Draft Water Plan Says Texas "Will Not Have Enough"

[sonias]

Texas Tribune 9/27/11

Draft Water Plan Says Texas "Will Not Have Enough"

Every five years, the Texas Water Development Board publishes a water plan for the state. The 295-page draft of the 2012 plan, published last week in the midst of the worst-ever single-year drought Texas has ever experienced, is a sobering read.

"The primary message of the 2012 state water plan is a simple one," the introduction states. "In serious drought conditions, Texas does not and will not have enough water to meet the needs of its people, and its businesses, and its agricultural enterprises."

The report is packed with data and projections, but a few stand out. The state population, now 25 million, is expected to increase to 46 million by 2060. During that time, existing water supplies will fall 10 percent as the Ogallala and other aquifers are depleted.

If Texas does not plan ahead, a drought as bad as that of the 1950s could cost Texans $116 billion a year by 2060, the report says, and cause the potential loss of more than one million jobs.

Building new reservoirs and wastewater treatment plants and other water infrastructure is projected to cost $53 billion.

And this report supposedly was developed before the boom in natural gas extraction i.e. before fracking became so prevalent. I'm betting this is already being ignored widely by the Lege. Why bother? 2060 is a hell of a long way off - we won't even be alive then.

:shrug:

[Melissa G]

1. "We won't even be alive then."

That seems to underpin so much of conservative actions. I have a hard time reconciling this with their pro family stance. (not that there is ever much that makes sense to me in republican logic.):crazy:

How can they even think of leaving the mess they make to their children?

[sonias]

2. They claim to care about their children and grandchildren

But the shortchange them all the time. Elected officials are only concerned about getting re-elected and their quality of life. They have become so "I've got mine, you get yours" kind of thinkers they could give a damn about the future. :grr:

[Melissa G]

3. Jon Stewart video says it all

http://www.politicususa.com/en/jon-stewart-puts-the-blame-where-it-belongs-the-republican-base

Republican doublethink:

"On his September 27 show, Jon Stewart eviscerated the Republican base for their collective failings, putting the blame squarely where it belongs, asking, “Have you ever considered the possibility that your candidates aren’t the problem – it’s you?” This is a point we are all well familiar with but one the mainstream media will not, of course, ever entertain. Leave it to Jon Stewart to point out the painfully obvious."

Ichingcarpenter's original DU thread
Jon Stewart “It’s like your ideal candidate is ''
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x2016930

[sonias]

6. "Unobtainium"

That poster has the word down right. No such living person exists that can simultaneously have all of the traits that the crazy wingers see as essential.

Here are a couple of great related articles on Texas republicans. Short read from today's NY Times - by Mimi Swartz.
A Crisis of Confidence Deep in the Heart of Texas

And the Republican Party in general (plus some good criticism of the Dems weakness of character). Very long read on Truth Out from 9/3 by Mike Lofgren. If you have not read this, you need to save it for when you can. It's a must read.
Goodbye to All That: Reflections of a GOP Operative Who Left the Cult

:hi:

[TexasTowelie]

4. I'm aware of at least two towns in the Eagle Ford Shale formation

that are having water-related issues due to the influx of people in the south Texas region.

Three Rivers, Texas (population about 2,000) is at the confluence of the Nueces, Atascosa and Frio rivers and is the location of a Valero refinery. The city is no longer accepting any new water utility hookups. A private water contractor is coming in to serve some portions of the town, but the bulk water rates are about three times the rate that the city currently pays. The refinery is examining using untreated well water for operations.

Beeville, Texas (population about 15,000) obtains water from Lake Corpus Christi. There is a pump treatment facility at Swinney Switch that recently required maintenance and the city was disconnected from its primary water source for about 3 days. The city was expecting to rely on old groundwater supplies, but learned that the wells were not properly maintained.

[sonias]

5. Wow I know where those towns/cities are

They're on my route home when I visit the RGV. Well at least Three Rivers is and I know where Beeville is. And I know that the House Representative from that district is Jose Aliseda (Beeville) who is a crazy Texas Republican. Bet you he's with Perry on denying that global warming exists and that humans are not causing any of these drought related problem. We probably aren't praying enough is all.

Three Rivers is no longer accepting water utility hookups? :wow:

Kind of ironic with a name like "Three Rivers" huh?

[TexasTowelie]

8. Then you also have driven through George West where I grew up.

Be certain that you slow down in between George West and Three Rivers since the cops took too many steroids.

FYI, Rep. Aliseda announced that he will not be running in 2012 to run for DA. The district attorney for the area, Martha Warner (a Democrat), is going to retire because she was diagnosed with lupus. She more or less sold out the Dems by endorsing Aliseda.

