordability commitments would be guaranteed, how environmental impacts and flooding concerns would be addressed, and how nearby communities would have a meaningful voice.
Yet again, neither the developer nor the City of Austin representative sent to lobby for its passage had meaningful answers. 


Another troubling aspect of the discussion was the City’s characterization of the rushed approval of the development agreement as “alternative compliance” to the environmental regulations that are necessary to protect the river. Such bogus framing of the sweetheart deal given to Endeavor Real Estate Group ignores reduced critical water quality zone setbacks, massive amounts of impervious cover being allowed, and provisions that allow for administrative waivers without any public process. 
The Dog's Head property includes roughly seven miles of Colorado River frontage, much of which would no longer be subject to Austin's standard environmental protections under the proposed development agreement. The conceptual transportation plan also includes at least three new road bridges over the Colorado River, including one that would connect directly to Tesla Road, providing access to Tesla's Gigafactory directly across the river. Our taxpayers and our river deserve better. 

 Mark Your Calendars and SHOW UP!
As we saw at Tuesday's meeting, a large community outcry is the only way to stop or slow this development - and we need your voice now more than ever.

Community Forum: Defend Dog's Head
WHAT: The program includes a brief overview of the development, as well as large-group and small-group Q&As & discuss how we as a community can work together to fight the Dog's Head development. 
WHEN: Sunday, July 19th, 4 - 6 PM
WHERE: HOPE Outdoor Gallery | 741 Dalton Ln, Austin, TX 78742
SHOW UP: Please RSVP here to join   https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfTN9OLD7C7gx8msorJuuwjJ96HK5lbEb7-2rXjpP2W13fByg/viewform


Austin City Council Meeting, Thursday July 23rd
WHAT: Dog’s Head developer is asking the County for an 80% tax break until 2061, equating to an estimated $1.6 billion in public subsidies
WHEN: Thursday, July 23, 2026: Austin City Council, meeting starts at 10 AM
WHERE:  301 W. 2nd Street, Austin, Texas 78701 (Austin City Hall)
SHOW UP: Instructions for how to register to speak VIRTUALLY or IN PERSON on Items 13, 14, and 111 (speaker sign up opens at  10 AM the Monday, July ) https://www.austintexas.gov/services/participate-city-council-meeting.
We hope to see you there, putting your civic power to good use. If you are interested in getting more involved, please reach out! There are additional opportunities to engage our City and County officials and organize against this proposal. Read more about the development and why it's bad for Austin.

The proposed White Rocks development sits along State Highway 71, uphill of Barton Creek and surrounded on several sides by the Barton Creek Habitat Preserve. But this sensitive location hasn’t stopped the developer from proposing a high density development that includes a 10,000 seat amphitheater. Without your support, the golden-cheeked warblers that call the Barton Creek Habitat Preserve home can anticipate severe impacts that will stem from wastewater, stormwater, water-demand, noise pollution, light pollution, increased air pollution, and increased impervious cover. 
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The developer plans to irrigate 120,000 gallons per day of treated sewage on 27.43 acres of disposal fields within the development. But the disposal fields have steep slopes, with grades in excess of 10% in some places, and thin soils that make it almost inevitable that the Barton Creek watershed will be polluted if the wastewater permit is approved. Watch the CBS Austin recent report on White Rocks here. 

SOS is working hard to fight this proposal and protect water quality by opposing the wastewater permit for the development. On Wednesday, July 15th, the TCEQ Commissioners voted to grant SOS a contested case hearing to challenge the wastewater permit on several issues. This decision starts a process that will require lots of work from our legal team and the help of expert witnesses.

Look out for updates from us as the contested case hearing process moves forward and please consider donating to help us fund this fight. ​

July 23rd is an important day for Central Texas. If you’re able, we hope you’ll join us at City Council to share your concerns about the Dog’s Head tax giveaway, and later in Seguin at Crystal Clear SUD to help protect our shared water future from data centers. Your voice could have impact far beyond 2026. 
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Standing together for Central Texas water,
 SOS Alliance 

Check out the fun from Sunday's Barton Springs Bridge 100th Birthday Celebration. Images members of the Bat City Brass Band leading a parade from the pool to the bridge, Bill Oliver and the Otter Space Band on a floating stage under the bridge, and our many friends who helped celebrate this beautiful Austin landmark. 

