Saturday, June 19, 2021

Explaining Jollyville Plateau Cave in Austin, Texas.

Jollyville Plateau Cave is one of the lesser known secluded caves of Austin, Texas. Only so much information is known about Jollyville Plateau Cave. This news article will explain and discuss the geology and nature behind Jollyville Plateau Cave.

Jollyville Plateau Cave is well known for having a beautiful and rugged terrain due to the fact that this particular cave located within Jollyville Plateau range which is part of the rugged and beautiful terrain of Western Travis County. There are many limestone fissures which can be found inside Jollyville Plateau Cave. Jollyville Plateau Cave contains numerous karst features since this cave is located within the Jollyville Plateau.

Tooth Cave ground beetles and Bone Cave harvestman (Texella reyesi) have been confirmed to exist in Jollyville Plateau Cave. (Ref: ftp://ftp.austintexas.gov/GIS-Data/WCD/WCD/Req/The_Caves_of_the_Balcones_Conservation_Plan.pdf)

The depth of this cave extends to 254 feet. Elevation of the main entrance is 1,030 feet. There are several entrances that connect to this cave. However some of these entrances have been plugged with boulders. An area of interior collapsed and fill are located beneath the ceiling. Floors are composed of clay composites with clean solid rock floors. “The Skilight Wound Entrance” descends into a 12 foot drop. (Ref: ftp://ftp.austintexas.gov/GIS-Data/WCD/WCD/Req/The_Caves_of_the_Balcones_Conservation_Plan.pdf)

WB Joint Venture purchased 28.8 acres of land out of a 333 acres sized property in 1994. Of this land included Jollyville Plateau Cave. In 1996, the USFWS issued an ESA Section 10(a)(1)(B) incidental take permit (permit number PRT 808694) to WB Joint Venture in part to cover the potential incidental take of Tooth Cave ground beetles associated with development within an approximately 333 acres property in north-central Travis County, Texas. This HCP was created in support of permit issuance which called for the preservation of a 52-acre “high density cave area” containing 6 caves or prominent karst features including four of the Tooth Cave ground beetle confirmed collection sites including Jollyville Plateau Cave. (Ref: https://digital.lib.usf.edu/content/SF/S0/05/47/42/00001/K26-04293-KIP-00011532.pdf)

Texas Cave Conservancy (TCC) began managing Jollyville Plateau Cave in April of 1996 after several endangered species of insects were discovered during an excavation for insect research. They believed these endangered species needed to be protected. (Ref: https://digital.lib.usf.edu/SFS0055225/00001)

On April 16, 1999, Federal Register announced and advised the public that GDF Realty Investments, Ltd. (applicant), in conjunction with Mr. R. James George, Jr., Purcell Investments L.P., Parke Properties I, L.P., WB Joint Ventures, and Parke Properties II, L.P. planned to construct and operate commercial and/or residential developments on 216.4 acres of habitat in the area known as the Hart Triangle. The proposed incidental take would occur as a result of the construction and operation of these developments on FM 620 at Bullick Hollow Road (FM 2222) in Travis County, Texas. A Target store would be built here as well. (Ref: Federal Register, Volume 64, Number 73)

Ownership of the permit and ownership of the property was transferred from WB Joint Ventures and Parke Properties to TPG Four Points Land, L.P in 1999. Today Jollyville Plateau Cave is privately owned and is owned by TPG Four Points Land, L.P currently. (Ref: https://americanstewards.us/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Petition-to-Delist-Texella-reyesi-1.pdf)

Jollyville Plateau Cave is located at 7501 River Place Boulevard, Austin, Texas, US 78726.

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