The latest water supply news from The Texas Tribune.
While advocates worry particularly about heat conditions in a prison unit with recent water shortages, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is considering arguments in a lawsuit against the Texas Department of Criminal Justice alleging that the sweltering living quarters constitute cruel and unusual punishment. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/e6192f23e25477079043e3d2444b00d6/.BD%20Jail)
Last year’s drought dried up hay fields, sent feed prices through the roof and forced many Texas ranchers to sell off large portions of their herds. A year later, many are still trying to recover. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/120704-Bastrop-Land-Cows-018.jpg)
The historic Texas drought caused the Ogallala Aquifer to experience its largest decline in 25 years across a large swath of the Texas Panhandle, new numbers from a water district show. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/OG2.jpg)
Much of the discussion at a Wednesday House committee hearing centered around efforts by drilling companies to recycle water or reduce their water consumption. Environmentalists questioned whether they are doing enough. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/Fracking_diagram.jpg)
As Texas recovers from the severe drought of the last two years, water experts say that conservation is the easiest way to make sure the state has enough water for future growth. But conservation doesn't always come naturally. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/TheLastDrop-1.jpg)
Later this year, a plant in Big Spring will become the state's first facility to process wastewater and send it back into the drinking water system. This is the ultimate use of "reclaimed water" — a source crucial to Texas' future. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/LastDrop-Dome.jpg)
Desalination has become a buzzword in water discussions around the state, amid concerns over future supplies. But tapping salty aquifers, or even seawater from the Gulf of Mexico, carries costs. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/LastDrop-3.jpg)
The ultimate use of sewage water is converting it into drinking water — and a plant in the West Texas town of Big Spring will do exactly that when it begins operations at the end of the year. This is a slideshow of the plant, currently under construction. Full Story
Texas cities have traditionally enjoyed lower water rates than most metro areas in the nation. Use this interactive to see how Texas cities compare in regard to water rates, single-family usage and weather. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/Water-DataApp_1.jpg)
The drought has pushed Texas cities to raise rates to pay for new water supplies and to encourage conservation. But raising rates often triggers public resistance in a state that is wary of too much government. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/LastDropSprinkler.jpg)
The Lower Colorado River Authority earlier this year approved a far-reaching water plan that determined, in part, how much water rice farmers could draw from the Colorado River. But as Mose Buchele reports for StateImpact Texas, aggrieved rice farmers aren't done making their case. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/LCRA-Meeting.jpg)
Aaronson on why the latest Texas job gains are a mixed bag, Aguilar on the fight over an Eagle Pass coal mine, Batheja on nasty U.S. Senate race ads, Galbraith on El Paso's water woes, Grissom on John Bradley's tough primary, Hamilton and M. Smith on the controversial chairman of the University of Texas System Board of Regents, Murphy's cool higher ed stats interactive, Ramsey talks to Robert Draper about what's wrong with Congress, Ramshaw on Joe Barton vs. himself, Root on Perry's Mitt embrace and my exclusive sit-down with the chancellor of the UT System: The best of our best content from May 14-18, 2012. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/05132012-Tribweek-2.jpg)
The Rio Grande, which supplied 39 percent of El Paso's water last year, is dry near the city — a situation that has not occurred for nearly 10 years. El Paso is pumping more groundwater and cranking up its desalination plant. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/RioGrande-2.jpg)
In a surprise move, the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas has withdrawn its opposition to a planned Eagle Pass coal mine that opponents allege would pollute the area's air and water supply. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/TxTrib-MexicanCoal008.jpg)
The resignation of Al Armendariz, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency for the Southwest region, was met with regret by environmental groups and relief in the oil and gas industry. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/al-armendariz.jpg)
Fort Bliss has launched a massive effort to cut its net energy and water usage and reduce waste as part of a focus on self-sufficiency. Fort Hood is also working to go greener, but high upfront costs pose challenges. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/TxTrib-FtBlissSolar-012.jpg)
Texas is one of the nation's only producers of uranium, and mining companies are gearing up for expansion. That's causing concern among environmental groups, some of which have been battling uranium mining for decades. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/TXTrib-Uranium-002-2_1.jpg)
Aaronson maps Medicaid patients' access to pharmacies, Aguilar on Mexicans in exile, Batheja on an unlikely threat to a veteran lawmaker's re-election, Galbraith and Murphy interactively track reservoir levels around the state, Grissom on the ringleaders who rule the state's largest youth lockup, Hamilton on how much Texas professors are paid, Ramsey on who's conservative, Ramshaw and Tan on the latest Planned Parenthood kerfuffle, Root on what Santorum's exit means for the Texas primary, and parts 4 (by M. Smith) and 5 (by Tan and Dehn) of our series on school district closures: The best of our best content from April 9-13, 2012. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/TRIBWEEK.jpg)
The historic Texas drought caused statewide worries over potential water shortages when reservoir levels fell dramatically. Our interactive data app allows you to check the current status of the state's reservoirs. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/Reservoir-Levels.jpg)
The first two parts of M. Smith's series on failing school districts (plus Murphy and Seger's interactive on how districts' characteristics relate to ratings), Root on lagging GOP candidates for president trying to shore things up in Texas, Ramshaw on a "fiscal switcheroo" to get federal money for women's health programs, Galbraith talks to a West Texas farmer about crop insurance and climate change and Aguilar on the money behind a lawsuit on long rifle sales: The best of our best content from April 2 to 6, 2012. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2012_04_06TribWeek.jpg)