 At Wednesday's special Austin City Council "Budget" meeting, the City Council first voted on placing 13 proposed amendments to the Austin City Charter on the November ballot. These will appear at the very bottom of the ballot, below votes for Mayor and 5 of the 10 city council seats. There was 5 minutes of discussion before the vote to call the election. Never heard of the proposed city charter amendments? Or only heard a bit about the proposals to reduce direct democracy by making it harder for citizen petitions for initiative and recall. That's the basic idea -- minimize public awareness of these moves that will reduce City Council and City Manager accountability to voters, while hoping the noise and distraction of an enormous November ballot keeps voters uninformed. Public notice on these actions was minimal and Mayor Watson made sure that public discussion and public comment on the proposals was minimized. While some of the proposed amendments -- including ones to make it harder to petition ordinances like the SOS ordinance onto the ballot (Prop. G) and to make it almost impossible to petition a recall election (Prop H)-- were subject to a Charter Review Commission process, many were added at the last minute by city staff and supported by the city council. For the ones subject to the Commission review, the City Council told the Commission upfront to gut voter initiative and recall powers at the outset. (Only Councilmembers Makenzie Kelly and Alison Alter opposed placing some of the more offensive amendments on the ballot.) We urge either voting "NO" on all of the proposed amendments, or vote "NO" on all but Prop I, which is the only measure that would strengthen City Hall accountability by having the City Attorney appointed by the City Council instead of the City Manager. This proposal barely lost in a previous charter amendment election. Read the ordinance calling the November 5 election HERE and stay tuned for further information. Meanwhile, tell your Austin voting friends to "just vote no thank you, on amending the Austin City Charter." Vote “NO” on Last Minute $440 Million Hays County Road Bond  On Tuesday, August 13, the Hays County Commissioners Court voted to place a $440 million road bond on the November ballot. The bond package includes over $200 million in funding for new and expanded roads over and upstream of the Edwards Aquifer recharge zone. Many of these projects are designed to serve Hill Country developers and will only make traffic worse for current Hays County residents. If approved by Hays County voters, the road bonds would trigger an average tax increase of $80 per year for Hays County homeowners. Given the current economic climate, with inflation and rising living costs, the decision to increase taxes is a real brain-fart moment for a Commissioners Court that was supposed to be better than their predecessors. Virtually no one in Hays County was aware of the proposed bond package until early last week. Once the word got out, the environmental community united to ask that any bond proposal be postponed until next year, following a public stakeholder process to select the best projects for Hays County. Taxpayer and transportation advocates also urged the Hays County Commissioners Courts to postpone. The Commissioners ignored these requests from dozens of individuals and organizations. The bond package, if approved by Hays County voters, includes funding for a “Dripping Springs Bypass,” an extension of RM150 west of its current terminus at RM 12 that will do nothing for traffic congestion. The only purpose of this southwest Dripping Springs loop is to open up vast areas in the upper Onion Creek watershed for new development. Additionally, there is $7.5 million to support an extension of SH 45 SW through both Hays and Travis counties. Travis County Commissioners and environmental advocates have long opposed this project because, if built, it would convert Mopac from a local commuter highway into an alternative “I35 West,” diverting interstate and interregional traffic onto the Edwards Aquifer and through Zilker Park. If approved, the bond would also fund several other new “greenfield” roads aimed to unlock land over the Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone west of Kyle and Buda. Not all the projects included are bad—some will address safety concerns and serve the rapid development along the I-35 corridor. No one objected to these projects, but the Hays County Judge and Commissioners bundled the bad with the good, giving voters no choice but to say “yes” or “no.” SOS urges its Hays County supporters to vote “NO” on the road bonds this November. If defeated, the County Commissioners can do what was asked of them: appoint a citizen bond advisory committee to develop a bond package that meets transportation needs while protecting the beautiful and vulnerable Hill Country waters that feed San Marcos Springs, Barton Springs, Onion Creek, Barton Creek, and the Blanco River.  Thanks to YOUR loud opposition, the City Council has backed down from their proposal to raise pool entry fees at Barton Springs and other city pools. The proposed increase from $5 to $8 for resident adults—and similar hikes for other age groups—would have made our cherished pools less accessible to many in our community. SOS thanks you for speaking to keep our cherished pools a community refuge.
