Regional water infrastructure faces rising pressure from prolonged drought, declining inflows, and rapid population growth. Heavy July rains did not end the drought; runoff levels remain 30 to 50 percent lower than usual. Permit-exempt ponds number over 44,000 in the Upper Basin, reducing reservoir inflows, current modeling underestimates those impacts, and mandatory pond registration was proposed to improve forecasting. Several water-related bills failed during the recent Texas legislative session, including measures for drought reserves, drought-resilient landscaping, and HB 2422 requiring water source disclosure in home sales. Advocacy is urging support for Proposition 6 to fund water infrastructure, reuse, and supply projects. Concerns about rural-urban disputes over East Texas groundwater could weaken support. The region's Water Management Plan, governed by the Lower Colorado River Authority, is updated only every five to seven years, creating a mismatch with rapidly changing climate and growth patterns; the Highland Lakes minimum storage threshold set in 1991 remains unchanged despite population growth.
Rising pressure on local water infrastructure, with prolonged drought, declining inflows and rapid population growth were the focus of a recent Urban Land Institute Austin panel. Speakers called attention to ongoing water policy shortfalls at the state and local levels and warned that continued development could outpace available supply unless legislative and planning reforms are adopted.
Panelists urged attendees to vote in favor of Proposition 6 in the upcoming November election, which would direct new state funds to water infrastructure, reuse, and supply projects. There was discussion over the concern that rural-urban water disputes, especially over East Texas groundwater, could weaken support for the measure. The Austin region's official Water Management Plan, governed by the Lower Colorado River Authority, is updated only every five to seven years, which all agreed is far too slow given how quickly climate and growth patterns are changing.
Collection
[
|
...
]