exTRA by the Trinity River Authority of Texas

The Texas Water Development Board today approved $7.8 million in funding for a water project that they say will go a long way toward helping ensure families in Northwest Nueces County receive reliably clean water.

The public can hear an analysis on alligator gar population in the Lower Guadalupe River on March 29. That’s when the annual Clean Rivers Program Steering Committee will meet. The meeting will be 1 p.m. at the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority River Annex building, 905 Nolan St. in Seguin. Attendees can also expect to hear other Clean River Program priorities, such as water quality, said Lauren Willis, GBRA water quality permitting and project coordinator.

A new report by Environment Texas and California-based environmental advocacy think tank Frontier Group says Texas is by far the worst offender when it comes to polluting rivers and waterways. Of the 8,100 incidents of dumping illegal levels of chemicals into U.S. waters between January 2016 and September 2017, Texas businesses accounted for 938. That’s 300 more incidents than the second-worst offender, which was Pennsylvania, which accounted for 633.

The Texas hornshell, a freshwater mussel found in crevices and boulder outcroppings of the Rio Grande, isn’t much to look at. While it can be easily mistaken for a stray rock, the unobtrusive bivalve’s fate may have significant consequences for how water is used across the state. Last month, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) decided that hornshell populations were dwindling and the creature needed to be placed on the federal endangered species list for protection.

PLANO, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) – The North Texas Municipal Water District says results of its latest tests show the drinking water is safe for its 1.7 million customers. The district, which supplies water to Plano and other cities, is trying to reassure residents after environmental activist Erin Brockovich raised concerns in a series of Facebook posts.

The Bastrop County Long Term Recovery Team is in “desperate” need of volunteers to continue recovery efforts after Hurricane Harvey drenched the Texas countryside nearly seven months ago. “This is a unique situation we’re in,” said Sheila Lowe, executive director of the recovery group. “Because typically it’s swapped — we would have the volunteers available, but would need the fund-raising.” But after receiving a $200,000 grant from the Lower Colorado River Authority in October, as well as $25,000 grant from the St. David Foundation and $9,000 in donations, the recovery group is looking for the manpower to put that money to use.

DALLAS – Executives with Smart Outdoor Services, Inc., a leader in water management solutions, announced today that the company has developed a water sustainability program for Stonebridge Ranch Community Association, one of Texas’s largest HOAs spanning over 5,000 acres and located in McKinney, which is projected to save the property management group $3 million to $5 million in water utility costs over the next 10 years. During a pilot program that began in March 2015, Smart Outdoor Services helped the Association reduce its water use in pilot areas by 54 percent in 2016 and 53.5 percent in 2017, or the equivalent of over 24 million gallons of water. Based on the initial success of the pilot program, Stonebridge Ranch has expanded the project through 2020.

Behind the white metal gates on Corley Road south of Boerne lie 375 acres of gentle pastures, Texas live oaks, and an old ranch house visible from the fence line. In the near future, this ranch could look a lot more like a suburban neighborhood less than a mile away, just one of many new housing developments in the fast-growing town on the southern edge of the Hill Country.

There's been a chlorine-like smell flowing from faucets in several North Texas cities. It's been raising concerns over the last couple of weeks, but it was a Facebook post from advocate Erin Brockovich warning people that the water was dangerous that really started the pandemonium.

KINGWOOD, Texas (FOX 26) - "I can't think of anybody on my street that's back in their house yet," said Kingwood resident Joy Johnston, "We just got drywall last week so we're like months away from even having a house you can live in." Kingwood was hit hard by Hurricane Harvey but many homes flooded days later after the San Jacinto Watershed release.