This decision is especially important given the facts: Despite Barton Springs Pool generating over $4 million in revenue annually, none of that money is specifically allocated to PARD. Meanwhile, the city’s golf program operates at a $600,000 surplus. These fee hikes were unnecessary and tone deaf at a time when public pools are essential to public health in the face of rising temps. City officials cited the “question and concern” raised by the community as the primary reason for rescinding the fee hike proposal. It’s clear that our collective voices made the difference. The fees will remain at their current levels, keeping our public pools affordable and open to all. This victory is a powerful reminder that when we stand together, we can make a difference. Let’s keep this momentum going. Take a moment to thank the City Council members who listened to our concerns and supported our vision for affordable public spaces.  Celebrate a unique collaboration between Save Our Springs, Hold Out Brewing, and GoodGood Beer Company on Saturday, July 20th, from 3-6 PM at the indoor mezzanine of Hold Out Brewing (1208 W 4th St, Austin, TX 78703). We're excited to present the refreshing peach gose Hold Out and GoodGood crafted with Fredericksburg peaches and lots of love, raising a glass to water quality and the protection of Barton Springs.
Enjoy the refreshing flavors and support a great cause! Take a dip at the springs beforehand, and show your Barton Springs stamp for a 10% discount on your tab. This event is not just about great beer—it’s about coming together to learn more about and protect the Edwards Aquifer, a vital water source for over 2 million people in Central Texas. Cheers for Conservation The Edwards Aquifer is the lifeblood of Central Texas, supplying drinking water to over 2 million people, sustaining endangered species, and nourishing the springs that make Austin unique. Yet, it faces growing threats from rapid development, overpumping, and pollution. Since 1992, SOS has been at the forefront of advocating for the aquifer’s protection through education, legal action, and policy enforcement. Many new Austinites know nothing about where our water comes from, and why it's at risk. This collaboration allows us to amplify our message in a creative, approachable way. By uniting with Hold Out Brewing and GoodGood Beer, we’re not just crafting an incredible peach gose—we’re sparking conversations about the importance of water conservation and rallying the community to get involved. Collaboration Highlights
Don’t miss this chance to mingle with fellow supporters, and enjoy educational talks with SOS staff and Executive Director Bill Bunch. Let’s make a toast to clean water and a sustainable future for Austin!  As we gear up for the crucial City Council meeting this Thursday, July 18th, we need your collective voices to protect Austin's future. While we understand the items related to South Central Waterfront and residential site plans (drainage review) are likely to be postponed (Items 99, 120, and 100), the stakes are high for Item 96, which proposes anti-democratic amendments to our City Charter that will push us backward. The Charter amendments propose raising the signature thresholds for voter-initiated ordinances and City Council recalls, making it nearly impossible for citizens to initiate change or hold council members accountable. The increase from 20,000 to 3.5% of total voters for ordinances, and from 10% to 15% of district voters for recalls, is a blatant attempt to stifle our voices and dismantle the very mechanisms that have driven transformative change in our city. This move aligns with the current administration's efforts to limit public participation and transparency, allowing more decisions behind closed doors. Voter-led petition efforts have been catalysts for change in Austin policy for decades, bringing together voices and encouraging more citizens to participate in the democratic process. The impacts of these efforts have brought about generational and transformative change, such as the SOS Initiative Ordinance leading to the prioritization of environmental protection throughout the City of Austin and the 10-1 Geographic Representation Charter amendments that led to the prioritization of equity and geographic fairness in the City policy. SOS urges the City Council to reject these amendments. The Council will consider placing a raft of proposed amendments to the Austin City Charter on the November ballot, and now is the time to tell them no. These proposed actions against our local democratic processes are in line with our current Mayor and Council's blatant hostility towards public participation at City Council meetings. We urge you to join us on July 18th to speak out on these critical issues. Please sign up to speak today and make your voice heard.  SOS Beer Launch This Saturday, Let's Gose Swimming! Saturday, July 20th, 3-6 pm @ Hold Out Brewery. Local brew heroes, Hold Out Brewing & GoodGood have teamed up with SOS to create a delightful Gose beer made with local hill country peaches and a lot of love. A percentage of all proceeds goes to SOS efforts. Come raise a glass with us to celebrate this unique collaboration! ***Barton Springs stamp gets you 10% off your entire tab*** Upstairs mezzanine @ Hold Out Brewing 1208 West 4th St. Austin TX, 3-6 pm  SOS Snorkel Tour This Saturday!
