TribLive: Dewhurst on the Water Plan
At this morning's TribLive conversation, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst talked about how much it will take to jump-start the state's as-yet-unfunded water plan. Full Story
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The Polling Center: Lawmakers Fret About Water, but the Public Doesn't
Water has emerged as the top infrastructure issue before the 83rd Legislature — an issue that appears to be more important to lawmakers than to most of the people they represent. Full Story
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TribLive: A Conversation with Allan Ritter
Full video of my January 17 TribLive conversation with state Rep. Allan Ritter, R-Nederland, the chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee. Full Story
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TribLive: Ritter on Water as a Local Issue
At this morning's TribLive conversation, state Rep. Allan Ritter, R-Nederland, the chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, talked about what it will take to make local communities recognize the magnitude of the state's water crisis. Full Story
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TribLive: Ritter on Funding the Water Plan
At this morning's TribLive conversation, state Rep. Allan Ritter, R-Nederland, the chairman of the House National Resources Committee, talked about his desire to withdraw $2 billion from the Rainy Day Fund to jump-start the state water plan. Full Story
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Plans for New Reservoir Could End Long-Running Battle
The Lower Colorado River Authority this week approved a plan that should ease the strain on the Highland Lakes, the Central Texas water source that has long pitted rice farmers against municipalities. Full Story
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Amid Drought, Water Wars Pick Up on Borders
As Texas' drought wears into its third year, the state is locked in a legal conflict over water with New Mexico, and a North Texas county is suing the state of Oklahoma to get access to a vast amount of water. Full Story
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![A view of the Red River looking east, north of Bonham, Texas. Texas is to the right, and Oklahoma is on the left. The border between the two states runs along the south (right) bank of the river.]()
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Study: Amount of Water Used in Fracking Climbs, but Will Soon Plateau
A new University of Texas at Austin study funded by an oil and gas group has found that the amount of water used in fracking has risen sharply in recent years but would level off sometime in the decade starting in 2020. Full Story
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Lawmakers Talk of Bold Measures This Session
Momentum is growing for Texas lawmakers to commit large amounts of money to address the state's long-term infrastructure needs, particularly water and transportation. Full Story
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Ritter's Bills Would Put $2 Billion Toward Water Projects
State Rep. Allan Ritter, chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, filed two bills on Thursday that would allocate $2 billion from Texas' Rainy Day Fund to create a fund for water-supply projects. It's the largest amount proposed to date. Full Story
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![Construction finishing on a two million gallon water tank in a 13,000-acre water well field owned by the Colorado River Municipal Water District near Wickett, Texas. The land and existing infrastructure, purchased from Luminant Generation using state funds, as well as newly constructed water wells and pipeline, can pump up to 30 million gallons of water out of the field a day.]()
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Dewhurst: Set Money Aside for School Lawsuits
In a wide-ranging interview, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst talked about the state budget, education, immigration, water, transportation, and his hopes and plans for the legislative session that began this week. Full Story
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Red River Water Rivalry Goes to U.S. Supreme Court
The U.S. Supreme Court announced Friday that it will hear a major cross-border water case that pits Tarrant County against Oklahoma. North Texas wants water, but Oklahoma doesn't want to sell. Full Story
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Water Conservation Ideas Pour In Ahead of Session
Using less water is the cheapest way to meet Texas’ water needs. So what could Texas lawmakers do to promote water savings? Among the proposals are requiring meters on farmers' wells and a sales-tax exemption for water-efficient appliances. Full Story
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State of Mind: A Plan for West Texas Water Woes
For thousands of West Texans, severe water restrictions are in store if the heavens don't provide precipitation soon. State leaders say the unrelenting drought means they must find a way to fund a statewide water plan. Full Story
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School Finance Lawsuits Give Lawmakers an Out
The courts aren't expected to finish their work on school finance until after the regular legislative session, giving lawmakers an excuse for leaving some expensive work incomplete for now. Full Story
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Turning to Outsiders to Finance Water Deals
In a growing trend across Texas, municipalities and public agencies are reaching out to the private sector for funding. Advocates say it's the only way to meet Texas’ growing water needs, but critics worry about accountability and rising water rates. Full Story
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![Kent Satterwhite, general manager of the Canadian River Municipal Water Authority at Lake Meredith near Borger, Texas, on Tuesday, Dec., 18, 2012.]()
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Legislature Prepares to Take On Water Projects
If there is a silver lining to the intensifying drought, it is that after years of hand-wringing from water experts, Texas seems poised to get serious about financing water projects. Competing proposals are floating around the statehouse. Full Story
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![Kyle Krueger, a staff engineer with the Colorado River Municipal Water District, stands next to an older water well on land acquired through state financing near Wickett, Texas.]()
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TribLive: Smitherman on the Shale Boom
At this morning's TribLive conversation, Railroad Commission Chairman Barry Smitherman talked about the economic impact of the state's various shale plays, as well as concerns about the negative effects on roads, water and air quality. Full Story
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Guest Column: Tackle the Water Crisis
Guaranteeing safe, clean and available water supplies should be a top priority when lawmakers assemble for their regular legislative session next month. Full Story
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Now What? Public Policy in the 83rd Session
On November 8, the Tribune and the University of Texas at Austin's Texas Politics Project asked four experts on state health, water, transportation and education policy to preview the fights over those issues in the 83rd session. Full Story
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