Tag: txh2o

Since 2005, the Texas Water Resources Institute (TWRI) has published its flagship magazine, txH2O, and the Fall 2015 issue celebrates those 10 years of publishing as well as the announcement of Dr. John C. Tracy as the institute’s new director. Other stories examine the management of floods in Texas, the institute’s award-winning bacterial source tracking program and water education programs for kids around the…

By Eva Vigh The more Texans know about their water and other natural resources, the more likely they are to participate in conserving and protecting these resources. Additionally, professionals must understand emerging management tools to address critical natural resource issues. The Natural Resources Training Program of the Texas Water Resources Institute (TWRI) and Texas A&M Natural Resources…

With more than 440 water bodies impaired in Texas, understanding the potential causes and sources of those impairments is critical. After these issues are understood comes the work of restoring the water bodies. The Texas Water Resources Institute (TWRI) has the staff and expertise to help with both. It includes a seven-member water team and…

By Leslie Lee Megabrood: that’s a term most Texas quail enthusiasts haven’t used in about a decade. But this year, it made a comeback. Rains that soothed and flooded landscapes across the state in May and June 2015 resulted in near-optimum conditions for quail in many regions. Good rainfall, habitat conditions and survival rates resulted…

By Eva Vigh Texans in drought-susceptible areas face an arid future without knowledge of water management and planning. According to environmental experts, the best place to begin teaching these strategies is schools. Introducing water education to children is critical to ensuring adequate clean water for future generations. Various Texas water education programs such as Water4Otter, International Junior…

On the top floor of Texas A&M University’s Oceanography and Meteorology Building, overlooking the east entrance to campus, sits the Office of the Texas State Climatologist. Prior to the 2011 drought, its occupant, Dr. John Nielsen-Gammon, was a man very few people had heard of. Since then, he has become a well-known resource for journalists, researchers, industry…

By Leslie Lee More than 10 years ago, the Texas Bacterial Source Tracking (BST) Program began filling a need in the state’s water quality efforts that no other program was pursuing: in-stream measurements of the specific human and animal sources of bacterial nonpoint source pollution in local watersheds. Before BST technology, water quality restoration projects relied on…

In May 2011, Texas was in the midst of the worst one-year drought in its recorded history. At many lakes, boat ramps stood isolated far from the water’s edge, and on many ranches, owners sold their cattle because their land couldn’t support the livestock. Four years later — May 2015 — Texas recorded its wettest…

Dr. Mark Hussey, vice chancellor and dean for Agriculture and Life Sciences, Texas A&M University System, recently named Dr. John C. Tracy as the new director of the Texas Water Resources Institute (TWRI). He will assume his position in December 2015. “We are excited to have someone like Dr. Tracy join our team to lead our water programs…

Known for its in-depth science reporting, txH2O has continually sought to help Texans understand complicated Texas water issues. The magazine’s content has tackled the state’s evolving water quality standards, important computer models in Texas water management, hydraulic fracturing water use and groundwater administration. “We take pride in taking on complex Texas water research and translating it into stories that the public can understand…