Saturday, July 20th, 8 am, Barton Springs. Join us for an exclusive behind-the-scenes Snorkel Tour this weekend and experience the springs like never before. Dive down into the wonders of Edwards Aquifer, marvel at diverse plant and wildlife, explore underwater hydro-geologic features, and discover how we can all help keep our springs clean and flowing for future generations. Perfect for confident swimmers aged 7 and up. Don't miss this underwater adventure! South Gate of Barton Springs, 906 Azie Morton, 8 am  The Austin City Council is returning from its summer break, and it’s back to business. Here’s a quick sneak peek at what’s coming up in July.
Austin City Budget The Save Our Springs Alliance is proud to be a supporter of the Community Investment Budget (CIB), a project of over 45 local nonprofit attempting to reprioritize City of Austin investments to meet urgent needs for Austin residents and promote climate resilience. Mark your calendars for July 12th, at 10am—that’s when City Manager Broadnax will unveil the proposed FY 2025 budget. With the draft budget, we’ll see how the City of Austin intends to focus investments for the next fiscal year. SOS will be watchdogging for water-smart policies. That means making sure Austin’s water rates encourage conservation and don’t hit our low-use residential customers with hefty increases. Here are some key dates and opportunities to engage with the Austin City Council:
Austin City Council Meeting, July 18, 2024 On July 18, 2024, the Austin City Council will convene to discuss several items, and here’s a sneak peek at what’s on the agenda. Registration to speak starts Monday, July 15th at 10am. For full instructions on participation in person or by telephone, please visit the Council Meeting Information Center: http://austintexas.gov/department/city-council/council/council_meeting_info_center.htm. Here Are the Key Items We’re Watching
 Photograph by Chase A. Fountain, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Researched & written by Paul Robbins, May 7, 2024 Part 1 – Six Steps to Year Zero
This is the first of a two-part series on potential, and likely, water shortages that will afflict Austin in the coming decades, and how it will impact the city’s future. Part 1 looks at where are we were in April 2024 with the current drought, and what our future looks like with climate heating and a worst-case scenario. This future worst case is projected in six layers or steps to show the approximate year Austin reaches “Year Zero” with empty lakes if everything goes wrong at the same time, and gives a few examples of other places where it has gone wrong. Obviously, the Lakes have not gone dry yet. But when plausible and likely climate and consumption patterns collide with population growth, the prospect of dry lakes is no longer science fiction. Note to readers: The year 2023 is used as the baseline, but data in this analysis was sourced from the most current years available. These included 2022, 2023, and 2024. The Texas Weather: Where Erratic is “Normal” Texans are privileged to reside in one of the most temperamental regions of the U.S. The state is blessed with hurricanes, tornadoes, numerous lightning bursts, hail, debilitating heat, and even fierce blizzards in the northern part. These extremes have contributed to the character of the people, and by extension, the state’s history, in several major ways, including the massive infrastructure needed for its water systems. There is only one (partially) natural lake in the entire state. The other 196 major stationary “lakes” over 5,000 acre-feet in size are actually man-made reservoirs largely built to slake the state’s thirst. (An acre-foot would have supplied 5 Austin homes a year in 2023.) The collective area of these lakes is about 150% larger than Travis County. There is no other state in the country that has this much land covered with inland water bodies. The Central Texas Highland Lakes are a chain of six reservoirs along the Colorado River created for reliable water supplies in dry times, flood control in wet times, hydroelectricity, and irrigation for agriculture in counties near the Gulf Coast. When the two lakes used for reliable municipal water supplies were commissioned, Lake Buchanan (1937) and Lake Travis (1942), they were viewed by most Central Texas