Drought conditions (D1–D4) decreased to 44% of the state from 74% eight weeks ago; statewide reservoir storage increased to 74% full, about 7 percentage points below normal for this time of year. La Nada is still here, with a 70% chance of La Niña arriving before April. Drought is expected to remain and develop across nearly the entire state over the next three months.
Author: Robert Mace
Robert Mace is the Executive Director and Chief Water Policy Officer at The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment and a Professor of Practice in the Department of Geography at Texas State University. Robert has over 30 years of experience in hydrology, hydrogeology, stakeholder processes, and water policy, mostly in Texas.
think+water: Water management effects on drought, natech and environmental justice, and firefighting in karst
This month, Dr. Robert E. Mace explores academic publications covering the impacts of water management on hydrological drought characteristics across seven major rivers in Texas, the climate justice implications of natech disasters during major hurricanes on the Texas Gulf Coast, and best management practices to prevent contamination of karstic aquifers from emergency fire-control runoff.
outlook+water: Drought doubles (and is gonna get worse), La Niña looks to be a coin flip
Drought conditions doubled to 74% of the state (D1–D4); statewide reservoir storage declined to 70.6% full, about 10 percentage points below normal for this time of year. La Nada is still here with a 60% chance of La Niña arriving in September-October-November. Drought is expected to remain and develop across nearly the entire state over the next three months.
think+water: You’ve got stormwater in my treated wastewater, rain and diarrhea, and water equity
This month, Dr. Robert E. Mace explores academic publications covering the use of stormwater to dilute treated wastewater as an alternative to advanced filtration and brine concentrate disposal, the connection between rainfall events and hospital admissions for gastrointestinal illness, and a review of environmental justice and sustainability issues in Texas water.
outlook+water: Drought declines, La Niña delayed again, more drought expected
Drought conditions decreased to 34% of the state (D1–D4); statewide reservoir storage declined slightly to 73.1% full, about 5 percentage points below normal for this time of year. La Nada is here with an 80% chance of a short La Niña arriving in September-October-November. Drought is expected to remain and increase in much of the state over the next three months.