exTRA by the Trinity River Authority of Texas

The city of Conroe is under a Stage 1 drought with a portion of the city under Stage 2 drought, according to a Sept. 7 news release. Water use restrictions are voluntary during a Stage 1 drought; restrictions become mandatory during a Stage 2 drought.

This summer's record-breaking heat is taking a toll on the water levels across Texas, including a major water source for the Brazos Valley, the Brazos River. Without ample rainfall to supply the Brazos, the flow rate has slowed to a crawl at 123 cfs, compared to the normal flow, which averages around 1,700 cfs.

Throughout the Lone Star State, bridges made for wildlife have been popping up along major stretches of highway since the 1990s—and more are on the way. To date, the Texas Department of Transportation has built 32 wildlife crossings to help keep both drivers and animals—especially species that are endangered—safe on the road. In August, TxDOT applied for a federal grant funding from the Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program for two more locations to protect the wild animals. 

Highland Village leaders are asking residents to honor Phase 2 of the city's water conservation plan through at least Sept. 12, per a city memo. According to city documents, Phase 2 restricts commercial and residential landscape watering to five days a week. No outside water use is allowed on Fridays or Mondays to allow the water system to recover, and hand-watering of landscapes is permitted only from 6 p.m.-10 a.m.

With continued 100 degree days and continued drought, game wardens are warning boaters and fishermen to watch out for underwater obstacles because of receding water.

Authorities across the state are struggling to keep up with widespread leakage even as they plead for water conservation and have restricted outdoor water use. The impact on Texas’ water systems highlights both the vulnerability of basic infrastructure to a warming climate and the high costs of adaptation.

At just about 4% full, Medina Lake has been reduced to a creek. Tree branches stick out along the lake’s edges. Boat docks stuck on rocks dozens of feet above the water populate the fringes of the lake. The lake hasn’t been this low since 2015.

Due to a major break in the line, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has required the N.E.W. Water Supply Corporation PWS #2030034 to notify all customers on FM 711, CR 202, CR 203, CR 205, CR 223, Harmony, Kellyville, Fountain Town and Woodland Acres Communities to boil their water prior to consumption (e.g., washing hands/face, brushing teeth, drinking, etc.).

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality approved an Agreed Order with El Paso Water on an administrative penalty as part of the enforcement action of the Frontera Force Main Wastewater Emergency. The sudden, unexpected and catastrophic events forced the utility to discharge 1.2 billion gallons of wastewater into the Rio Grande between August 2021 and January 2022.

Bubbling under the surface in Fort Worth is an issue not getting better by itself. The city has 800 miles of outdated cast iron pipes that are prone to breaking. That’s a big reason why the department is hoping to raise rates by about 3% in the city’s new budget. Fort Worth also doesn’t control its pricing. It buys some water from the Trinity River Authority, which is raising rates on its far north Fort Worth plant by 58%. 

The city announced the boil water notice had been rescinded on Saturday at 11 a.m. All Tyler Water Utilities customers were asked to boil their water on Friday after e. coli was found while testing a water sample. The city said they expected new test results around 11 a.m. on Saturday, and upon receiving the results, the boil order was lifted.

Rising costs for water and needed repairs for water lines are leading to a possible increase for Fort Worth residents. The proposed fiscal year 2023-24 budget will see a monthly increase of $2.18 per month for typical residential waster and wastewater customers, according to city documents.

While many cities throughout the Austin area have enacted stricter drought restrictions, Round Rock has remained under its lowest tier of restrictions since June 2022. Round Rock Utilities Director Michael Thane said the city prepared for the extreme drought conditions by expanding its water treatment capacity and adding water resources.

Officials celebrated another win in the yearslong effort to improve stormwater drainage by breaking ground on a new phase of Hidalgo County’s Main Drain system Thursday morning. The $1.8 million project will focus on expanding the earthen canal from Mile 17 1/2 Road, about one-quarter mile east of McColl Road, to about 2,000 feet north of Monte Cristo Road.

The recent drought across Texas has caused water levels in Lake Livingston to drop significantly revealing chucks of debris from 2020 tornado. 

U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-Austin) announced on Thursday the development of a federally-funded, 3-year research program at the University of Texas (UT) to study rising temperatures and their effects in Central Texas.

A report by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s inspector general found that the federal agency is failing to enforce federal pollution limits on benzene emitted from refineries, including nine in Texas. The report says that from January 2018 to September 2021, 25 of 118 refineries that submitted benzene monitoring data to the EPA exceeded benzene pollution limits at least once during that time period, including refineries in Corpus Christi, Pasadena, Port Arthur and Texas City.

Prices for hay bales have more than doubled because of the extreme weather -- which has forced ranchers to sell cattle.

The Texas Highland Lakes are a chain of freshwater reservoirs formed by six dams on the lower Colorado River (the Texas version) and cover areas from West Texas to Matagorda Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. They ultimately provide flood control and water to the bulging population of Central Texas while some provide hydroelectric power. The last year the reservoirs were full was 2019.

You can now play your part in fostering a greener environment by registering to receive a free tree as part of Dallas’ annual tree giveaway program. The city launched Branch Out Dallas in 2018 as a way to mitigate the warming effect caused by urban heat islands — pockets of cities that feel hotter because of surrounding buildings that absorb and reflect the sun’s heat. 

The City of Nacogdoches Public Works Department is seeking approval from the city council for an emergency contract to construct a new storm sewer system.