Thinking globally. Acting locally.
In a landmark report titled “Turning the Tide: A Call to Collective Action,” the Global Commission on the Economics of Water recently warned that “we now face the prospect of a 40% shortfall in freshwater supply by 2030, with severe shortages in water-constrained regions.” The authors emphasize that the world is “seeing the consequences not of freak events, nor of population growth and economic development, but of our mismanagement of water.” The water crisis “is now systemic. One that is both local and global.”
The report was released ahead of last month’s United Nations Water Conference in New York, the first such global gathering on the topic of water in nearly 50 years. As with so many of these kinds of events, the proceedings were long on talk and short on action. Hardly any world leaders attended, and the conference received very little press coverage. Gloom and doom seem to be the only takeaways from these sorts of reports, and it is this preponderance of bad news that can make water issues seem overwhelming.
Readers will have experienced this elsewhere in the press and on the internet. A water issue is presented, such as the global freshwater shortage, and the reporting always seems to follow the same formula. It goes something like this: “Here’s something really messed up. Look at all these insurmountable obstacles. Look at all the people in authority doing nothing about it. Look at the many actors obstructing any progress or solution. Isn’t this terrible? Oh well, have a nice day!”
The good news in our arid region is that we are blessed with abundant freshwater in the aquifers beneath our county. But when thinking about the water challenges facing our region, it is important to keep in mind that we are entirely dependent on these aquifers for our freshwater. In other words, all of our freshwater comes from the aquifers beneath the ground, and the protection of these aquifers will be indispensable to ensuring the continued prosperity (and survival) of our communities.
One of the most powerful tools available for the protection of groundwater in Texas is a local groundwater conservation district. These districts are the preferred method of groundwater management in Texas because they provide for local control by those most familiar with the resource and most affected by any regulation. But groundwater protection is about more than just rules. Data and science are also necessary to ensure wise decision-making and dynamic management practices.
The Presidio County Underground Water Conservation District has been working hard to incorporate data and science into its approach to groundwater management. With the development of a county-wide system to monitor water levels, the district is gaining a better understanding of the health of our aquifers. The district has also been successful in creating partnerships and securing grants to get this important work done. These partnerships and grants will ensure that the district can continue to operate on a very conservative budget.
Another step on the path toward protecting our groundwater for the future is the upcoming election on May 6 when the voters will be asked to approve the groundwater conservation district’s authority to levy a tax. In order to ensure that this new taxing authority will not raise net property taxes, the district has entered into an Interlocal Cooperation Agreement with the Presidio County Commissioners Court. The agreement establishes the framework for a “tax-rate swap” in which the county will decrease its tax rate to offset the increase in new taxes levied by the groundwater district. This will provide a dedicated revenue stream for the protection of our groundwater while bringing the groundwater district into compliance with the law.
In order to educate the public and raise awareness of the importance of the election on May 6, the district has launched a series of short films, including “How Groundwater Works,” “Groundwater Law in Texas,” “The Role of Groundwater Conservation Districts in Texas,” “Origins of the Presidio County Underground Water Conservation District,” and “Vote Yes on Proposition 1!” These short, shareable films are available on the district’s website: pcuwcd.org.
This election is an opportunity for Presidio County voters to move beyond the gloom of the latest news cycle and act locally to protect our future. If the voters fail to approve the district’s taxing authority, the groundwater district — and the protections it alone can provide — could cease to exist in Presidio County. Visit pcuwcd.org to learn more.