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.
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.
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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 data collected on the Middle Trinity well by viewing (USGS 294003099141101 AS-69-23-402 (Hondo Canyon) and the Lower Trinity well by viewing (USGS-294004099141004 AS-69-23-404 (Lower Trinity Hondo Canyon) - . Data from these wells provide important real-time and historical information available to everyone about the status of our aquifers. The Middle Trinity USGS station is also equipped with a precipitation gauge – and you can set up to receive warnings when excessive rain has fallen.
Groundwater is also relevant for new subdivisions. To help account for drought conditions and increased pressure on our water 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!
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"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
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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