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Austin Water describes 49,000 acres of wildland stewardship, warns of funding and wildfire risks
Summary
Austin Water briefed the Environmental Commission Sept. 17 on stewardship of roughly 49,000 acres of conserved lands (Balcones Canyonlands Preserve and Water Quality Protection Lands), reporting monitoring, restoration, prescribed burns and the upcoming 2026 renewal of the Balcones incidental‑take permit.
Austin Water staff told the Environmental Commission Sept. 17 that the city manages roughly 49,000 acres of conserved lands across two programs — the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve (BCP) to the north and west and the Water Quality Protection Lands (WQPL) to the south and west — and summarized monitoring, restoration and wildfire‑risk work done on those properties.
Justin Bates, division manager for Austin Water’s Wildland Conservation Division, described the work program: endangered‑species monitoring (the division monitored more than 130 golden‑cheeked warbler nests and 33 black‑capped vireo nests this year), cave invertebrate surveys, invasive‑species control (including research partnerships to control…
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