South Texas needs rain. Tropical Storm Alberto didn’t deliver enough.
The region's two major reservoirs are at record-low levels and agriculture leaders are worried the citrus industry could be devastated this summer. Full Story
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![A citrus orchard in the Rio Grande Valley between the towns of Santa Rose and Combes in 2021.]()
Credit: Jason Garza for The Texas Tribune -
U.S. Supreme Court blocks the state’s Rio Grande water deal with New Mexico
Water law experts say the Supreme Court's recent decision will set a precedent for the federal government to intervene in water conflicts between states moving forward. Full Story
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![The Rio Grande at the New Mexico-Texas border on Monday, December 9, 2013 in El Paso.]()
Credit: Ivan Pierre Aguirre for The Texas Tribune -
In South Texas, one woman is leading an agricultural renaissance
Texas is losing an estimated 1,000 acres of farm land a day, mostly to other industries. The Rio Grande Valley is losing land at a faster clip. Full Story
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![Diana Padilla at Yahweh’s All Natural Farm and Gardens in Harlingen on June 15, 2024. Diana and her husband Saul Padilla own Yahweh’s and the non-profit HOPE (Holistic Organic Practical Education for small farm sustainability).]()
Credit: Michael Gonzalez for The Texas Tribune -
Water is bursting from another abandoned West Texas oil well, continuing a troubling trend
Pecos County rancher Schuyler Wight says the Railroad Commission continues to plug wells. But each time they do, another one starts flowing. Full Story
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![Water flows from an orphaned oil well on Schuyler Wight’s ranch in Pecos County, Texas.]()
Credit: Courtesy of Schuyler Wight -
Unchecked growth around Big Bend sparks debate over water — a prelude for Texas
No one knows how much water sits beneath the desert of Terlingua. Residents worry their wells will run dry, as developers and local officials cheer the tourism boom. Full Story
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![Rick and Georganne Bradbury drive down a remote mountain road after delivering water to a client on Terlingua Ranch. Keeping his business afloat is a constant concern for Rick, who said he’s spent thousands of dollars on replacing car parts and spare water tanks damaged by the terrain.]()
Credit: Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribune -
Texas farmers face mounting expenses as droughts worsen
Rising temperatures intensify drought and increase costs for the heavily subsidized crop insurance program. Full Story
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![A farm irrigation system near the High Plains town of Ralls, about 30 miles east of Lubbock, on Wednesday, June 22, 2022. Like much of Texas, the High Plains and Panhandle are facing drought conditions and extraordinary heat.]()
Credit: Trace Thomas for The Texas Tribune -
Despite Texas’ “aggressive” well-plugging program, there’s still a backlog of orphaned oil and gas wells
No state has punched more holes in its bedrock than the Lone Star State. The environmental risks are staggering, and so are the clean up costs, especially in the Permian Basin. Full Story
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![The head of an abandoned well sprouts from the ground on Stuart Carter's cattle ranch in Luling. For years, he has pushed the operator who took over a mineral lease to plug the well. The operator refuses to do so, saying it's not his responsibility.]()
Credit: Tamir Kalifa for The Texas Tribune -
Six Texas freshwater mussels, the “livers of the rivers,” added to endangered species list
Freshwater mussels can pump and filter eight to 15 gallons of water a day, cleaning rivers and streams. Six of the 50 mussels that call Texas home are federally protected by Monday’s listing. Full Story
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![Endangered freshwater mussels.]()
Credit: Ryan Hagerty/USFWS -
How a chance meeting helped Texas become the nation’s top beekeeping state
Twelve years after a state law gave tax breaks for keeping bees on at least five acres, people are still getting into the trade — or throwing in the towel and hiring professionals to do it for them. Full Story
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![A student learns how to inspect a hive of bees at Entomolgist Molly Keck’s house during a bee keeping class in Boerne on Friday, May 10, 2024]()
Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune -
How to navigate FEMA during this year’s hurricane season
The upcoming hurricane season is anticipated to be “above-average,” potentially causing those in its path to suffer from property damages. Here is how federal assistance may help you in the aftermath of a natural disaster. Full Story
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![Residents’ homes and possessions are submerged in floodwater following significant rainstorms in Coldspring, Texas, US, on Saturday May 4, 2024.]()
Credit: Callaghan O'Hare for The Texas Tribune -
