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Texas needs to be diplomatic about water issues

  • Photo by Contributed Photo •
State Rep. Lyle Larson (R-San Antonio)
  • BY STATE REP. LYLE LARSON
  • Originally published August 22, 2012 at 5:45 p.m., updated August 22, 2012 at 5:45 p.m.

Texans are known for their hospitality and willingness to work with people when a crisis is imminent. Both of these attributes are greatly needed to address our future water challenge, which is why I previously proposed the creation of a four state water council, with membership from the states of Texas, New Mexico, Louisiana and Oklahoma.

These three states that border Texas offer an abundance of cooperative opportunities to deal with regulatory, environmental and compensatory water issues that could create benefits for all states involved.

The State of Oklahoma, and the tribal councils within its boundaries, controls a large volume of water in the southeastern part of the state that, if available, would offer the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) area sufficient water for the next century. Contracts have been negotiated by the DFW municipal utilities with various parties in Oklahoma, but each time, negotiations quickly led to litigation, characterizing the old saying "whiskey's for drinkin' and water's for fightin' over."

Currently, the deal is on hold, pending a United States Supreme Court ruling.

Clearly, we need to change our approach in working with Oklahoma to secure water for our state. Representatives of the State of Texas need to immediately start a dialogue with government representatives in Oklahoma City, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Corps of Engineers and other impacted parties. The best way to achieve this goal is for Gov. Perry, Lt. Gov. Dewhurst and House Speaker Straus to lead a delegation of public and private sector members to begin the discussion with the impacted parties on strategic opportunities for each of our respective states. The fruits of our labor may not be realized overnight but we can have confidence that, like most things of substance, opening lines of communication will germinate future success benefiting both states.

The state of New Mexico deals with a similar scarcity of water that folks in West Texas experience annually. Environmental flow concerns, impoundment policies and future supply of water needs to be discussed with government representatives in Santa Fe and other interested parties. The same aforementioned Texas delegation should meet with New Mexican representatives to address joint state options of aquifer augmentation and storage and strategic impoundment policy objectives, along with other regulatory and environmental issues. The long-term benefits of opening this official line of communication will benefit El Paso and other communities throughout both west and south Texas regions.

The mighty Sabine River and the bayous of Louisiana have an abundance of water that is well placed to protect our industrial base and surging population in the Houston area. The Trans Texas Water plan, which includes moving water from the eastern part of our state to the south and central regions, is much more viable if this water is reinforced with water sources from our neighbors to the east. Taking a look back through history, it's easy to see that this kind of compromise can be struck with the right approach. In the 1960's, the Toledo Bend project was culminated with Governors Price Daniels and Jimmy Davis breaking ground on this huge reservoir. This type of cooperation epitomizes why we need to start our cooperative efforts in Baton Rouge as soon as possible.

Texas has options using desalination, reuse, conservation and other emerging innovative water strategies, however, we cannot ignore the importance of opening a dialogue with our neighbors to develop joint solutions that will benefit future citizens in all four states. Now is the time to implore our state leadership to start working with our neighbors to secure Texas' water future.

Lyle Larson (R-San Antonio) represents District 122 in the Texas House of Representatives. Email him at lyle.larson@house.state.tx.us.