Water is Texas' most precious resource

In a fierce tug-of-war over water, our team takes a balanced approach

The water challenge

Texas is a fast-growing state whose population is projected to double by 2050, to 40 million people. As our population swells, human demands for water will put increasing pressure on our rivers, streams and aquifers. But water is a finite resource, and we must balance human needs with the survival of wildlife and healthy ecosystems.

Typical responses to limited water resources will be to expand reservoir systems, import groundwater from rural areas and divert water from our already overtaxed rivers and streams. Taken too far, these actions will reduce essential flows into our bays and estuaries — and have far-reaching consequences for the livelihood of our state.

What EDF does

Environmental Defense Fund carries out its Texas water work through the Texas Living Waters Project; a collaborative effort with National Wildlife Federation and the Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Club. We have four main areas of focus:

• Environmental Flows
• Water Conservation
• Energy-Water Nexus
• Groundwater

Environmental Flows

Our Texas team was instrumental in the passage of groundbreaking legislation in 2007 that established a process for quantifying environmental flow needs for all the rivers, bays and estuaries across the state. We are now working to ensure that the process results in enough surface water resources to provide the freshwater needed to keep Texas’ rivers, bays, and estuaries healthy and productive. Learn more. 

Water Conservation

In 2008, we issued a report called, From Policy to Reality: Maximizing Urban Water Conservation in Texas [PDF] that spotlighted how most Texas cities are falling short on their water conservation efforts. We are using these findings to establish better municipal conservation policies with state agencies and by introducing new policies to the Texas Legislature. Learn more.

Groundwater

We promote groundwater pumping limits to ensure healthy aquifers, which has led to a whole new process for managing the state’s aquifers. Now local “groundwater management areas” are defining how much groundwater is available for their residents to pump and we are focused on ensuring that there is enough water left to flow into springs, creeks and rivers. Check out our latest report [PDF] on groundwater.

Energy-Water Nexus

In Texas, where water is often scarce and the population and economy are growing, energy needs and their corresponding water demands a big concern. We’ve termed this the Energy-Water Nexus and we are spearheading discussions on the importance of incorporating water availability and supply within energy sector planning.

Read our joint report with the Jackson School at the University of Texas at Austin that highlights the potential benefits from this co-resource planning.

Recent News and Publications

• Report - The Energy-Water Nexus in Texas [PDF] University of Texas and Environmental Defense Fund (2009).
• Report - Down to the Last Drop [PDF] - 2009 Update: Spotlight on Groundwater Management in Texas
• Report - From Policy to Reality: Maximizing Urban Water Conservation in Texas (April 2008)
• Water Metering in Texas [PDF]
• 2005 Update: Spotlight on Groundwater Conservation Districts in Texas [PDF]
• A Powerful Thirst: Water Marketing in Texas [PDF]
• Spotlight on Groundwater Conservation Districts in Texas [PDF]
• Brush Management: Myths and Facts [PDF]
• Economic Principles for Sound Water Planning [PDF]

Posted: 14-Jan-2009; Updated: 04-Aug-2009