By Robert Mace, Chief Water Policy Officer at The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment SUMMARY: Statewide drought conditions have improved considerably over the past month with the amount of the state suffering from drought declining from 59 percent to 29 percent. Statewide reservoir storage reversed its downward trend and is now on pace to exceed average for this time of year. Drought is expected to improve, but persist, particularly in the western half of the
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.
outlook+water: August 2018
By Robert Mace, Chief Water Policy Officer at The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment SUMMARY: Drought conditions have worsened over the past month with 59 percent of the state now suffering from drought. Statewide reservoir storage continued to decline with Choke Canyon Reservoir hitting new historical lows over the past month. Drought is expected to improve, but remain, over the next three months. El Niño is still expected this this fall and winter. My day
outlook+water: July 2018
By Robert Mace, Chief Water Policy Officer at The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment SUMMARY: Drought conditions are slightly improved with the Gulf Coast out of drought and less severe conditions on the High Plains, but drought has intensified through the north-to-south center of the state. The chances of El Niño arriving this fall and winter increased. Drought is expected to expand over the next three months. Seeking cooler temperatures and Leif Erikson’s settlement some
outlook+water: June 2018
By Robert Mace, Chief Water Policy Officer at The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment SUMMARY: Drought conditions expanded to the eastern and southern parts of Texas La Niña is gone and El Niño is expected to arrive this fall There’s a 70-percent chance of 10 to 16 named storms of which 5 to 9 could become hurricanes “It’s so dry that they’ve shut down lane 3 at the swimming pool.” (written June 18, 2018)
outlook+water: May 2018
By Robert Mace, Chief Water Policy Officer at The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment SUMMARY: Rainfall deficits continue to afflict most of the state. La Niña is expected to fade into neutral conditions (La Nada) by the end of May; there’s a growing chance of El Niño conditions arriving by winter. Drought conditions in west and south Texas are expected to persist and expand over the next three months, but wetter conditions are expected for