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Texas lakes are a source of both drinking water and recreation. Lady Bird Lake in Austin is a favorite spot for boaters. Photo by Lizzie Chen for KUT News.

Your Guide to Water Issues In Texas

Background

Texas is home to 14 major rivers, over 100 lakes, and 23 aquifers that underlie about three-fourths of the state. Texas also borders the Gulf of Mexico. These bodies of water supply much of the state’s drinking water. Some lakes and rivers are also used for energy production, though hydroelectric power is still a limited resource in the state.

More than half of the usable and potentially usable freshwater in Texas comes from groundwater. This water is used for domestic, municipal, industrial, and agricultural purposes. Nearly 55% of Texans rely on groundwater for their drinking water, and 96% of Texans are provided with water that meets or exceeds the primary drinking water standards.

The Edwards Aquifer produces drinking water for more than 2 million people in Central Texas. Demand for water in Texas has increased with the state’s rapid population growth. Austin, the state capital, saw its water use triple between 1970 and 2010. Texas’ mostly dry, hot weather and frequent droughts further stress the water supply.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and the Texas Water Development Board are in charge of regulating water quality. Contamination in groundwater from human waste is tracked by the Texas Groundwater Protection Committee. Gasoline, diesel, and petroleum products are the most common contaminants.

Lake Travis and Lake Buchanan are the main water sources for many cities, farmers and power plants in Central Texas. Droughts are a major concern in this part of the state where cities, like Austin, use lake water for drinking and recreation. Texas saw some of its driest months on record since 1895 during the eight-month period from October 2010 to May 2011. The water level in both Lake Travis and Lake Buchanan fell to 1.4 million acre-feet, 28 percent less than the average, causing the Central Texas region to begin stage 1 drought restrictions. As lake levels continued to fall, several Central Texas cities entered stage 2 drought restrictions, including Austin. As of June 20, 2011, nearly two-thirds of the state had entered into “exceptional drought,” the Lower Colorado River Authority’s (LCRA) most severe category. The LCRA is a powerful state organization that controls the water in the two lakes and much of the Colorado River.

Rice farmers along the Gulf Coast are also highly susceptible to the hazards of drought. Rice farming requires large quantities of water to produce crops. The 2011 drought has constrained water supplies to the point that rice farmers may face water restrictions in the coming year. In 2010, Texas’ agricultural industry used 57% of the water from the six Highland Lakes in Central Texas.

To ease water supply problems in Texas, the LCRA is looking for alternative water sources. State environmental regulators have approved the LCRA’s request to store more water downstream from Lake Travis and Lake Buchanan. State representatives are currently working on regulation of groundwater. New legislation for rain water harvesting in Texas passed in the 82nd legislative session and is effective September 1, 2011.

Latest Posts

Texas Town Upset With Governor’s Water Veto

From the Texas Tribune: Officials in the North Texas town of Blue Mound and the town’s representative in the state House say they are upset and baffled by Gov. Rick Perry’s veto of a bill that would have made it easier for Blue Mound to gain control of its water system. The town’s water is [...]

After Supreme Court Water Ruling, What’s Next for Texas?

On Thursday, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on a major case pitting the water needs of North Texas against its northern neighbor. At issue was Texas’ ability to access water from the Red River in Oklahoma. The Tarrant Regional Water District serves 11 counties in fast-growing North Texas, including the city of Fort Worth. It [...]

After Rice Farmers Cut Off Last Year, Water Use Cut in Half in Central Texas

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In 2012, for the first time in history, most rice farmers on the Lower Colorado River in South Texas were cut off from water for irrigation. According to an emergency drought plan, there wasn’t enough water in the Highland Lakes of Buchanan and Travis to send water downstream. In the months since, those lakes have [...]

This Week in Drought: The Two Sides of Texas

Drought is forecast to continue in hard-hit areas of the state.

The rain in South Texas has been fickle this spring. ”Oh, we’ve had some rain,” says Ed Walker, Manager of the Wintergarden Groundwater Conservation District. “But it’s been an inch here, a half-inch there. It’s really dry.” Walker’s work involves managing the underground water in the counties of Dimmit, La Salle and Zavala, a part of the state [...]

State Tells River Authority Water Plan Needs More Review

The extreme drought and 2011 releases to farmers lowered levels in Lakes Buchanan and Travis (pictured) in Central Texas. Now a state agency is saying more study is needed into how the reservoirs are managed.

In the ongoing battle over water in the Highland Lakes of Central Texas, the City of Austin and lake residents and businesses scored something of a victory this week when the state told the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) that its water management plan will need more review. The LCRA manages the water in the [...]

When Will the Texas Drought End?

The Texas grid is forecasting a dry, hotter-than-normal summer.

There have been two constant questions since the drought began: Will we have another 2011? And how long will the drought continue?

Texas Water Plan Being Questioned by Court

A court ruling could have a big impact on how the state manages water.

From the Texas Tribune: Just as Gov. Rick Perry and lawmakers finalize plans to spend $2 billion on water-supply projects around the state, a court decision could force Texas to rethink its water-planning process. Last week, Texas’ 11th Court of Appeals ruled that two regional plans feeding into the 2012 state water plan — a 300-page [...]

What’s Moved, What Hasn’t, and What Comes Next at the Texas Lege

As the final week of the 83rd Legislative Session kicks into gear we can expect a flurry of activity at the Capitol. Lawmakers will be trying to pass a slew of bills that could affect Texas' water, energy and environment.

With precious little time left in Texas’ 83rd Legislative session, lawmakers will be working this week to vote still-living bills out of the House and Senate. StateImpact Texas has compiled a short list of some bills related to water, energy and the environment that have made it through or may still have a shot. (This [...]

New Movement on Funding State Water Plan

A plan from the Texas Senate would take big decisions about funding for water and roads and put them in the hands of voters.

There’s a new push at the State Capital to pull $2 Billion dollars from Texas’ Rainy Day Fund and put it towards water projects. After a recent move in the House died on the floor in dramatic fashion two weeks ago, there were real questions on whether the water plan would get funded this legislative [...]

What’s Happening This Week at the Texas Legislature

Several bills pertaining to water, the environment and public policy will be discussed at the Texas Capitol this week.

In the gauntlet that is the Texas Legislature, the bills that have made it this far are looking at the final few obstacles in the way of becoming law. StateImpact Texas has compiled a short list of bills pertaining to water, the environment and energy that could be heard by House and Senate this week. [...]

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