The latest water supply news from The Texas Tribune.
The Lower Colorado River Authority is proposing significant rate increases for Central Texas cities and Gulf Coast-area rice farmers, saying its operating costs aren't being covered. But critics say the agency should focus more on cutting costs. Full Story
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In this week's edition of the Trib+Water newsletter: a water summit, pulse flows and an interview with Stacey Steinbach of the Texas Alliance of Groundwater Districts. Full Story
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Facing the third straight year of cutoffs for irrigation water from the Lower Colorado River Authority, some Gulf Coast-area rice farmers are spending millions of dollars drilling wells to pump groundwater instead. Full Story
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Many conservative activists in Texas worry that when it comes to state water policy, Republican leaders have not focused on principles like small government, private property rights and local control. Full Story
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As drought grips most of Texas, researchers are combing the state's 1.5 million drilling records to map brackish water in the state's 30 aquifers — hidden resources that could help quench the state’s long-term thirst. Full Story
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In this week's edition of the Trib+Water newsletter: water woes out west and an interview with water consultant Robert Cullick. Full Story
With the official support of the U.S. government, Texas now hopes it has a substantial edge over New Mexico in an interstate legal battle over water from the Rio Grande. Full Story
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Despite its internationally renowned successes in water conservation, San Antonio is still struggling to quench its thirst amid explosive growth. Will its search for new water supplies risk its reputation as a green city? Full Story
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The ongoing drought in Central Texas is claiming an innocent bystander: hydroelectricity. As the Lower Colorado River Authority limits water releases downstream, hydroelectricity — a power source that spurred the LCRA's creation almost 80 years ago — has faded further into obscurity. Full Story
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When voters approved spending $2 billion in state money on water financing last November, they also agreed to reserve 20 percent of funding for "water conservation and reuse." Now, planners are debating exactly what that means. Full Story
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Texas' drought has sparked discussions on the need to build desalination plants and new reservoirs, but some scientists and water planners want to add "weather modification" to that list. This story was produced in partnership with KUT News. Full Story
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We're relaunching our free newsletter on Texas water issues today with a new name, Trib+Water, and a host of new features. Over the next year we'll roll out a series of similar subject-specific newsletters. Sign up today! Full Story
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Full video of my 2/19 TribLive conversation at Lamar University in Beaumont with state Reps. Joe Deshotel, D-Beaumont; Allan Ritter, R-Nederland; and James White, R-Woodville. Full Story
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At Thursday's TribLive conversation, former state Rep. Sid Miller, R-Stephenville, a 2014 candidate for Texas Agriculture Commissioner, explained why the state's water crisis would be his first priority if he's elected — and what he'd do about it. Full Story
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Full video of my 2/13 TribLive conversation with former state Rep. Sid Miller, R-Stephenville, a 2014 candidate for Texas Agriculture Commissioner. Full Story
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Full video of my 2/7 TribLive conversation with three Amarillo lawmakers: state Sen. Kel Seliger and state Reps. "Four" Price and John Smithee. Full Story
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Drought-stricken Texas cities have succeeded in encouraging residents to slash water consumption — but they've lost money in the process by selling less water. That means everyone must pay higher rates. Full Story
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A new national report on water use for hydraulic fracturing suggests that oil and gas companies are at risk of running short on the precious resource — especially in South Texas. Full Story
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Take a look back at Beneath the Surface, our five-part series on the state's growing interest in groundwater. While more Texans are counting on groundwater to fuel the state's economic growth, legal and regulatory hurdles present challenges. Full Story
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A plan meant to balance the needs of the Edwards Aquifer's 2 million water users with those of threatened species will receive a national award Thursday, but the state's severe drought could hinder the proposal's success. Full Story
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