residents as virtually inexhaustible. But a lot can happen in 90 years: an almost 12-fold increase in the population of Central Texas; the growth of major industry; way more water-cooled power plants; sediment deposits that diminish the Lakes’ storage capacity, severe droughts, and increasing severity of drought caused by global warming. On April 17, 2024, the Highland Lakes that store Austin’s water supply were only 42% full. There have only been 4 periods since 1941 when they have been lower. In an attempt to look at the worst case, this analysis attempts to layer on the challenges facing Central Texas water supplies caused by drought, global warming, increasing population, and sedimentation. The Real Drought of Record Of all the extreme weather conditions that afflict Texas, droughts are the most common. According to the NOAA Storm Events database, in 2023, 23% of all drought incidents in the U.S. occurred in Texas. When water supply planners and utilities in Austin and Texas plan for emergency supplies, they generally refer to the state’s “drought of record,” which occurred between 1951 to 1956. In this time period, Central Texas experienced a 25% decrease in precipitation compared to recent history.  Water Shortage Step 1: The Historical Drought of Record However, Texas weather data only goes back to 1895. When scientists used observations from tree rings to reconstruct climate history going back to 1500, they discovered droughts in Central Texas were much worse using a similar metric that measures precipitation and temperature together, the “Palmer Drought Severity Index.” The worst, from 1712 to 1717, scored an Index rating 35% worse than the 1950s drought of record.  Water Shortage Step 2: Using calculations derived from tree rings, scientists have identified 3 extended droughts in Central Texas worse than the one in the 1950s. Things Can Always Get Worse: Drought with Global Warming As global warming caused by fossil fuel emissions intensifies, it poses an ironic challenge for Texas. How do you define the new normal in a state where being normal is being erratic, and where the landscape is already scarred by weather hazards? Austin’s water utility, Austin Water, currently has contracts with the University of Texas Jackson School of Geosciences to assess how climate change will impact the temperature and rainfall in the not-too-distant future. Though no final conclusions have been made yet, the draft report’s predictions are staggering. The study explored three different internationally-recognized carbon emission scenarios. These have various emission levels depending on the year as described in this chart.
 Water Shortage Step 3: Computer simulations for two 20-year periods show dramatic decreases in average monthly Colorado River flows at Austin. Water availability adjusted for the droughts of the 1950s and the 1700s and global warming could be cut yet again by another 13% to 25%. Sedimentation If drought and excessive demand are not enough to threaten water supplies, there is the phenomenon of erosion or sedimentation. All water bodies, natural and man-made, are subject to loss of capacity from erosion as soil is swept into them by rainfall and wind. This is often compounded by runoff from human development. Lakes Buchanan and Travis have lost 11% and 1.5% of their original capacity, respectively, since they were built. And there are those who have it worse. Lake Steinhagen in East Texas has lost 35% of its volume since it was completed in 1951. Reservoirs can theoretically have the silt dredged and removed to restore their original capacity. However, industrial dredging on this scale is humongously expensive. To give an example of the high cost of dredging, a study for restoring Lake Buchanan in 1990, updated to 2024 dollars, was approximately 13 times the cost per acre-foot that LCRA charged for water. While continued sedimentation of the Highland Lakes will be minor from one year to the next, it will also be cumulative and unrelenting. By 2050, it will represent an additional 20,400 acre-feet of water storage loss, equivalent to almost 93,000 Austin homes at 2023 levels of consumption.  