For far too long, our natural resources in Hays County have been treated as mere commodities rather than the vital ecosystems they truly are. For over a decade, the delicate balance of our essential watersheds, tributaries, and headwaters has dramatically shifted, leaving our environment—and by extension, our community—vulnerable. Local governments relentlessly pursue aggressive development agendas, prioritizing unchecked growth over safeguarding our precious natural resources. It’s time for a change.

Our waterways are the lifeblood of West Central Texas, forming complex ecosystems that support not just local flora and fauna but also the diverse communities that rely on these rivers and streams. The rapid pace of development in our county has resulted in polluting runoffs, disturbed waterways, and degraded habitats. This relentless expansion poses long-term threats to water quality, biodiversity, and the health of our residents. Recent studies have shown dangerously high levels of pollutants in local waterways, and unchecked erosion continues to mar our landscapes. Climate change exacerbates these issues, with more frequent floods and droughts creating an urgent situation as demand for clean, reliable water grows steadily.

Our plea is simple yet vital: a comprehensive protection framework for our county’s tributaries and waterways under Chapter 311 and MS4 (Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems) control frameworks. Enforcing these regulations can limit the impact of stormwater pollution and mitigate the damages from urban development. Effective implementation of these controls would ensure stricter oversight and accountability, helping to preserve the integrity of our waterways.

The solutions are practical and achievable. We call for the establishment of strong, enforceable ordinances that prioritize sustainable development. We urge local governments to implement advanced stormwater management systems to reduce runoff and filtration systems that remove pollutants before they enter our waterways. Moreover, a commitment to ongoing environmental monitoring is essential to detect changes quickly and mitigate potential threats.

We, the people of Hays and Comal Counties, have the power to protect our environment for future generations. The balance of our ecosystems’ health increasingly depends on collective action and informed public policies. By signing this petition, you advocate for the well-being of our community, the protection of our environment, and the assurance of clean, safe water for all residents. Let us unite and demand that our representatives enact these necessary changes to secure a sustainable future for our county.

CITIZEN PETITION FOR THE COMPREHENSIVE PROTECTION OF HAYS COUNTY TRIBUTARIES, HEADWATERS, AND WATERWAYS UNDER CHAPTER 311 AND MS4 CONTROL FRAMEWORKS

TO: The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and the Hays County Commissioners Court

REGARDING: Urgent Rule Expansion and Enforcement Action for Nonpoint Source Stormwater Utility Wastewater Pollution Control.

I. Statement of Purpose
This petition is formally created by concerned citizens of Hays and Comal Counties to demand immediate regulatory expansion of Texas Administrative Code (30 TAC) Chapter 311 Watershed Protection Rules and local Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) stormwater controls. Nonpoint source pollution from expanding roadside ditches, culverts, and urban stormwater drains, combined with operational risks from private wastewater treatment facilities (including Aqua Texas), presents an immediate threat to the fragile Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone and interconnected surface water
systems.

II. Comprehensive Mandated Waterway Protections
To ensure structural integrity and prevent systemic water quality failure, all protections must extend explicitly to the following critical waterways, including all contributing headwaters, unnamed ephemeral tributaries, and dry road-side drainages:
<b>Waterway Network</b> <b>Primary Ecological Threat & Vulnerability Context</b>

Little Bear Creek Direct conduit over the Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone; carries untreated residential and street runoff straight into subterranean supplies.

Onion Creek Crucial recharge engine for Barton Springs; heavily vulnerable to expanding development and urban stormwater drain outfalls. Garlic Creek Subject to rapid suburban expansion; stormwater runoff brings heavy sediment and lawn fertilizers into fragile tributary beds.

Cypress Creek Fed by Jacob's Well; endangered by local wastewater utility infrastructure stress, nutrient loading, and shallow runoff.
Plum Creek Spans expanding eastern corridors; accumulates massive nonpoint source chemical loading from highway culverts and roadside drainage ditches.