If you want to read some outrageous blogs go to mysoutex.com. The publishers are RW Republican; meanwhile, I'm promoting the liberal agenda under the handle MsKC (Karnes City). I provoked a hilarious exchange on reproductive rights with an A-hole T-Bagger by the handle of jackbox (JB) last night:



MsKC wrote on Wednesday, Sep 28 at 10:26 PM »

JB,

The reason why liberals say abstinence doesn't work is because it contradicts the instinct to perpetuate the species by reproduction.

I guess that you would favor laws that require women to wear chastity belts until they are married? After all, Daddy votes Republican to get big government out of personal lives and to get my uterus declared a federally controlled and regulated property! And if by some circumstance I get pregnant (like rape) and want an abortion, government will mandate a probe being rammed up my uterus for a sonogram, followed by mandated coercion from medical personnel to convince me that I don't know what I’m doing.



I'd love to have another liberal join the gang. There is another liberal blogger (StillDubious) who helps me bump all the "Obama Lies" stories from page 1 of the blogs! Nothing makes the day go better than irritating a bagger!

[sonias]

9. Aliseda not running in 2012 - Woo hoo!

But boo hoo on Martha Warner endorsing him for DA! :(

Very nice meeting you MsKC! I'll look out for your posts. I knew about SouthTXChisme blog but not mysoutex.com. I'll try to keep an open mind. Right wing blog, right?

Good post on JB. Bet his little winger head exploded on that one! :applause::applause::applause:

Welcome to the Texas forum of DU by the way. We're not perhaps fighting fun, but we like to think we inform people. :hi:

[TexasTowelie]

11. Just for clarification:

The mysoutex.com blog is a newspaper site for the Beeville Picayune. The Latcham family of Beeville has acquired the newspapers in adjacent counties so that they have monopolized the "small town rag" industries of Refugio, Karnes, Live Oak, McMullen and Bee counties.

And yes, JB's head exploded with over two pages of garbage, mostly written in ALL CAPS. Here is my closing response for a little more fun:


JB,

In your past two explosive rants you have asked a total of 22 questions (not counting all of the individual question marks).

For your family's sake, I hope that your daughters are never placed in a situation where they have to contemplate abortion. However, if your actual personality is similar to your online personality, I wouldn't be surprised if an unplanned pregnancy occurred that your daughters would try to hide it from you.

I won't answer your questions (actual or rhetorical) since you are clearly irrational. Meanwhile, I'm fascinated that I was able to provoke such outlandish responses with only three sentences and one question--and that none of those are even on the list of "100 Things to Say to Irritate a Republican". I must pat myself on the back for a job well done!


I must have hit a nerve because that message was deleted shortly after I posted it!

It's great to make another online liberal friend from south Texas and thank you the warm welcome to DU. This site has been an excellent resource to curtail the RW propaganda. Texas can be tough for liberals, so I consider it a public service to bring new ideas to an area that has been stagnant for the last fifty years.

I'll add you to my buddy list so that I can keep track of your posts. I'm sure that we will cross paths again. :-)

[toddwv]

7. And they'll want the rest of the US to bail them out.

And we will, if possible, because we are a nation and that's what nations do.

[sonias]

10. Drought could last until 2020, state climatologist says

AAS 9/29/11

Drought could last until 2020, state climatologist says

The current drought that has been called the state’s worst one-year drought on record could be just the start of dry spell that could last until 2020, the Texas state climatologist said today.

Water planning, at the state level and with regional water board and river authorities, often relies on benchmarks set by the 1950s drought of record, a nearly 10-year spell. But, John Nielsen-Gammon, the state climatologist and a Texas A&M professor of atmospheric sciences, said the current drought could last substantially longer that what we have planned for.

“Sooner or later there will be a drought that’s worse (than the drought of record),” Nielsen-Gammon said. “The planning needs to be able to cover the bases not just for the worst that we’ve seen but also have a plan going forward in case conditions become worse than that.”

:kick:

[Lithos]

12. While we are talking drought

Those in the Austin area - did you get notice of the city's reimbursement program to replace your dead grass (ie, St. Augustine) with more drought tolerant (ie, less water needy) grasses such as Buffalo Grass?

Something that needs the equivalent of 35" of rain a year with something that needs 18"?

L-

[hobbit709]

13. My yard has replaced itself naturally.

If it can't take the TX heat and dry in the summer it died. what's growing in it now is what has survived. the last time my yard got watered is about 5 years ago.

