Partners

Strong community ties and partnerships are the backbone of the Cypress Creek Project and will ensure our long term success.   Where possible, the River Systems Institute will use existing partnerships to build on their networks, information, and efforts.  We gratefully acknowledge the support and dedication of our partners:

	The River Systems Institute is dedicated to studying, preserving, and interpreting the remarkable aquatic system that surrounds it as it extends that attention and concern to all freshwater systems. The Institute aims to develop and promote holistic approaches to the management of river systems, including the springs, streams, aquifers, and the watersheds that feed them, as well as the lakes, bays, and estuaries into which they flow. The Institute supports the key principles of sustainability and equitable use in guiding sound water policy and solutions at the local, national, and international level.
	Texas Stream Team is a network of trained volunteers and supportive partners working together to gather information about the natural resources of Texas and to ensure that information is available to all Texans.  Volunteers are trained to collect quality-assured information that can be used to make environmentally sound decisions.  Established in 1991, Texas Watch (now Texas Stream Team) is administered through a cooperative partnership between Texas State University, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
	Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) is one of the most comprehensive state environmental agencies in the nation. Some of the agency's many functions include Water Quality Compliance Review and Statewide Water Quality Monitoring.
	Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority (GBRA) provides stewardship for the water resources in its ten-county statutory district, which begins near the headwaters of the Guadalupe and Blanco Rivers, ends at San Antonio Bay.  GBRA's primary responsibilities include developing, conserving, and protecting the water resources of the Guadalupe River Basin.
	Hays-Trinity Groundwater Conservation District (HTGCD) works to conserve, preserve, recharge and prevent waste of groundwater within western Hays County. To help accomplish these goals the District is charged to gather information needed for sound decisions, to provide that information to citizens and local agencies, and to ensure that groundwater is used efficiently and at sustainable rates.
	Texas Clean Rivers Program (CRP) is a state funded program for water quality monitoring, assessment, and public outreach. It is a collaboration of 15 partner agencies including river authorities, municipal water authorities, councils of government, and TCEQ. CRP provides the opportunity to approach water quality issues within a watershed locally and regionally through coordinated efforts among diverse organizations.
	Texas State University-San Marcos is a public institution of higher education offering it’s over 28,000 students a wide variety of bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees.   The university is located on the banks of the spring-fed San Marcos River which not only provides recreational and education opportunities, but is a constant reminder of the many roles that water plays in our lives.
	Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) provides leadership, planning, financial assistance, information, and education for the conservation and responsible development of water for Texas. To accomplish its goals of planning for the state’s water resources and for providing affordable water and wastewater services, the TWDB provides water planning, data collection and dissemination, financial assistance and technical assistance services to the citizens of Texas.
	The Nature Conservancy of Texas (TNC) preserves the plants, animals and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive.  Since 1964, TNC has been working in Texas and now owns more than 30 Texas nature preserves and conservation properties and assists private landowners to conserve their land through more than 100 voluntary land-preservation agreements. With public and private partners, TNC has protected 750,000 acres in the state.
	Village of Wimberley was established in 1848 and has a 5-member city council that work to manage the day to day city government activities.
	The City of Woodcreek
	Hays County is named after Captain John Coffee “Jack” Hays, a legendary Texas Ranger and one of the best-known and respected Texans of his day. Founded March 1, 1848, Hays County's population has grown from fewer than 500 residents at its inception to some 142,000 (January 2008 estimate) and continues to be one of the fastest-growing counties in Texas. Ideally situated between Austin and San Antonio, the county's rich history, geographical significance and natural beauty continue to make Hays County an excellent location to live, work and visit.
	Watershed Science Lab has a mission to lead and encourage the development of interdisciplinary research and an integrally-informed understanding of social-ecological systems at the watershed level; to transfer this knowledge to stakeholders; and to provide a focus for collaboration among partners, sponsors and clients. Their goal is to explore mechanisms for building adaptive capacity and sustaining ecosystem services in human-impacted watersheds; to work with stakeholders - citizens action groups; industry; academia; state, federal and local governments; and the general public - in identifying watershed problems and seeking sustainable solutions; and to generate knowledge that can serve as a resource for human actors to develop their society and the natural conditions of their lives.
	Wimberley Valley Watershed Association (WVWA) is dedicated to protecting the Wimberley region's water quality and quantity by promoting sustainable watershed management through community education, conservation, and land protection. Through education programs that focus on understanding watershed dynamics and preventing pollution, WVWA works to raise community awareness and promote environmentally sound land management.