The City of San Marcos is participating in the Edwards Aquifer Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP), the culmination of a decades-long conversation on how to best protect the endangered species of the San Marcos and Comal rivers and springs. The City embarked on the Habitat Conservation Plan in coordination with the Edwards Aquifer Authority, Texas Parks and Wildlife and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Plan Approval
The Fish and Wildlife Service approved the plan, along with the incidental take permit and the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in February 2013 and published notice in the Federal Register.
State Scientific Area
In December 2012, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission designated the upper San Marcos River as a "State Scientific Area" to protect endangered Texas Wild Rice, which grows only in the San Marcos River.
Habitat Conservation Plan Implementation
The Habitat Conservation Plan involves several components in San Marcos:
- Bank stabilization
- Constructing river access areas
- Planting native trees and shrubs along the river
- Invasive species removal
Additional Information
Copies of the EIS and HCP are available on the Ecological Services website. More information about the HCP, including news and videos, is available on the Habitat Conservation Plan website.