Audio: Austin Hopes for Healthy Lakes
Austin hopes to keep plenty of water in the nearby Highland Lakes over the long term, to reduce the risks posed by drought. Full Story
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Credit: Todd Wiseman -
Audio: Drought Worries Highland Lakes Residents
With Lake Buchanan and Lake Travis getting lower by the day, local business owners fear for their livelihoods. Full Story
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![Low water levels at Lake Travis because of drought; photo taken May 16, 2011.]()
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As Highland Lakes' Levels Fall, Residents Fret
As Lake Buchanan and Lake Travis drop lower each day, worried locals are seeing their swimming coves dry up, and it's not just because of lack of rain. Rice farmers and Central Texas cities are taking a good share of the water. Full Story
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![At Thunderbird Resort on Lake Buchanan, a 15-foot gap has developed between this swimming platform and the water line, as the lake has fallen to 12 feet below full.]()
Credit: Todd Wiseman -
A Clash Over Water in Central Texas
The state's record dry spell has rice farmers, growing cities and a proposed coal plant competing for water from drought-stricken lakes. This is the first in a five-part print and radio series, "Water Fight," with KUT News. Full Story
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![Residents of Lake Travis have extended staircases and moved docks further out to accommodate lower lake levels. Some say the declining levels are bringing down property values.]()
Credit: Todd Wiseman -
In Central Texas, Dwindling Lakes and Growing Water Demand
The current drought, drier than any other October-through-May stretch in Texas history, has heightened the stakes in an already contentious long-term planning battle over water from the Highland Lakes. Full Story
![Residents of Lake Travis have extended staircases and moved docks further out to accommodate lower lake levels. Some say the declining levels are bringing down property values.]()
Credit: Todd Wiseman -
TribWeek: In Case You Missed It
Aaronson and Murphy visualize what happened to the nearly 5,800 bills introduced in the 82nd Lege, Aaronson, Hasson and Swicegood interactively recap the budget battle, Aguliar on the surge in illegal re-entry cases prosecuted by the Obama administration, Galbraith on a coal plant that wants a water deal from the LCRA, Grissom interviews a man wrongly imprisoned and nearly executed — twice, Hamilton on a controversial UT regent who wants a do-over in the debate over higher ed reform, Ramshaw on the continuing fight over pre-abortion sonograms, Root on Rick Perry's newsmaking trip to NYC and M. Smith on whether cash-strapped school districts will raise taxes: The best of our best content from June 13 to 17, 2011. Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman -
Midland and Odessa Grapple With Water Concerns
In parts of the Permian Basin, less than 0.2 inches of rain has fallen since September. As the drought grows increasingly dire, officials and residents are taking more drastic measures to reduce water use. Full Story
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![Trees that were once mostly submerged are now high and dry in the southwestern portion of O.H. Ivie Reservoir southeast of Ballinger Texas. The reservoir is less than 30 percent full, as of April 20 2011.]()
Credit: Robert W. Hart -
Fun (Actually in the Water) on the Trinity River
The Trinity has never been much-loved like the Guadalupe, the San Marcos or the Frio. For the first time, both Dallas and Fort Worth are making efforts to revitalize it and make it a destination for recreation. Full Story
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![Floaters splash and stay cool at "Rockin' the River-Live on the Trinity", a free event sponsored by the Trinity River Vision.]()
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Updated: Water Deal for Proposed Coal Plant Postponed
In a victory for environmental groups, the L.C.R.A. board decided to delay the decision on whether to grant a large water contract to the proposed White Stallion coal plant near Bay City. Full Story
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![Rikki Stanley, director of local development for the White Stallion Energy Center, shows a chunk of the type of coal that the coal plant plans to burn.]()
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Midland Approves First-Ever Water Use Penalties
Faced with extreme drought, the Midland City Council approved a plan today to fine residents $500 for violating watering restrictions, the first time the city has ever enacted such restrictions. Full Story
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LCRA Moves Swiftly to Name New Boss