Water Shortage Step 4: Sedimentation in the Highland Lakes is expected to lose enough water supply to provide for almost 93,000 Austin homes by 2050. Increasing Demand: Too Many People Using Too Much Water In 1956, the Austin business community began an aggressive campaign to recruit businesses to the city, and has not stopped to this day. The campaign’s achievements have been so successful that, according to the U.S. Census in 2023, Austin was the 10th largest city in the country. In 2023, Austin’s water utility served 1,146,000 people in a service territory of more than 548 square miles. By 2030, it is predicted to rise to 1.3 million; by 2050, almost 1.7 million, and by 2100, 2.8 million. Based on this growth rate, municipal use of the Highland Lakes for Central Texas cities (not just Austin) will almost triple between 2023 and 2080. Even if all other uses, such as industrial and recreational, remain static, total consumption will more than double. And this estimation is conservative. If water consumption increases at the rate of population growth in Central Texas, total consumption will more than quadruple.  Water Shortage Step 5: Predicted rising water demand of the Highland Lakes Stagnating Water Conservation Effects At the same time, use per person is not falling. Austin Water began an intense water conservation effort in 2007, and saw its per-person water use plummet from 190 gallons per capita per day to as low as 120 gallons per capita per day in 2019. But the progress has flattened and consumption has even buoyed up slightly from this low-water mark.  Water Shortage Step 6: Water consumption fell dramatically after more water conservation programs were implemented in 2007, but this progress has stalled in recent years. In fact, this stubborn per capita usage, combined with low rainfall in 2022, sent Austin’s total water consumption to a record high of 174,000 acre-feet. And if Everything Goes Wrong… When all these water supply stressors are layered over each other, it shows just how fragile the future of Central Texas could be. 
This worst-case drought and global warming scenario (with moderate consumption) shows the Highland Lakes at only 4% of their full (2 million acre-feet) capacity in 2023 and running dry between 2030 and 2040. Some of this residual water would require pumps to remove because the lake levels would be too low for water to flow with gravity. It Can’t Happen Here (But It Happened There) Skeptics of these dire warnings will say it is highly improbable that all these plagues will occur at once – that the odds are so low as to be minuscule. But a relatively short distance northwest of Lake Buchanan, four Texas reservoirs in the Upper Colorado River Basin have crashed several times, and for lengthy periods of time, because of drought and overuse.  The E.V Spence reservoir, 145 miles from Buchanan, was completed in 1969. It has never held close to its designed volume, and crashed during a lengthy period in the last decade.  Lake J.B. Thomas, 210 miles from Buchanan, was commissioned in 1952. It has not been full since about 1965, and has crashed at least twice.  Lake O.C. Fisher near San Angelo, 130 miles from Buchanan, has only filled to capacity once since it was completed in 1952, and has been empty or near empty during many years of its existence.  Twin Butte Reservoir, also near San Angelo, was completed in 1963. It has not been at capacity since the late 1970s, and has been empty or near empty for a considerable time period since 2000. Skeptics of an Austin water shortage will point out that these reservoirs are in a more arid climate. But that is the whole point of this article: calculating how much water in Central Texas will be available during the plagues of drought, global warming, and over consumption. In fact, the Austin Water utility recently conducted its own simulations with advanced global warming scenarios, indicating a 6% chance of dry lakes under extreme conditions in 2030, rising to a 63% chance by 2080. This did not include using the extreme drought history from the 1700s.  Recent simulations by Austin Water showing chance of empty Highland Lakes with advanced global warming. Of course, long before the Highland Lakes dipped anywhere close to these dangerous levels, massive and rigid water conservation measures would be enforced. However, as the region’s population increases rapidly and rabidly, even these drastic measures will become less effective at providing a secure supply.
