The annual Creek Cleanup has been rescheduled for Saturday, September 18th—in recognition of National Protect Your Groundwater Day. This year we’ll be working on a stretch of Williamson Creek. We’ll provide a t-shirt, drinks and lunch in exchange for help protecting the quality of water recharging our aquifer. For more information, visit: www.bseacd.org/events/creek-cleanups/
Attention all Rain Catchers (current and future) -- The District is helping sponsor the first-ever rainwater harvesting festival—The Rainwater Revival—that will be held Saturday, October 9, 2010 at Roger Hanks Park in Dripping Springs. The Hays County Water Conservation Working Group is coordinating the festival. ‘Collection, conservation, and common sense’ is the theme for the festival. The What, Why and How of Rainwater harvesting techniques and systems will be central to the booths, demonstrations, and invited speaker presentations. Rainwater harvesting is an innovative and accessible solution for alternative water supply on a residential scale. Find out more at: www.bseacd.org/events/calendar/rainwater-revival-rainwater-harvesting-festival.
July 2010: Mother’s Day Out at the Hays Communities YMCA of Austin. The Hays Communities YMCA Mother’s Day Out program will teach basic classroom skills such as numbers, colors, alphabet and related themes, focusing on fun games, group crafts and activities. The first Fall session begins August 23, 2010. Sessions run monthly. Children ages 3-4 meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:30am to 1:30pm. (Must be 3 by Sept. 1). Kids ages 4-5 meet on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9:30am to 1:30pm. (Must be 4 by Sept. 1). All children must be potty trained to attend. Cost: The M/W/F session is $200 for YMCA Members/ $275 Non-Members; The T/Th session is $160 for YMCA Members/ $235 Non-Members; Registration fee is $45. Financial Assistance is available to qualified applicants. Contact Jane Nussel at (512) 523-0099 or jnussel@austinymca.org to register or for more details.
May 2010: See the new Ruby Ranch neighborhood watch tab. See the tab on the right side of this website or go here for information on RR Neighborhood Watch -- If you see something, say something. Safety & Preventing crime matters in our neighborhood.
May 2010: Board of Directors statement on Deer Trapping in Ruby Ranch -- Click here.
April 2010: Ruby Ranch Picnic, Sunday May 2nd - 1 to 4 pm @ The Park by the Creek (Turn at the Ruby Ranch Lodge Entrance). Come have fun, meet your neighbors, and show your support for traffic safety. Get more details here
April 2010: Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer Conservation District news -- Spring is here! And so is the Water Conservation Period edition of the Aquifer Bulletin. This newsletter is packed with information about the Water Conservation Period that starts May 1st. Please visit www.bseacd.org/outreach/newsletters and click on ‘Current Newsletter’ for the Water Conservation Period edition.
Attention Teachers and Educators … Registration for The Groundwater To the Gulf: Summer Institute for Central Texas Educators (June 22-24th) is now open! This 3-day, hands-on, field trip-based training is FREE and a wonderful opportunity to explore local science issues! Please visit www.bseacd.org/events/g2g for more information.
And Attention all Volunteers … BSEACD is looking for help for the annual Creek Cleanup on May 15th. This year they’ll be working on a stretch of Williamson Creek. They’ll provide a t-shirt, drinks and lunch in exchange for help protecting the quality of water recharging our aquifer. For more information, visit: www.bseacd.org/events/creek_cleanups
March 2010: County Sets Public Meetings for Dahlstrom Ranch Access -- Hays County and its partners in the Dahlstrom Ranch conservation easement will hold public meetings on March 22 and March 31 to gather input from residents on certain aspects of public access. You can see the release here.
March 2010: Annual Meeting Minutes -- You can view the minutes of the Ruby Ranch Homeowners Association Annual Meeting here.
February 2010: Trash Pickup Day (Update) -- Thanks to all who came out and helped clean up the trash from the Ruby Ranch roadways! About 15 kids and 15 adults broke up into groups of about 5 or 6 with just adult groups doing Ruby Ranch Road and the kid groups doing all the side streets. We all picked up lots of trash and it was a super success.