San Marcos River & Blanco River
The core regional lifelines; downstream health is entirely contingent on halting pollution in the secondary creeks and headwaters listed above.

All Unnamed & Secondary
Creeks Includes Lone Man Creek, Purgatory Creek, Sink Creek, Willow Creek, and all unnamed ephemeral channels acting as direct tributary conduits.

III. Formal Demands
1. Expansion of 30 TAC Chapter 311: Modify state non-discharge rules to forbid automated wastewater discharge permits along the entire catchments of Little Bear, Onion, Garlic, Cypress, and
Plum Creeks.

2. Infrastructure Interceptors: Mandate Hays County to install strict structural filtration interceptors on all roadway culverts and stormwater drains over the aquifer recharge and contributing zones.

3. Utility Accountability: Enforce independent environmental compliance audits for Aqua Texas and other private providers to completely eliminate pipeline leaks and accidental overflow incidents.

Here is an interactive map tracking the critical, interconnected waterways, headwaters, and tributaries across [Hays County](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/m/0mrg5 that are central to your nonpoint source pollution and corporate wastewater oversight concerns. [1] 

## Key Hydrological Zones on the Map

* * The [Blanco River System](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/m/0clmrj): Serving as the central spine of Hays County's Hill Country drainage, it flows past major community assets like [Five Mile Dam Park](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/g/1tgn54hl It relies entirely on clean contributions from upstream headwaters to prevent dry-bed conditions. [1, 2] 

* [Cypress Creek](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/g/11bw7sts9f & [Jacob’s Well](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/m/0gkxt1w): Positioned in Wimberley, [Cypress Creek](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/g/11bw7sts9f is fed directly by the [Jacob's Well Natural Area](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/g/11b5qhkcct artesian spring. This fragile creek system is highly vulnerable to groundwater over-pumping, utility line leaks, and unmitigated road runoff carrying pollutants straight into town centers. [1, 3, 4] 

* The [San Marcos River](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/m/07cphp): Driven by [San Marcos Springs](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/m/0gx4_5 this major ecological lifeline is subject to heavy urban stormwater strain from street curbs and highway culverts before running east.

* [Plum Creek Watershed](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/g/11j8pz3z_r): Branching across the eastern portion of the county, this network predominantly cuts through agricultural and rapidly developing suburban zones, accumulating heavy nonpoint source contamination from construction sites and stormwater drains.

* Edwards Aquifer Contributing Tributaries: Minor, sensitive waterways like [Little Bear Creek](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/g/1w04kjdh and [Garlic Creek](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/m/07syck act as direct funnels into the subterranean aquifer. Pollutants entering stormwater drains or ditches in these sub-watersheds immediately skip natural filtration and poison localized water supplies. [1, 5, 6] 

* 

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[1] [https://www.google.com](https://www.google.com/searchviewer/10?svid=CAwSHRIbCgNwdnESFENnMHZaeTh4TVdKM04zTjBjemxtGAo)
[2] [https://www.google.com](https://www.google.com/searchviewer/10?svid=CAwSGxIZCgNwdnESEkNnc3ZaeTh4ZEdkdU5UUm9iQRgK)
[3] [https://www.google.com](https://www.google.com/searchviewer/10?svid=CAwSHRIbCgNwdnESFENnMHZaeTh4TVdKM04zTjBjemxtGAo)
[4] [https://www.google.com](https://www.google.com/searchviewer/10?svid=CAwSHRIbCgNwdnESFENnMHZaeTh4TVdJMWNXaHJZMk4wGAo)
[5] [https://www.google.com](https://www.google.com/searchviewer/10?svid=CAwSGxIZCgNwdnESEkNnc3ZaeTh4ZHpBMGEycGthQRgK)
[6] [https://www.google.com](https://www.google.com/searchviewer/10?svid=CAwSGBIWCgNwdnESD0Nna3ZiUzh3TjNONVkycxgK)