As parts of Central and East Texas face flooding this week, it can be easy to forget: Texas has a serious water problem. As hundreds of thousands of new Texans flow into the state every year, state leaders warn the “Texas miracle” is only sustainable as long as the water keeps flowing.
Texas’s population is expected to gain over 22 million people by 2070, according to the 2022 Texas State Water Plan. Over the same period, the water supply is projected to decrease by 18%.
The National Wildlife Federation found Texas loses 572,000 acre-feet of water per year — enough to fill almost 240 AT&T Stadiums and supply Austin, Fort Worth, El Paso, Laredo, and Lubbock combined for an entire year. As Texas regularly faces drought periods, some lawmakers are urging the state to proactively protect the most valuable resource.
