Save Our Springs Alliance
Encyclopedia
Save Our Springs Alliance (SOS), originally called the Save Our Springs Legal Defense Fund, was a nonprofit corporation created to protect the citizen-drafted SOS Ordinance of 1992 to conserve Barton Springs
in Austin, Texas
. The ordinance was written by citizens in reaction to the City's "Composite Ordinance," which citizens regarded as insufficient to save Barton Springs.
, a mining company, threatened to develop 4,000 acres (16 km²) of land it owned along Barton Creek. When it came time for City Council to approve the development, though, an all-night meeting ensued wherein citizens decried the company's actions and professed their love of Barton Springs, what many refer to as the "Soul of the City."
Today, SOS works with groups in the larger Edwards Region with a collective goal of conserving the Greater Edwards Aquifer
Ecosystem, which is now chartered in the "Edwards Aquifer Protection Plan." The Edwards Aquifer is the source of water to over 4 million people, including residents of San Antonio. It also provides necessary heat relief and recreation to central Texas residents, and it is the home of many rare plant and animal species.
Six creeks run through the Barton Springs watershed: Barton Creek, Little Barton Creek, Bear Creek, Slaughter Creek, Williamson Creek, and Onion Creek. Sinkholes and other karst features allow water from these creeks to travel underground to the Aquifer. Because limestone provides no natural filtering system (unlike sandstone aquifers) it is more susceptible to pollutants in the creeks. SOS works to minimize development near these creeks, as sewage, run-off from roads and lawn fertilizers can end up in the Aquifer and come up at Barton Springs. Some of the ill effects of this pollution include a sewage smell, eutrophication
(the proliferation of algae
due to increased nutrients), increase turbidity (cloudiness) and harm to endangered species.
Barton Creek and other lakes and rivers in Central Texas are very popular in the Austin and Edwards Aquifer region as most citizens enjoy kayaking, swimming, and other outdoor recreation.
Pursuant to Section 11(g) of the Endangered Species Act
, Save Our Springs Alliance petitioned the Secretary of the Interior
to list the Barton Springs Salamander
as an endangered species. After a favorable ruling by the Supreme Court, the species was listed.
In 2006, a visiting judge ruled that Save Our Springs lacked standing in a suit that it had brought. SOS claimed that the Lazy 9 Municipal Utility District was created in violation of the Texas Constitution. The judge also levied $294,000 in attorney's fees against Save Our Springs, but the directors of SOS filed bankruptcy
to avoid paying this judgment. Although the Court of Appeals subsequently determined that SOS did have standing to file the suit, it refused to reverse the trial court's decision on the merits and left the attorney's fees ruling intact. On motion for rehearing, the Court of Appeals affirmed its decision. The Texas Supreme Court refused the writ of appeal, determining there was no reversible error. The bankruptcy court judge denied Save Our Springs' plan to emerge from bankruptcy and dismissed the case after SOS failed to meet a deadline.
Barton Springs
Barton Springs is a set of four natural water springs located on the grounds of Zilker Park in Austin, Texas resulting from water flowing through the Edwards Aquifer. The largest spring, Main Barton Spring supplies water to Barton Springs Pool, a popular recreational destination in Austin...
in Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
. The ordinance was written by citizens in reaction to the City's "Composite Ordinance," which citizens regarded as insufficient to save Barton Springs.
History
In 1990 Freeport-McMoRanFreeport-McMoRan
Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc., often called simply Freeport, is the world's lowest-cost copper producer and one of the world's largest producers of gold...
, a mining company, threatened to develop 4,000 acres (16 km²) of land it owned along Barton Creek. When it came time for City Council to approve the development, though, an all-night meeting ensued wherein citizens decried the company's actions and professed their love of Barton Springs, what many refer to as the "Soul of the City."
Today, SOS works with groups in the larger Edwards Region with a collective goal of conserving the Greater Edwards Aquifer
Aquifer
An aquifer is a wet underground layer of water-bearing permeable rock or unconsolidated materials from which groundwater can be usefully extracted using a water well. The study of water flow in aquifers and the characterization of aquifers is called hydrogeology...
Ecosystem, which is now chartered in the "Edwards Aquifer Protection Plan." The Edwards Aquifer is the source of water to over 4 million people, including residents of San Antonio. It also provides necessary heat relief and recreation to central Texas residents, and it is the home of many rare plant and animal species.
Six creeks run through the Barton Springs watershed: Barton Creek, Little Barton Creek, Bear Creek, Slaughter Creek, Williamson Creek, and Onion Creek. Sinkholes and other karst features allow water from these creeks to travel underground to the Aquifer. Because limestone provides no natural filtering system (unlike sandstone aquifers) it is more susceptible to pollutants in the creeks. SOS works to minimize development near these creeks, as sewage, run-off from roads and lawn fertilizers can end up in the Aquifer and come up at Barton Springs. Some of the ill effects of this pollution include a sewage smell, eutrophication
Eutrophication
Eutrophication or more precisely hypertrophication, is the movement of a body of water′s trophic status in the direction of increasing plant biomass, by the addition of artificial or natural substances, such as nitrates and phosphates, through fertilizers or sewage, to an aquatic system...
(the proliferation of algae
Algae
Algae are a large and diverse group of simple, typically autotrophic organisms, ranging from unicellular to multicellular forms, such as the giant kelps that grow to 65 meters in length. They are photosynthetic like plants, and "simple" because their tissues are not organized into the many...
due to increased nutrients), increase turbidity (cloudiness) and harm to endangered species.
Barton Creek and other lakes and rivers in Central Texas are very popular in the Austin and Edwards Aquifer region as most citizens enjoy kayaking, swimming, and other outdoor recreation.
Pursuant to Section 11(g) of the Endangered Species Act
Endangered Species Act
The Endangered Species Act of 1973 is one of the dozens of United States environmental laws passed in the 1970s. Signed into law by President Richard Nixon on December 28, 1973, it was designed to protect critically imperiled species from extinction as a "consequence of economic growth and...
, Save Our Springs Alliance petitioned the Secretary of the Interior
United States Secretary of the Interior
The United States Secretary of the Interior is the head of the United States Department of the Interior.The US Department of the Interior should not be confused with the concept of Ministries of the Interior as used in other countries...
to list the Barton Springs Salamander
Barton Springs Salamander
The Barton Springs salamander is an endangered lungless salamander that only lives in the habitat of Barton Springs in Austin, Texas, USA...
as an endangered species. After a favorable ruling by the Supreme Court, the species was listed.
In 2006, a visiting judge ruled that Save Our Springs lacked standing in a suit that it had brought. SOS claimed that the Lazy 9 Municipal Utility District was created in violation of the Texas Constitution. The judge also levied $294,000 in attorney's fees against Save Our Springs, but the directors of SOS filed bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
to avoid paying this judgment. Although the Court of Appeals subsequently determined that SOS did have standing to file the suit, it refused to reverse the trial court's decision on the merits and left the attorney's fees ruling intact. On motion for rehearing, the Court of Appeals affirmed its decision. The Texas Supreme Court refused the writ of appeal, determining there was no reversible error. The bankruptcy court judge denied Save Our Springs' plan to emerge from bankruptcy and dismissed the case after SOS failed to meet a deadline.