​Surface water and groundwater has always been a precious, limited resource in Hondo Canyon.  Some of the Nueces River Basin tributaries that once flowed consistently have stopped flowing during this drought. Similarly, groundwater wells in the Glen Rose, Middle Trinity (Cow Creek) and Lower Trinity Aquifers are under increasing pressure from the drought but also from new taps.  All of us rely on water to sustain our households and Friends of Hondo Canyon is concerned about the state of this shared resource in our community. 
 
For example, a major change happened in our Canyon when, in 2017, Camp OTX (owned by RR 417) constructed a large dam, creating a 22 acre-ft lake downstream from an existing 7 acre-ft impoundment.  The camp initially proposed using surface water to sustain this new huge lake.  It could not.  Camp OTX then modified its plan to rely on groundwater withdrawal as the source of water for these two lakes. 
​​To help track the status of our shared groundwater resources, Friends of Hondo Canyon helped fund two dedicated groundwater monitor wells: one monitoring the Middle Trinity and one in the lower trinity.  You can access this wells by viewing (USGS 294003099141101 AS-69-23-402 (Hondo Canyon) and one monitoring the Lower Trinity .  Data from these wells provide important real-time and historical information available to everyone about the status of our aquifers.  The USGS station is also equipped with a precipitation gauge – warning our community of flood risk in our canyon.
 
Groundwater is also relevant for new subdivisions. To help account for drought conditions and increased pressure on our wate​r supplies, Friends of Hondo Canyon  successfully lobbied the Bandera County Commissioners to increase plat fees so that County Engineer’s office had adequate funding to evaluate new plats and to change the minimum acreage of new plats from 5 acres to 10 acres.

Protect Our Future!
"Join us.   Our water is worth the effort."
​​ - Margo Denke, Founder of Friends of Hondo Canyon

We Need Your Help

There are a few things you can do to help us fight this battle.

1.  Join us.   Join FRIENDS OF Hondo Canyon.  We need your financial support to successfully navigate this next legal step in the TCEQ protest process.

dues are $10/year.  All donations above this amount go towards our cause.  You can donate on line (we pay a 4% fee for this), donate by check (no fee charged by bank).  We are a 501(c)3 organization and I will send you a tax receipt.  Mail checks to:

Margo Denke Griffin
Secretary Treasurer
Friends of Hondo Canyon
11035 FM 470
Tarpley, TX 78883

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JOIN THE CAUSE! 

Here is what the Lower Trinity Monitor well is readings.  The USGS website has been up and running since 8/2/2024 for the Lower Trinity Monitor well, and up and running since 7/5/2022.  Since August 2nd, The Lower Trinity Monitor well shows a 2 foot drop in the aquifer; The Middle Trinity Monitor well shows a 14 foot drop since January 2024.  The seriousness of the drought is not being taken lightly by our groundwater district.  A moratorium on new permitted wells was unanimously approved by the groundwater district board on August 15, 2024.  Domestic/livestock wells are registered wells, so new permits for these wells will continue to be issued.