Calculating how much water Central Texas will need during the worst-case plagues of drought, global warming, and over consumption is no longer science fiction. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * This is the first of a two-part feature on potential, and likely, water shortages that will afflict Central Texas in the coming decades. Next: Part 2 – The Malpractice of Ignoring Aggressive Water Conservation. Research for this story was funded with a grant from the Save Our Springs Alliance. Stay tuned.  On July 1, 2024, Judge Daniella Deseta Lyttle issued a ruling that once again found the Austin City Council’s meeting procedures violate the Texas Open Meetings Act. This marks the third time that Travis County Judge has ruled that the City Council’s restrictions on public speaking testimony fail to guarantee the public’s “right to speak.” Before these recent rulings, the Austin City Council limited public comments to 1 minute per speaker during regular council meetings, regardless of the number of items on the agenda (often exceeding 100 items per meeting). For instance, if an Austinite signed up to speak on four items, they would have an average of only 15 seconds per item to address the council. As a result of a lawsuit filed by SOS (Save Our Springs Alliance), the City Council was compelled to revise its meeting procedures and eliminate these collective time limits. Now, members of the public are granted a minimum of 2 minutes to speak on each item during the City Council’s Thursday meetings. You can find more information in the Austin Free Press (and sign up for AFP news alerts). The July 1st ruling also removed language that the City Council had inserted into their new procedures, which would have nullified the legal impact of these time limits. A separate claim was dismissed by the court challenging the City Council's Tuesday work session procedures that prohibit public speakers. Often, the council discusses and begins to take positions on items scheduled for the regular Thursday council meetings. Unfortunately, this means that having the right to speak at the Thursday meetings comes too late for meaningful input. SOS will be evaluating its legal options concerning this claim. Thank you for your support on this lawsuit. With your help, we have amplified the public's voice at Austin City Hall. City of Austin Proposes to Delete Drainage Requirements
Code changes are headed to the Planning Commission Tuesday night that would remove requirements for multi-unit developments (up to 16 residential units) to install onsite detention (holding ponds for stormwater). These developments would merely need to submit a drainage plan to demonstrate that stormwater runoff is discharged into the street. There would be no requirement for an assessment that existing stormwater drain systems could handle increased flows, nor would there be a drainage review from the City of Austin to ensure that the new developments don’t increase risks of lot-to-lot flooding or harm our creeks.
To assess flooding risks in Austin’s neighborhoods, SOS commissioned a study that looked at flood-related incidents reported to Austin’s 311 call center between January 1, 2020, and November 21, 2023. Over the past 4 years, nearly 600 flood incidents occurred outside known floodplains, indicating local and lot-to-lot flooding. Additionally, approx. 190 reported incidents could be linked to clogged or overstressed drainage infrastructure, posing challenges for the city’s flood management efforts. The Austin City Council recently approved city code amendments under the “HOME” initiative that reduced lot sizes for single-family residential lots across the city and increased the number of units that can be built on each lot. Lots that were previously used for one lot can now be subdivided and used for multiple units. Depending on the size of the original lot or lots, this could increase the number of units and associated pavement substantially. These code changes will undeniably lead to more impervious cover, which means increased flows and volumes of stormwater leaving these properties. All of this leads to the question—why would Austin delete its drainage requirements? Climate resiliency requires proactive planning, and Austin must address its flooding issues--now and into the future.  SOS will be back in court Monday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. for a final hearing in our "public right to speak" case against the Austin City Council. The hearing will be held at 2:00 p.m. in the court of the Honorable Travis County District Judge Daniella Deseta Lyttle on the 10th Floor of the Travis County Civil Courthouse, 1700 Guadalupe. The hearing will last approximately 2 hours and the public is invited. Please attend and observe if you are interested and available.