Texas’ first-ever statewide flood plan estimates 5 million live in flood-prone areas
The state’s flood plan shows which Texans are most at risk of flooding and suggests billions of dollars more are needed for flood mitigation projects. Full Story
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![A truck in flood waters in Livingston on May 2, 2024. Thousands fled their Southeast Texas homes as heavy rains saturated land in multiple counties.]()
Credit: Drone Bros LLC -
Three months after the Texas’ largest wildfire, Panhandle residents are preparing for the next one
Short of an immediate statewide response, Texans who lost homes and livestock are taking matters into their own hands to better prepare their property for a wildfire. Full Story
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![Green grass grows around plants and trees scorched by Smokehouse Creek wildfire on April 3, 2024 near Canadian. “The lands recover faster than the people,” said Janet Guthrie, a Canadian resident who raises cattle in Hemphill Co.]()
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At least 7 dead in North Texas after severe storms
The storms spawned a tornado that overturned heavy recreational vehicles and shut down an interstate near Dallas. Full Story
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![Wreckage from a tornado in Valley View, a small North Texas town in Cooke Co. on Saturday, May 26, 2024. The tornado swept though late the night before, killing at least seven people in Texas.]()
Credit: ABC Affiliate WFAA via REUTERS -
Federal forecasters predict the highest number of storms ever for 2024 season
Wind changes caused by the La Niña climate pattern and warmer-than-average ocean temperatures are expected to be major drivers to this year’s hurricane season. Full Story
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![A load of evacuees in the back of Chris Ginter's monster truck in Houston on Tuesday, Aug 29, 2017. Ginter helped evacuate people from their flooded neighborhood near the Buffalo Bayou.]()
Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune -
Texas company fined $30 million for 2019 chemical explosion near Beaumont
Two explosions at TPC Group’s facility in Port Neches injured workers and triggered the evacuation of more than 50,000 people. Full Story
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![A process tower flies through the air after exploding at the TPC Group Petrochemical Plant, after an earlier massive explosion sparked a blaze at the plant in Port Neches on Nov. 27, 2019.]()
Credit: REUTERS/Erwin Seba -
Plans to spend billions on a flood-prone East Texas highway may not solve the problem
TxDOT says it can’t guarantee that upgrades to one of Houston’s main hurricane evacuation routes will prevent future flooding of U.S. 59. Full Story
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![Flooding on U.S. Highway 59 in Livingston on May 2, 2024. Thousands fled their Southeast Texas homes as heavy rains saturated land in multiple counties.]()
Credit: Drone Bros LLC -
Texas lizard added to endangered species list over the oil and gas industry’s objections
The dunes sagebrush lizard lives in the same West Texas land that supports the state’s biggest oil and gas fields, and industry leaders say the new designation will hurt drilling and production. Full Story
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![Dunes Sagebrush Lizard.]()
Credit: Ryan Hagerty/USFWS -
The government wants to buy their flood-prone homes. But these Texans aren’t moving.
In Harris County, the flood control district wants to buy properties along the San Jacinto River that have flooded repeatedly. Some residents aren’t leaving. Full Story
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![A portrait of Rodger Pace, 55, left, and Veronika Scheid, 51, right, next to the tent where they’re currently living in Harris County outside Houston, Texas, on May 14, 2024. The small building they were living in was completely damaged by flooding.]()
Credit: Danielle Villasana for The Texas Tribune -
Photos: Storms toppled transmission towers, downed trees and blew out windows across Houston area
The severe weather caused widespread damage, killed at least four people and left hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses without power. Full Story
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![People survey a partially collapsed section of Conejo Malo in downtown, Friday, May 17, 2024, in Houston. (Antranik Tavitian / Houston Landing)]()
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Some Houston-area power outages could last weeks after deadly storms cause widespread damage
At least four people were killed and much of the state’s largest city was brought to a standstill. Crews are racing to restore power and remove debris. Full Story
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![Rapper Trae tha Truth, in yellow, cuts fallen tree limbs on top of a car in the aftermath of a severe thunderstorm that passed through downtown Houston on May 16, 2024.]()
Credit: AP Photo/David J. Phillip