Library expansion to be ‘One Water’

The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment at Texas State University and Wimberley Village Library District Board of Trustees have executed a memorandum of understanding to launch a new One Water project for the Wimberley Valley community. With technical support from the Meadows Center, the planned 15,000-square-foot library expansion and 3.8-acre lot will be designed for both water conservation and water quality protection while serving as a community laboratory and educational resource for natural resources protection.

“The Wimberley Village Library community – trustees, staff, Friends and Foundation – welcomes and enthusiastically embraces this opportunity to put into practice the essential principles of the One Water approach to design and construction. We look forward to providing a center for information and programs to further knowledge and understanding of the critical role of water resources in western Hays County,” said Dell Hood, President Board of Trustees - Wimberley Village Library District.

Talks of expanding the library came about due to the growth in population in the area and in the Wimberley community’s increasing and joyful use of its services. The Wimberley Village Library has been enlarged three times due to an increasing demand for services since it was formed in 1976. The planned expansion will provide more space for children and young adults’ programs and activities and more no cost meeting rooms for the community. Additionally, the Library envisions adding to the educational focus with information on water conservation while demonstrating best practices.

“The Wimberley Valley is setting the pace for sustainability in the Texas Hill Country. We could not be more excited to partner with the Wimberley Village Library community on this keystone One Water project,” said Nick Dornak, Director of Watershed Services, The Meadows Center

– Texas State University.

One Water is a water planning and management approach that rethinks how water moves through and is used in a community; it brings stakeholders like developers, community leaders, urban planners, water managers and engineers together with the goal of utilizing water as thoughtfully and efficiently as possible. The library’s One Water renovation supports continued implementation of the Cypress Creek Watershed Protection Plan with best management practices anticipated to include rainwater harvesting, HVAC condensate collection and green stormwater infrastructure like permeable pavers, xeriscape, and raingardens.

“By adopting and implementing One Water for the Wimberley Library, we want to set a new standard of care and water conservation for our community. We are adopting the One Water strategic management approach for the library that emphasizes stewardship and is sustainable. In partnership with the Meadows Center at Texas State University, we will have a model One Water system for the education of everyone in our community. We are dedicated to protecting our water as our most vital natural resource – for us and for future generations,” said Patrick Cox, PhD., Trustee Board of Trustees – Wimberley Village Library District.