Surface Water

Surface WaterSurface WaterRivers, Streams, and Rivers, Streams, and LakesLakes

GroundwaterGroundwaterAquifers and Aquifers and SpringsSprings

Fresh Water Sources Fresh Water Sources

In a state so rich in diversity, In a state so rich in diversity, regional water issues are as regional water issues are as

broad and variable as the broad and variable as the Texas terrain.Texas terrain.

Groundwater:Groundwater: Hueco-Mesilla Bolson AquiferHueco-Mesilla Bolson Aquifer

Surface water : Surface water : Rio Grande RiverRio Grande River

BIG BEND REGIONBIG BEND REGIONWater Supply

75% goes to 75% goes to irrigation.irrigation.

Surface water supplies 60% Surface water supplies 60% of the region’s needs.of the region’s needs.

BIG BEND REGIONBIG BEND REGIONWater Demand

BIG BEND REGIONBIG BEND REGION

Rugged TerrainRugged Terrain

Characteristics

Springfed creeks Springfed creeks and cienegasand cienegas

Water-hungry Water-hungry invasivesinvasives

BIG BEND REGIONBIG BEND REGIONThreats

Long term droughtLong term drought

• Sharing the Rio Grande Sharing the Rio Grande with Mexicowith Mexico

• Declining water supplyDeclining water supply

• Population explodingPopulation exploding

BIG BEND REGIONBIG BEND REGION Challenges

Groundwater : Groundwater : Gulf Coast, Carrizo-Wilcox Gulf Coast, Carrizo-Wilcox AquifersAquifers

Surface Water : Surface Water : San Jacinto, Trinity, Brazos, San Jacinto, Trinity, Brazos, Nueces, San Antonio RiversNueces, San Antonio Rivers

GULF COAST REGIONGULF COAST REGION Water Supply

GULF COAST REGIONGULF COAST REGION

Mid-North Coast: Mid-North Coast: Surface water Surface water meets 67% of the meets 67% of the region’s needs. region’s needs.

South Coast: South Coast: Surface water Surface water

meets 75% of the meets 75% of the region’s needs and region’s needs and about half goes for about half goes for municipal uses. municipal uses.

Water Demand

GULF COAST REGIONGULF COAST REGION

Supports 60%-90% of Supports 60%-90% of fisheries in the entire fisheries in the entire U.S.U.S.

Saltwater fishing nets billions of dollars Saltwater fishing nets billions of dollars annually.annually.

Characteristics

• Wetland habitats are Wetland habitats are disappearing at an disappearing at an alarming rate.alarming rate.

• Pollution from upstream Pollution from upstream prevents new life from prevents new life from surviving.surviving.

• Water supplies may be Water supplies may be insufficient to meet the insufficient to meet the demand. demand.

GULF COAST REGIONGULF COAST REGION Threats

GULF COAST REGIONGULF COAST REGION

Challenges

Upstream demands for Upstream demands for water restrict the flow water restrict the flow into coastal wetlands.into coastal wetlands.

Increases in population Increases in population cause increase in water cause increase in water demand.demand.

Groundwater : Groundwater :

Edwards and Carrizo-Wilcox Edwards and Carrizo-Wilcox AquifersAquifers

Surface water : Surface water :

Colorado, Guadalupe and Nueces Colorado, Guadalupe and Nueces RiversRivers

HILL COUNTRY REGIONHILL COUNTRY REGIONWater Supply

Surface waterSurface water

supplies 61% ofsupplies 61% of

the water demand.the water demand.

More than half ofMore than half of

that goes to cities.that goes to cities.

HILL COUNTRY HILL COUNTRY REGIONREGIONWater Demand

HILL COUNTRY REGIONHILL COUNTRY REGION

• Cascading streamsCascading streams • Deep blue reservoirsDeep blue reservoirs

• Bubbling springs Bubbling springs

• Plants and animals found Plants and animals found nowhere elsenowhere else

Characteristics

Many Springs have dried up Many Springs have dried up or stopped flowing. or stopped flowing.

Rainwater is diverted away Rainwater is diverted away from recharge zones.from recharge zones.

HILL COUNTRY REGIONHILL COUNTRY REGIONThreats

Population is expected Population is expected to increase by 70%.to increase by 70%.

HILL COUNTRY REGIONHILL COUNTRY REGIONChallenges

Groundwater : Groundwater :

Ogallala, Seymour, Cenozoic Ogallala, Seymour, Cenozoic Pecos Alluvium, Edwards-Pecos Alluvium, Edwards-Trinity AquifersTrinity Aquifers

Surface Water : Surface Water :

Red, Pecos, Canadian, Red, Pecos, Canadian, Colorado and Brazos Rivers Colorado and Brazos Rivers

PANHANDLE PLAINS PANHANDLE PLAINS Water Supply

PANHANDLE PLAINSPANHANDLE PLAINS

Groundwater from the Ogallala aquifer Groundwater from the Ogallala aquifer supplies 97% of the water demand.supplies 97% of the water demand.

Water Demand

While most is for While most is for irrigation, the irrigation, the Ogalalla providesOgalalla providesdrinking water for drinking water for millions.millions.

