The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) has issued the 2017 State Water Plan, which was adopted by the Board on May 19, 2016. They have also published an interactive website on 2017 State Water Plan which lets water users statewide take an up-close look at data in the 2017 State Water Plan and how water needs change over time by showing:
- projected water demands,
- existing water supplies,
- the relative severity and projected water needs (potential shortages),
- the water management strategies recommended to address potential shortages, and
- recommended capital projects and their sponsors.
The 2017 plan tells us that Texas faces significant water shortages over the next 50 years if steps are not taken to conserve and develop additional water supplies. The estimated capital cost to design, construct, and implement approximately 2,500 recommended water management strategy projects by 2070 is $63 billion, including over $4 billion in costs associated with conservation projects.
The 2017 plan tells us that Texas faces significant water shortages over the next 50 years if steps are not taken to conserve and develop additional water supplies. Rapid population growth is expected, increasing more than 70 percent between 2020 and 2070, from 29.5 million to 51 million people. Water demands are projected to increase by approximately 17 percent between 2020 and 2070, from 18.4 million to 21.6 million acre-feet per year.