Save Texas Streams Newsletter

Receive updates on key policy issues, environmental education on Central Texas ecology and natural history, and opportunities to get involved in protecting our streams and aquifers.

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Don't let White Rocks crush the Golden-cheeked Warbler!

Building a huge outdoor concert amphitheater right next to a wildlife preserve would be insane. And using the wildlife preserve to sell multimillion–dollar luxury condos would be obscene. But unfortunately, this is exactly what the developers of the White Rocks resort want to do. They plan to bu...

by Brian Zabcik — Aug 16, 2026 barton creek habitat preserve chris milam golden-cheeked warbler white rocks

Public meetings on Hays County development rules: July 28-29

Hays County has been growing fast, and it's only going to get bigger, with a projected population of 550,000 in just 16 years. That's why Hays officials are in the process of rewriting the county's development regulations, which are especially important since many new subdivisions are being built...

by Brian Zabcik — Aug 16, 2026 buda dripping springs extra-territorial jurisdiction hays county milestone community builders san marcos wimberly

Hays Commons: Still a threat to the Edwards Aquifer

The Hays County Commissioners Court voted 3-1 last month to reject a development agreement for Hays Commons, a planned subdivision that would be built over the Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone on the Hays-Travis county line. Does this mean that the proposal is dead? Unfortunately, no. Milestone Comm...

by Brian Zabcik — Aug 16, 2026 edwards aquifer hays commons hays county hays residents for land and water protection milestone

STS News - MoPac South Town Hall on April 22

Barton Springs recharge zone: Still a bad place for freeways We've never understood why highway authorities keep wanting to build freeways in one of the most precious and fragile places in the Austin area — the Barton Springs recharge zone. As Save Barton Creek Association, we opposed the origin...

by Brian Zabcik — Aug 16, 2026 barton springs edwards aquifer mopac mopac expansion

How to Translate Animal Language

A friend of our Executive Director was the latest guest on Steve Rinella's podcast episode "How to Translate Animal Language." In this fascinating discussion, wildlife ecologist and sculptor George Bumann talks about how to tune into animal calls and other behaviors, and how scientists are uncove...

by Lee Burton, Logan Ferguson — Mar 16, 2026 animal communication george bumann

Early Spring Blooms of Central Texas

In Central Texas, spring arrives with vivid color and sweet fragrance. From magenta blossoms lining bare branches to delicate wildflowers carpeting the ground, early blooming plants provide essential nectar for pollinators and beauty for our landscapes. Read on to learn more about some of the fir...

by Logan Ferguson — Mar 01, 2026 early spring flowers golden groundsel mexican buckeye mexican plum pink evening primrose red buckeye texas mountain laurel texas native plants texas redbud

Stories Written in Snow: Safeguarding Wildlife Habitat Along Our Waterways

Stream protection is about more than the water flowing downstream — it’s about the entire watershed. Healthy streams depend on the surrounding riparian area: the vegetated land along creek banks, the sedges and bulrushes that hold soil in place, the gallery forests, slopes, and grasslands that a...

by Logan Ferguson — Feb 19, 2026 austin watershed coyote tracks fox tracks riparian areas texas riparian areas texas watershed

Central Texas's Seasonal Songbirds

When winter settles over Central Texas and the live oaks trade cicada buzz for quiet mornings, the region’s birdlife subtly shifts. The colder months bring a fresh cast of avian travelers—small, hardy songbirds escaping harsher northern climates in search of food and refuge. These seasonal visito...

by Logan Ferguson — Feb 03, 2026 cedar waxwing dark-eyed junco texas avian life texas birds texas winter birds white-throated sparrow winter bird migrants

Interpreting the Weather

How can you tell when extreme weather is imminent, and what can you do to ensure you are prepared? In this podcast, Save Texas Streams Executive Director Lee Burton and veteran meteorologist Troy Kimmel break down how major weather systems form—and the warning signs that often appear before they ...

by Lee Burton, Logan Ferguson — Jan 29, 2026 climate change extreme weather texas floods texas freeze texas ice storm texas storms texas weather

Tell TCEQ: Don’t flood Salado Creek  with treated sewage!

STS NEWS 01.25.26 The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has been processing permit applications for 12 new wastewater facilities that could discharge up to 8 million gallons of inadequately treated sewage every day into Salado Creek. This is one of the largest concentrations of ne...

by Brian Zabcik — Jan 25, 2026 edwards aquifer salado creek salado salamander salado texas tceq wastewater discharge

2025 in review: Big changes, big accomplishments

STS NEWS 12.17.25 As we've already told you, we recently changed our name from Save Barton Creek Association to Save Texas Streams to better reflect the scope and breadth of our work. This year, our work included: Stopping a bad wastewater permit on upper Barton Creek. Improving another wastewa...

by Brian Zabcik — Dec 17, 2025 barton creek fitzhugh concert venue mirasol springs pedernales river save texas streams south san gabriel white rocks concert venue

The Season of Sumac

If you’ve ever driven through the Texas Hill Country in fall, you’ve likely noticed the brilliant reds and oranges of sumac trees. With their striking fall foliage and knack for thriving where little else will grow, true sumacs of the genus Rhus bring both color and character to the landscape. Me...

by Logan Ferguson — Nov 17, 2025 evergreen sumac fall foliage flameleaf sumac fragrant sumac poison sumac smooth sumac sumac

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