[sonias]

14. Yep I saw that

Good move from COA! I think they needed a little bit more on the rebate portion to really get the home owners motivated. I can testify that my buffalo grass that I planted in the front yard is looking much, much better than my neighbor's dead front yards!

The back yard is way to big to get that going for me. I'm just going to continue mulch beds and possible rock gardens. Paths made from decomposed granite. Leave it as grass free as possible.

And for those of you local to Austin a couple of good places to get buffalo grass seed are:

A Natural Gardener in Oakhill

And the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center (in the gift shop)

Right now is not the time to plant from grass seed. The best time to plant buffalo grass is in the spring April-May is the best time.

I'd also like to see the city ban St. Augustine grass for all new developments and infill building or see them pay a hefty "plant fee" of about $10K per installation. That will cure that problem!

:thumbsup:

[onestepforward]

16. I'm glad to know that there's an alternative to St. Augustine.

Next spring I'll plant some seeds in the many dead areas I have in my yard. Do you just throw out the seeds in early spring and keep watered?

I've been watering my yard just enough to keep it mostly alive. I'm very concerned about our 11 very large trees. They are all alive right now, but I don't know how much longer I can sustain a large water bill.

I'm concerned too about the foundation of our home. I've noticed some changes :(

[kentauros]

17. Here's a Texas company that sells native seeds

and they are very much into saving water.

Native American Seed
native grasses

I don't know much about watering foundations, but I would think a soaker hose surrounding the perimeter would help. Maybe even cover it with sand or something to prevent evaporation.

As for helping your eleven trees, here's a tip from a blog-post in The Houston Press last week:

Protecting Trees During the Drought: The Good News and the Bad News

Fortunately, trees in neighborhoods are faring better than those in public areas like Memorial Park thanks to watering efforts of residents. Merritt says the best way to protect trees is through deep root watering, turning a water hose on very gently and letting it run on the ground under the canopy of the tree for two hours. This method causes little to no water evaporation or runoff making it cheaper and more effective than above ground sprinkler systems.

For trees that have turned brown with all their leaves still on, they are beyond saving. "If a pine tree browns out, it's dead," Merritt said. But, if a tree is losing its leaves, that doesn't necessarily mean it is dead or dying. "Trees with leaves falling we think will come back next year," he said.

Merritt said that which trees are doing better depends on the species. Live oaks, for example, are doing better than red oaks, water oaks and willow oaks, which are suffering. "A lot of it has to do with the health of the trees going into the drought," he said.

[onestepforward]

20. Great information!

Thanks so much for the links!
:hi:

[sonias]

18. Buffalo grass loves the sun

It is not a shade grass and does not do well in shady areas. So keep that in mind. If you have large trees it's best to leave a wide circle around them without grass. Use mulch or decomposed granite to surround the tree. That way all the water you put on the tree goes to your tree and not the grass. Plus it looks nice too.:)

I had never planted anything from seed before and was quite pleased I actually grew something from seed. I've learned a couple of tricks for buffalo grass.

#1 as I mentioned April is the best time to plant. You can go into May too but June is probably already too brutally hot for seed. You will need water to germinate the seed so for at least 10 days. You have to water the seed to get it really growing. Water restrictions don't usually kick in until the summer, so you can water everyday. And even if we have water restrictions, you can hand water (i.e. holding the hose in your hand) anytime here in Austin. Automatically sprinklers and irrigation is limited to once a week during water restrictions here.

#2) To get a good start on the seed, soak them in water (plain tap water) for at least 48 hours before you plant them. That way they have moisture already when you plant them and that jump starts their growth. Can't remember where I got that tip but it worked for me. Keep your seed covered in a jar covered with water. Caution: You must plan on planting the seed within a couple of days. You can not leave your seed soaking for 3 or 4 days or it will rot. You drain your seed and then plant it.

How to spread seed:
I planted the seeds both ways. One side one year I literally tossed them around wherever I wanted them and then lightly covered them with dirt. A rake over them or fresh dirt you buy for this purpose would work too.

The second half of the front yard, which I did a year later, I dug little rows with a metal rake and planted them in rows like you would a crop. I think I can still see the "rows" on that half of the yard if I look closely. It will come in like a crop too. So it's sort of your preference. Do you like it more natural, wild and free, or more organized at first. Once it starts to grow in solidly they both look the same.

Aggie Horticulture article on Buffalo Grass:
aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/archives/parsons/turf/publications/buffalo.html


SEED source for Buffalo Grass by mail
www.seedsource.com/catalog/detail.asp?product_id=2001&referer=wildflower

Good luck and happy planting! :hi:

[onestepforward]

21. It should work well

because the areas I need it are in full sun. The shaded grass is actually doing well.