SOS already won much of this case with two prior court rulings and the Austin City Council adopting new City Council meeting procedures that limit public speakers on a "per item" basis. This means members of the public get at least 2 minutes to speak on each and every item on the City Council's Thursday meeting agendas. Read more here at the Austin Free Press (and sign up for AFP news alerts). However, the City Council's new procedures still prohibit public speakers at Tuesday City Council work session meetings. Often, the council will discuss and begin to stake out positions on items set for the regular Thursday council meetings. When they do this, having the right to speak at the Thursday meetings is too late. The Texas Open Meetings Act specifically calls for a public right to speak at the same meeting where there is "consideration" of an action, even if no action is taken. Also, the City Council's new meeting procedures, while adopted by city ordinance as required by the City Charter, state that the procedures are merely "directory" and nonbinding on the council. SOS reads the statute to require an enforceable "rule" on public speaking that is "reasonable" if the council wishes to limit public speakers to a set amount of time. This "right to speak" 2019 amendment to the Texas Open Meetings Act is an important guarantee for public participation in the decisionmaking of city councils, county commissioners courts, and other local governing bodies. With your support we have already set important legal precedent in this case. We will do our best to extend these protections on Monday.  Last Friday, the nonprofit Save Our Springs Alliance (SOS) filed suit against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) in the Western District of Texas. The suit is based upon the USFWS’s failure to make a timely decision on listing the Pedernales River springs salamander as endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act in violation of the statute’s requirements. The Pedernales River springs salamander, a species endemic to the Texas Hill Country, has only been found in a few locations, most of which were within a 0.5 square mile area. Its survival depends on the clean spring water, spring fed streams, and water-bearing karst formations. Videos and more information about the habitat where the salamanders have been found are at https://roycreekcanyon.org. The Pedernales River springs salamander faces extinction due to its extremely limited range, small population, water quality degradation, surface habitat destruction, and inadequate regulatory protections. The majority of the salamander’s habitat is degraded or in imminent danger of degradation due to increasing urbanization. Proposed developments, such as Dallas billionaire Steve Winn’s proposed Mirasol Springs development and University of Texas Hill Country Field Station threaten to harm the species and destroy its critical habitat. Biologist Crystal Datri, author of the petition to list the salamander as endangered, expressed that “While the area near the salamander’s known habitat is fortunate to have conservation easements and preserve lands, the majority of the salamander’s range is still gravely threatened by groundwater pumping and wastewater pollution from the Winn-UT research station development.” On September 20, 2021, SOS filed a petition, urging USFWS to list the Pedernales River springs salamander as endangered. “The Endangered Species Act is intended to provide species critical protections to avoid extinction,” explained SOS Attorney Victoria Rose, who is the lead counsel for the suit. “USFWS have missed the statutory required deadlines for a response. With so many threats, like the Winn development, occurring right now, the salamanders don’t have much time left.” The USFWS’s delay in making the 90 day finding and failure to make a timely 12-month finding on SOS’s petition to list the Pedernales River springs salamander as endangered constitutes a violation of the ESA and additional delay on the part of the agency further imperils the species.  Neighbors to the proposed 1400-acre Mirasol Springs development, located on the banks of the
Pedernales River and immediately across Hamilton Pool Road from Travis County’s Hamilton Pool Preserve and Reimers Ranch Park, joined with Austin area environmental activists today to speak out against the project’s plans to pump groundwater and river flows and to build a sewage treatment facility just above springs feeding the river. The neighbors and activists gathered on Hamilton Pool Road, outside the Mirasol Springs property, as the University of Texas hosted an awards luncheon honoring Mirasol Springs owners, the Steve Winn family of Dallas. The Winns have pledged $50 million to U.T.’s Biodiversity Center to support a reported $200 million plan to develop biological research field stations around the state. The Hill Country Field Station is set to be built on the Mirasol Springs property. University of Texas representatives and Steve Winn claim the Mirasol Springs project is dedicated to sustainable, ecologically responsible development. But the project’s permit applications to pump groundwater, divert river flows, and spread treated sewage just above the river tell a different story. As proposed, the Mirasol Springs project includes a resort hotel, 71 home sites, two restaurants, an irrigated farm, and the U.T. biological field station. To serve the development, the Winn’s have applied for groundwater pumping permits from both