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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, Jacob's Well is a prolific artesian spring in |
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Wimberley, Hays County, Texas; rising from the largest underground |
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water cave in the Trinity Aquifer, it provides a perpetual flow of |
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clear, exceptionally pure spring water to Cypress Creek and the |
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Blanco River; and |
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WHEREAS, The spring and creek, along which the Village of |
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Wimberley was built, contribute to the aesthetic beauty and |
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commercial vitality of that community, and to the environmental |
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integrity and quality of life in the surrounding Hill Country |
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region; and |
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WHEREAS, Clean water and open space are both an economic |
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advantage and an essential part of our Texas heritage, yet both are |
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disappearing in Hays County because of the pressures of continuing |
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population growth; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1996, the Wimberley Valley Watershed Association |
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was established to ensure the economic and environmental health of |
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the valley by protecting the pristine aquifers and watersheds of |
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Jacob's Well, Cypress Creek, and the Blanco River, and by |
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preserving the lush open space that defines the rural and ranching |
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traditions of the Hill Country; and |
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WHEREAS, Hays County is greatly enriched by the association |
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and its goal of preserving both the quality and the quantity of the |
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bountiful water sources on which the Wimberley Valley relies; and |
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WHEREAS, The Wimberley Valley Watershed Association has |
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committed to a leadership role, working with elected officials, |
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businesses, and citizens throughout the valley and Central Texas to |
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guarantee the sustainability and health of the area's hydrological |
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endowment; and |
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WHEREAS, In the area surrounding Jacob's Well, the |
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association has purchased 55 acres to ensure that the land in the |
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vicinity, as well as contributing aquifers and watersheds, are |
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protected for the benefit of future generations of Texans who |
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reside in or visit the community; and |
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WHEREAS, As part of this effort, the association has embarked |
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on the development of a Jacob's Well Natural Area master plan, |
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through which it will apply its best efforts to implement a regional |
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land conservation program including voluntary conservation |
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easements and requisite scientific research; and |
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WHEREAS, Education lies at the core of the association's |
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mission, and the Jacob's Well Natural Area will provide an ideal |
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setting for informational programs, and will encourage a spirit of |
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involvement in land and water stewardship among civic |
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organizations, students of all ages, business and government |
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leaders, and residents; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 80th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby support the establishment of the Jacob's Well Natural Area, |
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the associated missions of the Wimberley Valley Watershed |
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Association, and regional conservation initiatives by the |
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association to protect the natural beauty and economic vitality of |
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Hays County; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That the legislature strongly recommend the |
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Jacob's Well Natural Area project for funding from any parks or open |
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space grant or program, or from any other funding source that |
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assists the goals of this commendable project. |