PANHANDLE PLAINSPANHANDLE PLAINS

25,000 playa lakes provide 25,000 playa lakes provide habitat for ducks, geese and habitat for ducks, geese and migratory birds.migratory birds.

Characteristics

Poor agricultural practices Poor agricultural practices can destroy playa lakes.can destroy playa lakes.

Groundwater can be Groundwater can be contaminated by contaminated by abandoned oil fields.abandoned oil fields.

PANHANDLE PLAINSPANHANDLE PLAINSThreats

Managing groundwater in a Managing groundwater in a right of capture state is a right of capture state is a challenge.challenge.

Pumping from the Ogallala Pumping from the Ogallala Aquifer exceed the rate of Aquifer exceed the rate of recharge. Over time, the recharge. Over time, the aquifer level is dropping. aquifer level is dropping.

PANHANDLE PLAINSPANHANDLE PLAINSChallenges

Groundwater: Groundwater:

Carrizo-Wilcox AquiferCarrizo-Wilcox Aquifer

Surface Water : Surface Water :

Sabine, Cypress, Sulphur and Sabine, Cypress, Sulphur and Red RiversRed Rivers

PINEYWOODS REGIONPINEYWOODS REGIONWater Supply

Surface water meets 88% of the demand.Surface water meets 88% of the demand.

PINEYWOODS REGIONPINEYWOODS REGIONWater Demand

More than half of that is used by manufacturing.More than half of that is used by manufacturing.

PINEYWOODS REGIONPINEYWOODS REGION

Pine forests with seasonally Pine forests with seasonally wet hardwood forest wet hardwood forest bottoms. bottoms.

Characteristics

Redistribution of water Redistribution of water to other regions of the to other regions of the state.state.

Loss of bottomland Loss of bottomland hardwoods.hardwoods.

PINEYWOODS PINEYWOODS REGIONREGION

Threats

PINEYWOODS REGIONPINEYWOODS REGION

Appropriating fresh water for future demands while Appropriating fresh water for future demands while balancing requests for water from other regions.balancing requests for water from other regions.

Challenges

Groundwater : Groundwater : Trinity AquiferTrinity Aquifer

Surface Water : Surface Water : Trinity, Red, Brazos Trinity, Red, Brazos RiversRivers

PRARIES AND LAKESPRARIES AND LAKESWater Supply

Groundwater Groundwater supplies 92% of supplies 92% of the water for the water for DFW.DFW.

A combination of A combination of groundwater and groundwater and surface water surface water supply the rest of supply the rest of this region. this region.

PRARIES AND LAKESPRARIES AND LAKESWater Demand

PRARIES AND LAKESPRARIES AND LAKES

Known for its reservoirs and Known for its reservoirs and record-making fishing. record-making fishing.

Characteristics

Widespread pollution affects waters across the Widespread pollution affects waters across the region. region.

PRARIES AND LAKESPRARIES AND LAKESThreats

MaintainingMaintaining

water quality inwater quality in

highly populatedhighly populated

areas.areas.

PRARIES AND LAKES PRARIES AND LAKES Challenges

Surface Water :Surface Water :Guadalupe, San Antonio, Nueces, Lavaca Guadalupe, San Antonio, Nueces, Lavaca and Rio Grande Riversand Rio Grande Rivers

Groundwater : Groundwater :

Edwards, Trinity, Carrizo-Wilcox and Gulf Edwards, Trinity, Carrizo-Wilcox and Gulf Coast AquifersCoast Aquifers

SOUTH TEXAS SOUTH TEXAS REGIONREGIONWater Supply

Groundwater:Groundwater: Source for 76% of San Source for 76% of San

Antonio’s water. About Antonio’s water. About half of the groundwater half of the groundwater pumped in South Texas pumped in South Texas goes for irrigation.goes for irrigation.

Surface water:Surface water: Source for 98% of the Source for 98% of the

water used in the Lower water used in the Lower Rio Grande Valley – Rio Grande Valley – primarily for irrigation. primarily for irrigation.

Water Demand

SOUTH TEXAS REGIONSOUTH TEXAS REGION

SOUTH TEXAS REGIONSOUTH TEXAS REGION

Plains of thorny Plains of thorny shrubs and treesshrubs and treesdotted with deep dotted with deep blue-water lakes.blue-water lakes. Scattered patches of Scattered patches of palms and palms and subtropical subtropical woodlands in the Rio woodlands in the Rio Grande Valley. Grande Valley.

Characteristics

Population in Lower Population in Lower Rio Grande to increase Rio Grande to increase by 175% by 175%

Future Surface water Future Surface water rights are already rights are already takentaken

SOUTH TEXAS SOUTH TEXAS REGIONREGIONThreats

SOUTH TEXAS SOUTH TEXAS REGIONREGIONChallenges

Restoring regular Restoring regular flow to the mouth of flow to the mouth of the Rio Grande.the Rio Grande.

Competing with Competing with Mexico for water Mexico for water resources.resources.

Keep Texas Wild!Keep Texas Wild!