exTRA by the Trinity River Authority of Texas

Based on current fuel and weather conditions, The Texas A&M Forest Service has lowered its Wildland Fire Preparedness Levels from Level 2 to Level 1. In late February of this year, parts of Texas were experiencing elevated wildland fire activity, particularly in the Panhandle and across south and west Texas, raising levels from one to two.

DFW International Airport has announced a $4.8 billion plan to prepare for expected growth in the future. DFW is now the second busiest airport in the world and expects to serve 78 million passengers this year. CEO Sean Donohue expects that number to grow to 100 million by the end of the decade.

On the first Saturday in June of each year, everyone can fish recreationally without licenses or endorsements across Texas. Free Fishing Day is an opportunity for more people to try fishing for the first time, Texas Parks and Wildlife said.

Farmers in Central Texas are rejoicing over all the rain the area has been getting recently. They said the wet weather is desperately needed as they’ve been battling a drought.

The alligator program leader for Texas Parks and Wildlife Department explains that all counties have different hunting rules.

“For the spring season, it’s private land only, so you need to either be the landowner that has it on its property or have permission from the landowner. The alligator that we’re talking about in question today was clearly an illegal killing. Still under investigation,” said Jonathan Warner, the Alligator Program leader for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

The city of West University Place continues its advancements towards flood control and water projects with a May 4 groundbreaking event for the Law Street Water Line project. The project will connect the homes of residents in the 4100-4200 blocks of Law Street to the West U water distribution system. Currently, those residents receive water from the city of Houston, according to city officials.

Heavy rainfall is expected in South Central Texas this Mother’s Day Weekend as additional weather disturbances roll across the Lone Star State. This rain event is expected to elevate the flooding risk, especially Friday night and throughout the day Saturday.

City officials say despite the perception, the public drinking water is safe to drink and bathe in, but some would argue it's an issue that's happening too often. According to TCEQ, from Sept. 18, 2019, to Sept. 22, 2022, Baytown had 403 Sanitary Sewer Overflow (SSO) reports.

House Bill 1540, a bill before a Texas Senate committee as of May 8, proposes several changes to the makeup of the board of directors of the San Jacinto River Authority as well as an amendment by Rep. John Metcalf, R-Conroe, that would remove SJRA General Manager Jace Houston.

In the first five months of 2023, we received 2.23 inches of rainfall. So far in the first half of May, we recorded 2.31 inches. Joshua Blanek with the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension says that in order for the heavy rain that fell Friday night to really help our current drought situation, we need to see another system of rain storms to come in the next week or soon thereafter.

The sanitary sewer near Bird Creek in the 61st Street and Northwood Road area, has over flowed, releasing over 100,000 gallons of discharge. The City of Temple and crews have been active in the measures taken to prevent the spillage.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration classifies an El Niño as when the equatorial waters have a positive, or warmer, average temperature anomaly of 0.5 degrees C or greater over the past three months for five consecutive months. NOAA scientists predict a 90% chance of El Niño developing by fall.

The Texas House paved the way for a billion-dollar investment in state parks, which one advocate said would create “a new golden age” for the park system. Texas now ranks 35th nationally in state park acreage per capita.

Improvement to infrastructure and Turner Falls Park are included in 2023-24 fiscal year plans for the City of Davis. The most expensive item on the agenda is the remodeling of the city's wastewater treatment plant.

People in several flood-prone parts of Dallas watch for storms with a big flood control project years away from completion. TheMill Creek Tunnel project will serve parts of East Dallas, Uptown, Fair Park and South Dallas. People who’ve received water in their homes while they wait for that project said the problem seems to be getting worse.

A Texas water pump accidentally built in Oklahoma territory sits center stage as legislators and the North Texas Municipal Water District discuss what to do with it.

The City of Aransas Pass was pounded by heavy rain that produced flash flooding conditions along it's city streets -- leaving people stranded.