Environmental Stewardship

How important to you is the health of the Colorado River? We’re talking about the Texas - Colorado River -- the part that flows from the Longhorn dam to Matagorda Bay. It is a vital source of irrigation for the agricultural users, as well as seafood - such as shrimp, oysters, and fish - that come from the bay. And it exchanges water with the aquifers as it flows to the bay. In recent years, industrial operations have begun setting up shop in areas close enough to affect the health of the lower river’s ecosystem, as well as its water quality. This has gone somewhat unnoticed by all but a few who live near enough to be heavily impacted by these companies . . . until recently.

We have seen lately the development of large land operations - such as Elon Musk’s commercial developments of SpaceX, Starlink, and The Boring Company that have installed industrial operations along our river with no public input and minimal local oversight. A ten-fold expansion of one of the wastewater treatment plants in the area that is within the LCRA McKinney Roughs Nature Park and is operated by Corix Utilities, has been tentatively permitted for construction. We are the only thing stopping the permit from going into effect. Wastewater from the plant flows through the park in an unnamed tributary before being discharged into the main stem of the river. This is one of our few publicly accessible natural areas and should be a jewel in the Lower Colorado River Authority’s crown, so we would hope they would want to protect it and the families that visit the park.As a steward of the Colorado River, its tributaries and related aquifers, Environmental Stewardship, along with a coalition of concerned citizens in the region, are aggressively and proactively challenging these proposed additions by calling for (demanding) the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to fulfill its obligations to put the health of the environment and our Colorado River BEFORE greedy developers.

As a steward of the Colorado River, its tributaries and related aquifers, Environmental Stewardship, along with a coalition of concerned citizens in the region, are aggressively and proactively challenging these proposed additions by calling for (demanding) the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to fulfill its obligations to put the health of the environment and our Colorado River BEFORE environmentally careless developers with no local ties.

The hearing on the Corix application took place on January 27-28, 2025 so we URGENTLY need your help now!

NONE of what we are trying to accomplish comes cheaply. We are a non-profit that devotes donated dollars we receive to pay professionals in the fields of water policy and science, along with our legal team, in making our case to state law judges. But it’s an expensive process.

We have the evidence to make the case that this segment of the Colorado River is not meeting its designated use standards and needs urgent attention to ensure that this situation is corrected. It is imperative that the river meets the Exceptional Aquatic-Life, Primary Recreational and drinking water uses. The judges will recommend actions that need to be taken to protect our river now and in the future.

To fund the projects we’ve described, we need to raise $20,000 within the next few months, Every dollar counts.

PLEASE consider your donation to Environmental Stewardship to be a donation to yourself. Through our actions, we protect the thing that is most dear and critical to your future and the future of your children’s children, the very important waters of our Texas Colorado River

You can donate through this GoFundMe

or mail a check to:

Environmental Stewardship

P.O. Box 1423

Bastrop, TX 78602

Thank you for your donation!

Environmental Stewardship is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Your donations are tax deductible.