The board of the Lower Colorado River Authority wasted no time in naming a long-time staffer to take over as the organization's general manager, following the resignation of Tom Mason a week ago. Full Story
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TribWeek: In Case You Missed It
Aguilar on a newly exposed rift in the GOP, Dehn on what summer overtime for lawmakers costs taxpayers, Galbraith on one bright spot for environmentalists this session, Grissom on reports of abuse shrouding a death row case, Hamilton on the long slog toward higher education reform, Ramsey on where the Big Three stand, Ramshaw on the filibuster-induced rise of a state senator, Root on Perry's jump into the culture wars, M. Smith on a new wrinkle in the school finance battle and Tan on the "pansexual" debate that nearly killed the crucial fiscal matters bill: The best of our best content from June 6 to June 10, 2011. Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman -
This Session, Water Policy Rode on One Word
With the Big Dry upon us, the fight over the water percolating under the surface in Texas' underground aquifers was bound to get contentious before the end of the legislative session. And it did, at least for a while, because of one modifier. Full Story
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Credit: Luke Robinson -
LCRA Boss Resigns
The general manager of the Lower Colorado River Authority announced his resignation Tuesday, setting off a potential battle over the future of the enormous Central Texas wholesale electricity and water supplier. Full Story
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![LCRA General Manager Tom Mason]()
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82nd Lege Session a Good One for Energy Efficiency
The Legislature passed a handful of energy-saving measures this session, ranging from allowing churches access to an energy-efficiency loan program to recalibrating a statewide efficiency program. Full Story
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Credit: Spencer Selvidge -
TribWeek: In Case You Missed It
Aaronson and Grissom on a freshman lawmaker who didn't mind making waves, Aguilar on E-Verify's new lease on life, Galbraith on the state's plodding progress toward solar power, Hamilton on Warren Chisum's exit, Philpott on the remapping of Lloyd Doggett's district, Ramsey on a proposed change to ethics laws for Texas pols, Ramshaw on efforts by the state to take control of Medicaid and Medicare, Root on why a Rick presidential bid shouldn't be underestimated, M. Smith on the unraveling of school finance legislation and Tan and Dehn on the highs and lows of the 82nd legislative session: The best of our best content from May 30 to June 3, 2011. Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman -
With Little Help From Austin, Texas' Solar Use Grows — Slowly
Renewable energy companies are looking to this big, sunny state as the next frontier for solar power. But solar is expensive, and once again the Legislature did not pass a statewide solar incentive. Some companies and communities are forging ahead nonetheless. Full Story
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![A number of homes an Austin's Mueller development have added solar panels, thanks to hefty local and federal incentives.]()
Credit: Spencer Selvidge for The Texas Tribune -
20 Weeks in Which the Budget Held Sway
The 82nd Texas Legislature’s regular session ends as it started, with lawmakers arguing about a shrunken state budget and redistricting. Full Story
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![The Texas Capitol in the twilight of the 82nd legislative session.]()
Credit: Caleb Bryant Miller -
Senate Passes Fracking Disclosure Bill
After a lengthy discussion, the Texas Senate unanimously passed a bill Wednesday that would require drilling companies using hydraulic fracturing techniques to disclose on a public website the chemicals they use in the process. Full Story
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![A worker untangles a hose at a Fountain Quail water management and treatment facility in Roanoake, Texas. Fountain Quail cleans and separates water used in fracking for natural gas removal.]()
Credit: Matt Nager for The New York Times -
Prospects Dimming for Bill to Aid McDonald Observatory
A bill aimed at reducing the glare from outdoor lighting in a large swath of West Texas in order to help the McDonald Observatory is currently stuck in the Senate, though its sponsor hopes to get it to the floor by the tomorrow's legislative deadline. Full Story
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![A research unit of The University of Texas at Austin located in the Davis Mountains of West Texas.]()
Credit: Graphic by David Robertson