PARAGON
PARAGON
Water, aquifer, and habitat rules that shape rural land in 16 counties around Austin, measured from state and federal sources. Computed 2026-10-16.
| County | Land (sq mi) | Land in any groundwater district | Districts | Edwards Aquifer rules | County habitat plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Llano County | 934 | 0% | None | No | None |
| Williamson County | 1,116 | 0% | None | Parts of county | Williamson County Regional Habitat Conservation Plan |
| Travis County | 994 | 32.3% | Southwestern Travis County Groundwater Conservation District; Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District | Parts of county | Balcones Canyonlands Conservation Plan |
| San Saba County | 1,135 | 55.7% | Hickory Underground Water Conservation District No. 1 | No | None |
| Caldwell County | 545 | 91.4% | Plum Creek Conservation District; Edwards Aquifer Authority; Gonzales County Underground Water Conservation District; Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District | No | None |
| Kendall County | 662 | ~100% | Cow Creek Groundwater Conservation District | No | None |
| Burnet County | 995 | ~100% | Central Texas Groundwater Conservation District | No | None |
| Comal County | 560 | ~100% | Comal Trinity Groundwater Conservation District; Edwards Aquifer Authority | Parts of county | Comal County Regional Habitat Conservation Plan |
| Bandera County | 791 | ~100% | Bandera County River Authority and Groundwater District | No | None |
| Bastrop County | 888 | ~100% | Lost Pines Groundwater Conservation District | No | Lost Pines Habitat Conservation Plan |
| Gillespie County | 1,058 | ~100% | Hill Country Underground Water Conservation District | No | None |
| Lampasas County | 713 | ~100% | Saratoga Underground Water Conservation District | No | None |
| Mason County | 929 | ~100% | Hickory Underground Water Conservation District No. 1 | No | None |
| Blanco County | 709 | ~100% | Blanco-Pedernales Groundwater Conservation District | No | None |
| Hays County | 677 | ~100% | Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation District; Barton Springs/Edwards Aquifer Conservation District; Edwards Aquifer Authority; Plum Creek Conservation District | Parts of county | Hays County Regional Habitat Conservation Plan |
| Kerr County | 1,103 | ~100% | Headwaters Groundwater Conservation District | No | None |
Groundwater coverage is the share of each county’s area that falls inside at least one groundwater conservation district. District boundaries come from the Texas Water Development Board district map service, county boundaries and land area from the U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb service. Overlapping districts are counted once. Percentages are approximate and rounded.
Edwards Aquifer applicability follows the TCEQ Edwards Aquifer Protection Program. Habitat plans come from county and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service plan documents, and appraisal district links from the Texas Comptroller county directory.
How to cite
Paragon Realty Group, “Central Texas Rural Land Rules Index,” 2026-10-16, https://paragonrealtygroup.co/ranch-and-land/rural-land-rules-index
Journalists, researchers, and agencies are welcome to use these figures with attribution and a link to this page. District boundaries and rules change; confirm current details with the agencies listed on each county guide. This index is general information, not legal, tax, survey, or environmental advice.