Water Shortage

Corpus Christi could face a water emergency in the coming months. So how did this coastal city end up in such a precarious position? Drought is a major part of the story. But there is also a growing question about whether years of local political conflict and delayed decisions helped deepen the crisis.

Texas is slipping deeper into a prolonged drought, with the latest U.S. Drought Monitor showing nearly the entire state abnormally dry and about 81.8% in drought. Roughly half of Texas is now in severe drought or worse, and about one in five acres is in extreme to exceptional drought.

Residents and businesses’ demand for water could soon exceed supply. Gov. Greg Abbott said the state could step in if solutions aren’t found.

In the Rio Grande Valley, the river that built the region’s farms and cities is no longer a dependable water source. Reservoirs feeding the Rio Grande have dropped to critically low levels. Cities and water suppliers are being forced to develop new water sources.

The Rio Grande — the border river shared by the United States and Mexico is experiencing a severe water crisis demanding urgent attention. That’s according to a new study that calls for immediate investments in solutions.

This week on Texas Matters: The demands of massive AI data centers are growing every day.ERCOT projects the state’s grid will need to double in the next five years to meet the demands of AI.AI also uses a lot of water. It’s projected AI will consume nearly 7% of the state’s water supply by the year 2030, a significant drain on a state already dealing with water scarcity.

This week on Texas Matters: The demands of massive AI data centers are growing every day.ERCOT projects the state’s grid will need to double in the next five years to meet the demands of AI.AI also uses a lot of water. It’s projected AI will consume nearly 7% of the state’s water supply by the year 2030, a significant drain on a state already dealing with water scarcity.

Water levels at the Amistad and Falcon international reservoirs are currently at 19% and 12% of capacity, respectively. Some of the decrease is from lower inflows from the U.S. side of the river.

Many of the solutions are costly, putting them out of reach for small towns. But the region's most populous cities are getting innovative.

The new rules affect watering hours, drip irrigation, non-San Antonio resident fines, and high water users.