Travis County is being asked to commit $649 million in County property-tax incentives toward the proposed Dog’s Head TIRZ, part of a public subsidy package exceeding $2.2 billion for a private development agreement negotiated behind closed doors and rushed through City of Austin approval.
The current agreement locks in extraordinary development rights for 45 years across roughly 2,614 acres of Colorado River frontage, while weakening basic protections for nearby residents, water quality, and floodplains. And it abandons the long-standing Colorado River Corridor Plan’s vision for environmental restoration along one of the most ecologically diverse stretches of urban river. Check out this article in the Austin Chronicle about the environmental community’s response to this disastrous decision by the Austin City Council. 
Please attend the Wednesday County meeting (700 Lavaca Street, 1st Floor, Austin, TX 78701) and urge Travis County officials to reject any County participation in the Dog’s Head TIRZ, tax abatement, or other incentive unless the current Development Agreement is withdrawn and replaced through a transparent public process.
You can sign up to speak on Item 20, here: https://www.traviscountytx.gov/commissioners-court. Registration is open until 8am on Wednesday. We anticipate the item will be heard in the afternoon but cannot guarantee timing.

The wait is over! Barton Springs Pool reopened today, and we hope you have a chance for a refreshing dip in one of Austin's greatest treasures this week. 
The recent rains have been a welcome drench after years of drought. According to Austin Watershed Protection Conservation Program Supervisor Nathan Bendik, this was the first flood-related pool drawdown since October 2021. It's a remarkable reminder of just how dry Central Texas has been and how important every soaking rain is for our creeks, springs, and aquifer.
Enjoy the cool, clear water this week, and as always, thank you for helping us protect the springs we all need to stay cool in these unbearable Texas summers.
Happy swimming!
 SOS Alliance

Hays Commons Development Agreement Rejected 

On Tuesday, June 9th, the Hays County Commissioners voted 3-1 to reject the proposed Development Agreement for Hays Commons, a massive residential and commercial subdivision proposed over the Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone, along the Hays County border with Travis County. We are grateful for the over 70 individuals who took action by writing in comments or speaking at the commissioners court meeting. We are also especially appreciative of Judge Ruben Becerra, Commissioner Debbie Ingalsbe, and Commissioner Morgan Hammer who voted against the agreement. If approved, it would have allowed the developer variances to maximize the development intensity of its project and helped unlock the developer’s plans to spray treated effluent on 60+ acres of the Recharge Zone. 

This “win” is just one chapter in the ongoing efforts to prevent the overdevelopment of these environmentally sensitive lands.

The developer has repeatedly sought to maximize profits at the expense of the community's groundwater, and this rejection by the Hays County Commissioners Court sends a clear message that such practices won’t be rewarded. We will continue to monitor the situation, share updates, and encourage residents to stay engaged and take action. As you may already be aware, Save Our Springs, City of Hays, and Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer Conservation District remain involved in an active contested permitting process, where the developer is trying to get TCEQ approval to use the Recharge Zone as a wastewater disposal field. We need help funding scientific experts to defend the aquifer.
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If you can contribute, please do so by donating below. Every little bit helps. 

Happy 100th Birthday, Barton Springs Bridge!

For 100 years, the Barton Springs Bridge has connected generations of Austinites to Barton Springs Pool, Zilker Park, music festivals, family outings, first dates, protest marches, bike rides, and summer swims. 
Join us on Sunday, June 21st, 2026, as we celebrate the bridge's first century, and gather the community that loves it.

Morning Celebration    9:00 AM - Noon (and throughout the day) 
Start with a swim at the springs and then, at the Barton Springs bridge, enjoy coffee, tacos, birthday banner making, community art and sign making, and some sing alongs. We invite artists and photographers to spend the day, or part of it, painting and photographing the bridge and its beautiful Barton Creek environs.  Neighbors, historians, swimmers, cyclists, advocates, and park lovers are all invited to honor one of Austin's most beloved landmarks.  We'll be admiring and teaching the amazing history of this leading feature of the Zilker Park National Register Historic District and how you can help us save the bridge for another century throughout the day. 
Bring your family, your friends, your memories, and your best birthday wishes!

