Proven Track Record

The Guadalupe-Blanco River Trust represents many years of experience in land preservation. The Guadalupe-Blanco River Trust (the Trust), founded in 2001, was the first land trust devoted to working exclusively to protect water and land in the Guadalupe River watershed. The Trust covers counties from the Texas Hill Country to the Guadalupe River Delta.

See a map of our completed projects

Since 2001, Guadalupe-Blanco River Trust has:

• Protected land in four counties within Guadalupe watershed.
• Completed a $600,000 water supply canal for the Myrtle-Foester Whitmire Unit of the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge.
• Worked collaboratively with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and private landowners to increase flow into the Guadalupe River Delta and remove invasive species in the Guadalupe River.
• Partnered with government, landowners to work toward better solutions for balancing growth by investing in our natural heritage.
• Provided workshops for landowners who want to conserve their property.
• Produced multiple publications on conserving the land and water resources of the Guadalupe River watershed.

You can see a detailed list of our accomplishments below:

Myrtle Foester Whitmire Unit (more info)

• Signed an MOU between the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, GBRA and the Trust for a joint project to help meet the long-term water needs of the Myrtle-Foester Whitmire Unit at the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge.
• Received a $12,050 grant from the Formosa Plastics Enviornmental Endowment Fund Trust for the Myrtle-Foester Whitmire Unit.
• Received a $45,000 grant through the 2005 North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) for the Myrtle-Foester Whitmire Unit.
• Received a $37,228 grant through the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) for the Myrtle-Foester Whitmire Unit.
• Received a $213,000 grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation for the Myrtle-Foester Whitmire Unit.
• Aransas National Wildlife Refuge adds a page on their website devoted to the Whitmire Project:
  - http://www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/texas/aransas/partnerships.html
• Alcoa Corporation joins Whitmire Project.
• Alcoa Corporation contributes equivalent of $150,000 to $200,000 for the Whitmire Project by agreeing to move 75,000 to 100,000 cu yards (@ $1.95/cu yard) of soil to Whitmire Unit for the construction of the new canal.

Traylor Cut

• Received an $11,000 grant from the USFWS to control invasive aquatic species and to remove a sandbar at the mouth of the old Guadalupe River channel in the delta.

Conservation Easements

• Completed a Conservation Easement in Kendall County.
• Completed a Conservation Easement in Calhoun County.
• Completed Conservation Easement in DeWitt County.
• Completed Conservation Easement in Guadalupe County and Land Donation.
• Completed a Conservation Easement in Hays County.

Workshops/Seminars/Conferences

• Participated in the Land Trust Rally.
  - Hosted field trip for two days of river rafting on the Guadalupe.
  - Hosted regional reception at the Land Trust Rally.
• Hosted the 6th Annual Land Trust Conference for Central Texas.
• Hosted a Land Conservation Workshop in Kerr County to educate landowners about Land Trust and the use of Conservation Easements.
• Hosted a Blanco River Land Conservation Seminar in Hays County to educate landowners about the Blanco River, State and Federal Conservation Programs, Land Trusts and Conservation Easements. There were 80 participants.
• Hosted a Land Stewardship Seminar in Kendall County to educate landowners about the Guadalupe River, State and Federal Conservation Programs, Land Trusts and Conservation Easements. There were 75 participants.

Grants

• Received a $12,050 grant from the Formosa Plastics Enviornmental Endowment Fund Trust for the Myrtle-Foester Whitmire Unit.
• Received a $45,000 grant through the 2005 North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) for the Myrtle-Foester Whitmire Unit.
• Received a $37,228 grant through the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) for the Myrtle-Foester Whitmire Unit.
• Received a $213,000 grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation for the Myrtle-Foester Whitmire Unit.
• Received an $11,000 grant from the USFWS to control invasive aquatic species and to remove a sandbar at the mouth of the old Guadalupe River channel in the delta.

MOUs

• Signed an MOU between the Upper Guadalupe River Authority, GBRA and the Trust to make the Trust the official land trust of both agencies.
• Signed an MOU between the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, GBRA and the Trust for a joint project to help meet the long-term water needs of the Myrtle-Foester Whitmire Unit at the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge.

Water Rights

• A lease agreement approved between the GBRA and Thornton Family Investments, L.P. protects historic, senior water rights on the San Marcos River by assigning them to the Trust. This was a first for a Texas-based land trust. The initial lease period is five years. During this time, the rights will be held by the Trust and the water will remain in the San Marcos/Guadalupe Rivers for the benefit of all who use the river system. The Trust will make annual lease payments, and the lease period may be extended by both parties. The Thornton family are direct descendants of Ed Cape, who obtained these rights from the State of Texas between 1895 and 1905. These senior water rights are some of the oldest in the Guadalupe River Basin and amount to 70 acre feet of water per year, which is equivalent to almost 23 million gallons of water annually. As long as the San Marcos Springs are flowing, this water will be available.

Land Use

• Purchased 650 acres in the Guadalupe River Delta with the assistance of the grant funding to preserve wetlands.
• Completed a current & projected land uses map for the Guadalupe River Basin.