the Southwest Travis County Groundwater Conservation District and the Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation District. (The Mirasol Springs property straddles the Travis County/Hays County line.) Mirasol’s application to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to divert over 100-acre feet of Pedernales River flows every year has been pending at the TCEQ for over two years without a TCEQ staff recommendation. Austin’s legendary environmental singer/songwriter Bill Oliver serenaded the protesters with several rounds of his latest song, “Not Enough Water,” written for the campaign to protect the Pedernales River and local springs and water wells from the proposed Mirasol Springs project. Staff from both Groundwater Districts have recommended draft permits that scale back the Winn requests substantially. The Districts’ rules also require steep pumping reductions during drought conditions. Winn attorneys have refused to meet the Districts’ staff recommendations, including compliance with District drought protection rules that apply to all pumping permitholders. The Mirasol permit application to the Hays Trinity GCD is set for a preliminary hearing before an administrative law judge on June 11, 2024. Travis County has joined with neighbors and the Save Our Springs Alliance and Save the Pedernales in opposing the Mirasol Springs groundwater pumping permit applications. Travis County wants to be sure the Hamilton Pool spring flows are protected. Like the other protesting parties, the County also wants to assure that the Pedernales River and Reimers Ranch Park water flows and water quality are protected. The 1400-acre Mirasol Springs property surrounds the one-of-kind Roy Creek Canyon. Springs, pools, and waterfalls tumble down through the canyon, harboring the Pedernales River springs salamander and other rare species. Save Our Springs Alliance’s petition to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to list the salamander as endangered remains pending. U.T. biologists discovered the salamander and determined it is a distinct, new species, but have yet to publish a peer reviewed paper assigning a scientific name to the species. The endangered and extremely rare Texas Fatmucket freshwater mussel was recently confirmed in the Pedernales River adjacent to the Mirasol Springs property. A third endangered species, the Golden-cheeked warbler, is also known from the Mirasol Springs property, Roy Creek Canyon, and the Travis County parks. Ground water and surface water pumping, pollution, and development, along with our heating climate, threaten the survival of these species. Flows in the Pedernales River have plummeted in recent years. The river stopped flowing for an extended period in 2023. Springs, including those in Roy Creek Canyon, also stopped flowing or fell to a trickle. Area well levels have dropped or gone dry. With the recent drought, the Groundwater Conservation Districts have stopped processing applications for new pumping permits. “In another place, or even here some years back, neighbors and environmentalists would have supported the Mirasol Springs project,” said SOS Executive Director Bill Bunch. “But today, given the unique natural value and vulnerability of Roy Creek Canyon, Hamilton Pool, and the Pedernales River, there is simply not enough water to call the project sustainable or ecologically sound.” “The Winns deserve credit for their generous gift to U.T.. But I don’t understand why U.T. or the Winns would endanger the very things they say they want to protect,” said Lew Adams, one of the Roy Creek Canyon owners. “The science tells us the project is too much,” he added.  Preferred Start Date: As soon as possible (negotiable)
Practice Areas: Environmental protection advocacy under federal, state, and local laws. This includes litigation, administrative permitting, policy and legislative advocacy on water, wildlife, land, use, parks, climate, historic preservation, and functional democracy issues. Description: Save Our Springs Alliance seeks a passionate, self-motivated public interest advocate to join our current team of three staff attorneys. Founded in 1992, Save Our Springs combines science, economics, education, and citizen action with legal expertise to protect our Texas Hill Country home. As the only Central Texas nonprofit conservation advocate with a full time legal staff, we represent our members, other groups, and private landowners in strategic actions to protect our home waters and the natural and cultural heritage of our region. See Laura Dunn’s award-winning film The Unforeseen for our origin story, and see here and here on two major victories this last month. The attorney would work under Executive Director and attorney Bill Bunch. We work hard, we have fun, and we go swimming. The swimming is optional but recommended. Responsibilities include:
Qualifications:
To Apply: Send a résumé, cover letter, law school transcript (for lawyers practicing five years or less), writing sample (preferably a legal brief or memorandum), and a list of references to [email protected]. Please put “Staff Attorney Applicant” in the subject line. We intend to fill this position as soon as possible. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Date Posted: May 8, 2024. Contact Information: Bill Bunch [email protected] 512-784-3749 4701 West Gate Blvd., D-401 Austin, TX 78745 |
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SOS is a 501 c3 non profit and your donation is tax deductible