Year: 2013
Type: article
Abstract: The development of this issue of txH2O began with a question: What is water worth?Texas faces significant challenges and opportunities regarding water, and the future of that water is intrinsically tied to financial decisions at every level-personal, local, regional, state and federal.Research, infrastructure, education, technology, conservation-they all require investment of resources.Investment necessitates a vested interest in the product, so the question is, how much do Texans value water?Do we value water as much as we value other products?Will a culture that stands in long lines for the latest smartphone view investments in replacing outdated 1950s water infrastructure with the same sense of demand?Will such water-saving technologies be worth it?How will we prioritize water used for municipalities, industries and agriculture?Will a sustainable water supply be seen as essential to the public's well-being and not be taken for granted?We look at some of these questions and more in this issue of txH2O, through the science-based lens called for by our ongoing mission to facilitate water resources research and education in Texas.This issue opens with an examination of the state water plan and all of the variables surrounding its possible funding and implementation.We also provide a short overview of the current legislative session and water issues that lawmakers may address.Dr. Calvin Finch, director of the Water Conservation and Technology Center, compares water saving strategies in his recurring column, and another article covers the power generation industry's use and consumption of water.Experts also discuss hydraulic fracturing and its water use, as well as potential new technologies to perfect the process.We also describe the major economic impacts that drought has had on lakes and tourism in Texas, spotlighting Lake Travis and Lake Conroe.Our goal is to tell the stories of important water resources research and education.If you have a story to tell, please let us know.As always, let's continue to make every drop count.
Author: Wythe, Kathy
Language: English
Subfield: Water Science and Technology
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7209532253