February 2010: Results of the 2010 Ruby Ranch Homeowners Association vote for Board Members -- The Board of Directors, after determining from proxies and ballets cast that there was a quorum at the annual meeting, counted the votes for the three open Board positions. The results were as follows:
Scott Christians - 41 votes
Thomas Doebner - 42 votes
Grady Meyer - 43 votes
As a result, Scott Christians, Thomas Doebner, and Grady Meyer were elected to the Board of Directors for a 2-year term.
February 2010: Trash Pickup Day -- There will be a trash pickup day on Saturday morning, February 20th at 10:00 am. Everyone interested should meet at Renee and Dave Eiland's residence, 101 Armstrong Cove at that time. We will supply the trash bags. Let's help keep Ruby Ranch beautiful!
February 2010: Annual Meeting! -- the annual Ruby Ranch Homeowner's meeting will be held on February 16th, 2010 at 7:00 p.m. at the Hays Hill Baptist Church. Even if you plan on attending the meeting, please return the self addressed and stamped Proxy that that you should have received recently in the mail; if you did not receive a proxy, contact any of the Board members. It allows for the establishing of a quorum and does not authorize the board to vote on your behalf. We must have a quorum (164 people or proxies) to conduct business at the annual meeting. Help us avoid the additional cost of having another meeting by returning this proxy. If you do attend the meeting, this proxy will be returned to you if you so desire. Board members will be elected during the Annual Meeting in early 2010. If you wish to run for the Board, you can use the nomination form available here.
January 2010: BSEACD -- The Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District’s winter edition of the Aquifer Bulletin is now available online: http://www.bseacd.org/files/file/Newsletters/AquiferBulletin_Dec2009.pdf.
December 2009: Hold the date! -- the annual Ruby Ranch Homeowner's meeting will be held on February 16th, 2010 at 7:00 p.m. at the Hays Hill Baptist Church. We'll have more details as we get closer to the meeting.
November 2009: It's that time again -- time to pay your annual Ruby Ranch Homeowner's Association dues. If you would like to help us save paper (and the environment), you can now request your invoice via email. If you'd like to receive your invoice via email contact us at us at board@rubyranchtx.com. Give us your name, address, and preferred email address and we'll email your invoice when it's ready. Invoices, electronic and paper, will be going out the first week of December and Due by January 1, 2010.
November 2009: BOARD OF DIRECTORS NOMINATIONS. Nominations are once again being accepted for the Ruby Ranch Board of Directors. Board members will be elected during the Annual Meeting in early 2010. If you wish to run for the Board, you can use the nomination form available here.
September 2009: National Night Out. Mark your calendars for National Night Out, this event will be held the evening of October 6, 2009, - please save the date. Last year was our first year participating in National Night Out, we'd like to continue the traditional and make this a successful evening. This will enable you to meet your neighbors, share discussions, we would like to encourage you all to come out and join us, children are especially welcome.
We plan to have refreshments to include hot dogs, chips, soft drinks and water. We expect to have the Sheriff's Department & the Buda Fire Department as guest, keep in mind, they are working many neighborhoods this evening and will attempt to spend some time with us, however if a call arises they will need to leave.
Event: Ruby Ranch Subdivision National Night Out 2009
Date: Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Time: 7pm to 9pm
Location: E. Bartlett Dr. (Half way down on the creek side of E. Bartlett Dr.)
Parking: Feel free to park on the creek side of E. Bartlett from Ruby Ranch Road to the end of the street near the cul-de-sac
THIS EVENT IS LIMITED TO RUBY RANCH RESIDENTS ONLY!
September 2009: Burn Ban Lifted: Hays County has lifted the ban on outdoor burning until further notice.
