It is time again for the annual Milam and Burleson Counties Groundwater Summit. The Summit will be held on Aug. 17 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Caldwell Civic Center at 103 W Hwy 21 in Caldwell. The Summit is free and open to the public with lunch provided. 

This year’s Summit topics will include an update on population growth and the State Water Plan in Central Texas with Tony Smith from the Texas Water Conservation Association.  

Source: GROUNDWATER SUMMIT TO DISCUSS POPULATION GROWTH , STATE WATER PLAN

Source: Houston’s damaged pipes cost city 30 billion gallons of water, $35M

Source: Burnet moves to Stage 3 water restrictions – DailyTrib.com

Source: SAWS wants to crack down on water wasters, rule breakers

“It’s concerning to say the least. We’re at 38.5% combined capacity which is dangerously low,” City Manager Peter Zanoni said.

Source: Corpus Christi’s water supply dips below 40%, causing concern

David Baker, executive director of The Watershed Association, a nonprofit conservation group, says this is the worst he’s seen the well in over three decades.

Source: ‘It’s heartbreaking’: Jacob’s Well stops flowing for sixth time in recorded history | KUT Radio, Austin’s NPR Station

The Texas High Plains can be unforgiving with lack of rainfall, high temperatures and powerful wind gusts. Barry Evans, a Swisher County, Texas, farmer, has learned to embrace the challenging environment and find success with his cotton operation. Evans, of Kress, Texas, spoke about his management practices at High Plains Journal’s recent Cotton U event.

Source: Lessons from a no-till cotton farmer in the Texas High Plains

Law360 (July 31, 2023, 6:38 PM EDT) — A divided Texas appeals court has ruled a ConocoPhillips unit owns “produced water,” a waste byproduct from fracking operations, rejecting a challenge from another company with subsurface water rights in the area of oil and gas leases.

LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – Texans are tapping more into the underground aquifer due to the drought and high temperatures. The Ogallala Aquifer that sits below West Texas is being drained at a faster rate.

Source: Ogallala Aquifer drying up more during drought

The U.S. Drought Monitor reported that parts of South Central Texas have seen continuous drought for more than 680 days.

Source: Ongoing drought causes concerns for water conservation, wildfire season across Texas