Evening Celebration    5 - 9 PM
Return for an evening of music, stories, and community featuring Bill Oliver and the Otter Space Band, along with bridge history and opportunities to help us save this historic treasure from demolition and replacement with a much larger highway-style bridge.

There will be plenty of time to visit, listen, learn, and celebrate beneath the arches that have framed a century of Austin life.
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For 100 years, the Barton Springs Bridge has stood watch over Barton Creek while millions of people pass above, below, and through the heart of Zilker Park. Hidden from many drivers are the views that have made the bridge one of Austin's most beautiful and admired, photographed, painted, paddled-under, and beloved places.
The Barton Springs Bridge has carried Austin across Barton Creek for 100 years. Come help us celebrate the first hundred, and help ensure it's here for the next hundred.

Tell Local Leaders: Save the Bridge 
This year's celebration comes at a pivotal moment. Just last week, Preservation Texas named the Barton Springs Bridge one of Texas's Most Endangered Places for 2026, recognizing its historic significance and the threat posed by plans to replace it. The Barton Springs Bridge was recognized for its engineering significance, historic integrity, and central role in Austin's cultural landscape. Designed by pioneering Texas engineer Terrell Bartlett and completed in 1926, the open-spandrel reinforced concrete arch bridge stands strong today, safe for drivers, pedestrians, paddlers, cyclists, and Zilker Eagle train riders.    

Please start today in helping us save the historic Barton Springs Bridge by signing this online petition directed to our Mayor, City Council members, and other key officials urging them to restore the bridge and maintain it -- which city documents show can be done for millions of dollars less than tearing the bridge down and replacing it with a new bridge twice as wide.  This proposed massive demolition and reconstruction project would do real damage to Barton Creek aquatic and riparian habitats, Zilker Park, the historic Umlauf Sculpture Garden home, art studio, and hillside, and to the Vara Daniel archeological district that encompasses the site.  
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We'll keep you informed of key public meetings coming up later in the summer and fall where we hope you will attend and speak up for saving this special historic, cultural, and park treasure. Together, we can show our officials that Austin's future requires saving and honoring our parks and historic places.  

Meet the 2026 Summer Outreach Interns 

The SOS summer interns are back :)
This summer, Save Our Springs is excited to welcome a new team of outreach interns who are advancing our mission through community outreach and environmental education. The biggest part of their job? Hanging out at Barton Springs! Our interns spend the weekends at the springs, chatting with the community about aquifers, water policy, and their favorite Barton creatures (and signing folks up for our membership drive).

Interns are also encouraged to create a special project for Save Our Springs, on a topic close to their heart. This year, we have topics such as data center water usage, sociological studies of the public’s perception of environmental issues, and case studies on specific SOS campaigns. From documentaries to zines, our interns are finding their own ways to connect with SOS’s mission to protect the Edwards Aquifer. 

Speaking about that membership drive, this is the perfect opportunity to become a member of SOS. Memberships are the best and easiest way to help Save Our Springs. When we advocate for the water, we are advocating on behalf of our members. Your membership becomes another voice to preserve our water systems, and while one voice may be overlooked, many voices can create change.

A membership is as easy as a donation ($10 minimum) and a current mailing address. Not sure if you’re already a member?  Renewing is just as easy with a new donation and updated contact information. Member support makes programs like our internship program possible, helping train and inspire the next generation of Central Texas conservation leaders. 
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We invite you to meet this year's internship team at the South Gate at Barton Springs, and tell them why protecting Barton Springs is important to you. Ask them about any projects they’re working on, grab a new t-shirt, and become a member of Save Our Springs.

We hope you'll join us in the coming days and weeks in person. Celebrate a bridge that has carried Austin for 100 years. Meet our interns and share why Barton Springs matters to you. Remember the people who helped protect the Hill Country that are no longer with us. 

If you've been meaning to get more involved, this is your invitation. 

We'll see you at the springs. 

In Solidarity,
SOS Alliance