Bookmarked for great tips and links for seeding next April!
Thank you!

:hi:

[sonias]

22. Tree Watering Tips from the Texas Forest Service

Nice tip about using a common screwdriver to measure the moisture around the trees roots. And a tuna can for measuring how many inches you have watered.

Tree Watering Tips video from The Texas Forest Service:
YouTube video

Texas Forest Service web site:
txforestservice.tamu.edu

:kick:

[kentauros]

15. Here are some ideas that could be put to use.

While many of the items at the site linked below are definitely in the "fringe" category, sometimes they have some truly viable ideas published. I've linked the ones for desalinization/recovery and other water-collection projects. (Some of these are mostly the various patent transcripts and can be a chore to read...)


Desalinization

Desalination Heliostat - Device Offers End to Fresh Water Shortage

James Tang & Joshua Zoshi - Desalination

Sharif Adel - Desalination

500 Desalination Patents

Advances In Desalination: The Aul EGD Process


Water Treatment/Recovery

Merle de KREUK, et al. - Waste Water Treatment


Water Collection

"Air Wells"

Maxwell Whisson - Air Well

Frank Theilow - Air Well
[br />Wolf Klaphake - Air Wells

Michael Ellsworth, et al. - Atmospheric Water Generator

Air Wells, Dew Ponds & Fog Fences


"Dew Collectors"

QinetiQ ( R. COHEN, et al. ) - Dew Collector

Marc Parent - Air Well

Dew Pond - Construction details



One thing about all of this that would help more than any of the above is for our local governments to stop being "followers" and start being "leaders" again. That is, stop with the "studying a process to death" and act on it, whether it's "proven" technology or not. We are out of time for decades-long studies. The City of Houston seems to be very good at studies and not so good at implementing anything of merit or substance. And thus, why we have only one light-rail line to show for all those studies in the last 20 years. We used to be "Space City" due to the forethought and innovations of NASA. Maybe we still are, but it appears to be more in reference to the space between the ears of of so-called elected and entrenched officials these days.

We need to act or we really will have to move out of the state because it will become inhabitable due to waiting too long in doing anything substantive!

[sonias]

19. Good job collecting those links

We really do need to make some changes right now.

I'm really interested in the water reclamation area. I don't want to move into waste treatment myself. I'm mainly thinking of the grey water area. I certainly think it's time that city ordinances changed so that grey water could be used to water landscapes. And if homes were equipped to separate bath water, clothes washing and sink water that did not have food stuff we could do a huge amount of water savings/re-use. This seems like a huge opportunity for some company thinking along those lines.

Cities may not like the idea if they make money on selling water. They don't want you to reclaim the water, they want to treat it and sell it back to you. There is some education and cost analysis that cities and utilities have to do where the savings are realized on both ends. They stop building water treatment plants and home owners lower their water bills by re-using what they bought, twice.

Most newer building in Austin are already installing dual flush toilets. These use less water if you flush up, assumes liquid waste use, as opposed to down which assumes solid waste use. That saves water usage for conservation purposes but does not re-use the water on property site.

Let's keep thinking outside the drought box!

[sonias]

23. Business Groups Back Texas Water Ballot Measure

Texas Tribune 10/5/11
Business Groups Back Texas Water Ballot Measure

To meet the needs of its growing population, drought-stricken Texas urgently needs more water infrastructure totaling $231 billion to augment water supplies and treatment, wastewater processing and flood control by 2060, according to a draft of the state water plan that was released last month.

Next month, Texans will go to the polls to decide whether to help the state get part of the way there. If Proposition 2 on the ballot passes, the Texas Water Development Board, the state's water-planning agency, will be authorized to lend $6 billion via a bond fund dedicated to building and fixing water infrastructure.

(snip)

The Environmental Defense Fund supports the measure, said Amy Hardberger, a staff attorney.

"The program that this will be re-funding has been very beneficial to cities, especially smaller cities who may not have the money to do infrastructure," she said. She added that she had slight concerns that "you don't know where the money is going," but that talking with TWDB staff had largely alleviated that. There is no list of entities slated to receive loans; the local groups apply to the TWDB, which grants the loans on a case by case basis.

Hardberger said it seemed unlikely that the money would be used to build reservoirs, which can cost billions and are likely to require additional money from the legislature. She generally opposes reservoirs as "sort of a 1950s approach to a new millennium problem," whereas fixing leaky water pipes would be an example of a more wiser use of the TWDB fund, she said.

I didn't know about this measure that supposedly will be on our ballot in Nov. Sounds like something we need.

:kick: