Save Barton Springs

What's New

On Dec. 14, the Austin American-Statesman reported that the city of Austin is close to protecting more than 3000 acres of threatened lands in the Barton Springs watershed. The city will spend $30 million to set aside the Hays County land from development. The money is available thanks to an Environment Texas-backed bond approved by Austin voters in 2006.

 

Brief Summary

Called the “Soul of the City,” and known throughout Texas, Barton Springs is a uniquely beautiful and important community gathering spot and swimming ole. It's the largest natural swimming pool inside an urban area in the U.S. and more than 300,000 people visit the springs each year.

The springs provide more than just recreation. The Edwards Aquifer, the springs’ water source, provides drinking water for over 1.7 million people. It's also home to endangered wildlife like the Barton Springs salamander.

But because of the thin soil, porous limestone and rapid underground flow, the Barton Springs watershed is very vulnerable to pollution. Harvard naturalist E. O. Wilson noted the area as one of the planet's 25 biological hot spots, or where strong biodiversity is threatened most by human development.

City staff have warned that at least 7,500 acres in the Barton Springs watershed are immediately threatened with development. New strip malls and subdivisions in the sensitive area will significantly harm water quality.

We can protect Barton Springs by having the city purchase the threatened areas or negotiate land preservation agreements with landowners. Funding could come from voter-approved bonds. Protecting Barton Springs and the Edwards Aquifer will help protect water quality, reduce flooding and increase the quality of life in Central Texas.