August 2009: BSEACD August 2009 Aquifer Bulletin. Articles in this edition of our quarterly newsletter center around the current Critical Stage Drought. You can access this edition on-line here: http://www.bseacd.org/newsletters/currentnewsletter.pdf
This drought affects us as a community. One of the most effective ways to conserve, protect, and manage our the groundwater resources is to keep you informed of the science, current conditions, and regulations affecting our District. This severe of a drought requires community action. To that end, this newsletter covers a wealth of topics. In this issue: a) Drought Status, b) 2009 Permitting Update, c) BSEACD Calendar, d) General Manager’s Report, e) Town Hall Meetings, f) Policy Advisory Committee, g) Drought Timeline, h) Rule Change Summary, i) Grant Project Updates, j) Impacts to Wells During Drought, k) Importance of Conservation During Extreme Drought, l) Report a Dry Well.
August 2009: A burglery report from a Ruby Ranch neighbor: "We had two of our vehicles entered and each lost items. One lost an ipod and the other lost a purse. In our trust of living back some distance from the road we do not lock the cars. This happened last monday night. We filed a report with the sheriff. The question remains was it local kids? Was it someone that came out maybe doing a drop-off and then picking them up? There is lots of wooded hiding areas... I just can't believe it was local kids- but one does not know. It takes a brazen individual(s) to go up a long drive in the dark and enter cars! We - even out here in our nice quiet neighbor must still keep vigilant!" Please make sure that you always lock your vehicles and keep your garage doors down. Don't make it easy for criminals!
June 2009: Burn Ban reinstated Hays County Judge Liz Sumter has signed an emergency order reinstating the burn ban that prohibits outdoor burning effectively immediately. For information about the rules for outdoor burning, please go to the Hays County Fire Marshal's Office.
HEAT PRECAUSTIONS
With temperatures rising before summer officially begins, the Hays County Health Department is reminding citizens, especially the elderly and those with fragile health, to take precautions. Remember to drink extra water, wear light colored and light weight clothing, and stay inside during the hottest part of the day. Do not leave children or pets in a hot car, even if the windows down. If you have elderly family and neighbors check on them. Make sure your outdoor pets have plenty of shade and water. If you need a fan: Call Family Eldercare at 512-459-4FAN and leave your information on voice mail if a fan coordinator is not available to take your call.
June 2009: Water users express concerns about groundwater supplies during drought Groundwater users in the Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District expressed concerns about groundwater supplies holding up if the current Critical Stage drought worsens. The District held town two hall meetings on June 2 and June 8 in Sunset Valley and Buda to review and get feedback on proposed rule changes that would better prepare the District to regulate and conserve groundwater resources during extreme drought.
Approximately 50 people attended the informational meetings, which were held to explain prospective changes to District rules dealing with drought and to get informal feedback from the public, groundwater users, well owners, and groundwater permit holders. An additional public comment period on the rule proposals will be held in July and August, once the District Board of Directors formally proposes changes in its rules.
"The public concerns about adequate groundwater supplies reinforce our belief that the District should prepare now for the worst-case scenario in drought," said Kirk Holland, General Manager of the Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District. "We will continue to work with our constituents to develop tools to manage resources in a drought that’s expected to worsen."
The District also plans to meet with permittees and take input from its Policy Advisory Committee in the coming month, Holland said.
The District is currently in one of the worst droughts in its history – just as the hottest, driest time of year starts. Aquifer levels and spring flows are expected to drop further during the summer, when rainfall is historically low and water usage high.
The District is proposing rule changes in two main areas:
• Drought stages for the Edwards Aquifer – introduction of one new stage, the Exceptional Stage, which would be more severe than Critical Stage (currently the most severe drought stage). Specific management measures also are proposed for an Emergency Response Period if and when the Edwards Aquifer is imperiled; and
• Management zones – introduction of zones to allow more equitable regulation and precise management of the different aquifers in the District.
The District has had a moratorium on new Edwards groundwater permits since April 9, 2009.
Links to the presentations made at the town hall meetings are available on the District website’s homepage, at www.bseacd.org. Summaries of the prospective changes and a markup of the language changes currently under consideration are available at www.bseacd.org/rules.
The Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District is a local agency of the State of Texas that conserves, protects and enhances the groundwater resources in its jurisdiction. It covers parts of South Travis County, North Hays County, western Caldwell County and a small part of western Bastrop County.
