The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Austin Ecological Service Field Office, designated 16.5 miles of streams in Val Verde and Kinney counties as critical habitat for the Devils River minnow on August 12, 2008.  Five and a half miles of San Felipe Creek, including the outflow of East and West springs, and 11 miles of Pinto Creek make up the critical habitat designation.  The fish is protected as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. The Service identified segments in five creeks considered important to the recovery of the minnow. 

It then analyzed whether the conservation benefit for the Devils River minnow was greater if the segment was included or excluded.  Devils River, Sycamore Creek and Las Moras Creek were dropped from the final critical habitat rule because excluding them allows for more productive partnerships with private landowners and a greater variety of conservation tools to be employed.  San Felipe Creek and Pinto Creek segments remained in the critical habitat designation.