Wimberley Valley Watershed Assoc Inc

EDUCATION & OUTREACH - THE WVWA EDUCATION PROGRAMS INFORM THE LOCAL COMMUNITY AND POLICY MAKERS ABOUT THE VALUE OF WATER AND LAND CONSERVATION AND THE IMPORTANCE OF SUSTAINABLE WATERSHED MANAGEMENT THROUGH PUBLIC TOURS, SCHOOL PROGRAMS, AND PRIVATE LANDOWNER OUTREACH PROGRAMS AND EVENTS. THE WVWA IS INVOLVED IN COMMUNITY OUTREACH THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, AGENCIES, UNIVERSITIES, SCHOOLS, NONPROFITS, AND LOCAL BUSINESSES. THE TEXAS BREWSHED ALLIANCE - IS A CURRENT SUB-PROGRAM OF EDUCATION & OUTREACH, THE GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO CREATE A PLATFORM TO CONNECT BREWERS AND COMMUNITIES TO THEIR LOCAL WATERSHEDS. THE TBA ENGAGES COMMUNITIES ALL ACROSS TEXAS THROUGH FUN, EDUCATIONAL EVENTS AND INSPIRES THEM TO TAKE ACTION TO STEWARD THEIR LOCAL LANDS AND WATERS WHICH ARE VITAL FOR BREWING EXCEPTIONAL CRAFT BEER. WIMBERLEY ISD "ONE WATER" ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS THE FIRST SCHOOL IN TEXAS OF ITS KIND AND WILL REDUCE GROUNDWATER DEPENDENCY BY 90%. THIS REVOLUTIONARY PROJECT WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY A COLLABORATION BETWEEN WVWA, THE MEADOWS CENTER FOR WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT (MCWE), AND THE WIMBERLEY INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT. THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WILL FEATURE RAINWATER HARVESTING SYSTEM WITH CLEAR PIPES, EDUCATIONAL SIGNAGE, AND SPECIALIZED CURRICULUM ALSO AN ONSITE REUSE WASTEWATER SYSTEM AND GREEN STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE TO OFFER GREATER OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE STUDENTS AND THE COMMUNITY TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ONE WATER INTEGRATED WATER MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK AND IT'S BENEFITS TO THE SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCE OF JACOB'S WELL, BLUE HOLE AND THE CYPRESS CREEK.

LAND CONSERVATION - THE WVWA IS FOCUSED ON CONSERVING AND MANAGING LAND TO PROTECT THE WATER QUANTITY AND QUALITY OF THE TRINITY AQUIFER, JACOB'S WELL, CYPRESS CREEK AND THE BLANCO RIVER WATERSHED. THE WVWA WORKS WITH PRIVATE AND GOVERNMENT PARTNERS TO PROMOTE THE USE OF CONSERVATION EASEMENTS AND FEE SIMPLE LAND ACQUISITIONS FOR WILDLIFE HABITAT PRESERVATION, WATER QUALITY PROTECTION, ESTABLISHING PUBLIC PARKLANDS AND SCENIC OPEN SPACE. THE WVWA HAS PROTECTED THE 96 ACRES OF LAND SURROUNDING JACOB'S WELL WITH CONSERVATION EASEMENTS DESIGNED TO RESTORE AND PROTECT THE CONSERVATION VALUES OF THE LAND IN PERPETUITY AND SERVE AS A PUBLIC NATURE PRESERVE, CENTER FOR ENVIRONENTAL RESEARCH, EDUCATION AND ECOTOURISM. THE ASSOCIATION ALSO MONITORS THREE CONSERVATION EASEMENTS ON PROPERTIES IN THE WIMBERLEY VALLEY AND ACTIVELY STEWARDS WVWA'S PROPERTY ADJACENT TO JACOB'S WELL. THE WVWA PURCHASED COLEMAN'S CANYON RANCH, A 168 ACRE PROPERTY ADJACENT TO JWNA, TO PROTECT CRITICAL GROUNDWATER RECHARGE AND WILDLIFE HABITAT THAT INCLUDES THE ENDANGERED GOLDEN CHEEKED WARBLER HABITAT AND THE WIMBERLEY BAT CAVE, A GEOLOGICALLY UNIQUE KARST CAVE. WVWA CONTINUES EFFORTS TO STRATEGICALLY CONSERVE LAND IN CRITICAL RECHARGE AREAS AND THREATENED HABITATS.