May 2009: Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District to Hold Public Meetings on Upcoming Changes to Groundwater and Drought Management Rules May 28, 2009 – The Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District will hold two town hall meetings to receive input from District permittees, individual groundwater users, and the public on prospective changes to the District’s Rules dealing with management zones and drought management, especially during extreme drought conditions. These are information-exchange meetings only and are intended to provide input to future proposed rulemaking. “Currently, we are in one of the worst droughts experienced in the history of the District. Aquifer water levels and spring flows may drop further as we enter the driest time of year, when the aquifer typically receives little replenishment and has its highest water use. We believe that the rule changes we will discuss at the public meetings are essential to being prepared for the dry times ahead. And we want to hear from our stakeholders about those needs,” noted Kirk Holland, General Manager of the Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District.
Two town hall meetings are scheduled; from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm on
1) Tuesday, June 2, 2009, Sunset Valley City Hall, 3205 Jones Rd., Sunset Valley, Texas 78745;
2) Monday, June 8, 2009, City of Buda City Hall, 121 Main St., Buda, Texas 78610
These meetings are open to the public and members of the District’s Board of Directors will be present to receive inputs from all stakeholders on the changes in the Rules to respond to more extreme drought conditions. Summaries of the prospective changes and a markup of the language changes currently being considered are available on the District website at www.bseacd.org/rules. For more information about these meetings, please contact the District office at (512) 282-8441
May 2009: Control Burns. Effective immediately, citizens no longer have to call the Hays County Sheriff's Office to report that they will be burning. The Sheriff's Office receives over 75 calls per day from citizens reporting their burn location. If the Communications Division receives a call of reported smoke in the area, their protocols are to send the local fire department. There is no way of determining whether the burn is at the exact location of a controlled burn that may have been called in so the fire department will be sent immediately. Citizens can call the Fire Marshall's Office at 393-7339 to check if the burn ban is on and for any other information that they may need. After hours, their voice mail will advise if the burn ban is off or on. The Sheriff's Office and the Fire Marshall's Office stress to all citizens to use all necessary precautions to ensure that they burn safely. A water source at the burn location, consideration of wind velocity, using caution for the size of area the citizen plans on burning, and putting out all fires before dark are some of the essentials of safe burning.
April 2009: Keep Kids Alive Drive 25 campaign. My name is Jeanette Gates. I have two young children (Bryan and Erin) and we live on West Bartlett Dr in Ruby Ranch. Like many of you, I have become very concerned about the speeding in our neighborhood. I’m involved in an effort to try to organize a Keep Kids Alive Drive 25 campaign in our neighborhood. This does not mean our speed limit will change to 25 MPH, this is just the name of the nonprofit organization, which is made up of parents who have lost their children to traffic fatalities. This organization does a lot to help communities to organize and start campaigns in their neighborhoods. The methods the organization uses have proven to be effective in many cities across the nation. With the summer coming soon and more adults and children alike on the roads as pedestrians, riding bikes, running, walking our pets etc, this a perfect time to get started. My goal would be to kick off our campaign on May 1st, but I need help. Won’t you please consider volunteering to start a Traffic Safety Taskforce for our neighborhood. The time involved will be minimal.
I will need volunteers to do as little as:
- post signs in their yard
- make a small monetary contribution to help us purchase signs
- or just
help to spread the word
- help me
to organize our May 1st kick-off
• help me to contact law enforcement and/or other government officials
• organize our efforts with our local schools
• help to distribute flyers to our residents
Won’t you please join me in this campaign? Let’s not wait for a pedestrian fatality in our neighborhood before we act. Let’s act now. Please contact me at the following numbers or e-mail address if you would be interested in helping in this effort.
DON’T LET THE 2 MINUTES YOU SAVE BE THE LAST 2 MINUTES OF SOMEONE’S LIFE
Jeanette Gates
939 West Bartlett Dr.
Hm. 295-5345
j-gates@austin.rr.com