Water Research and News

NIWR celebrates 60th anniversary

Around the United States, 54 institutes are part of the National Institutes for Water Resources (NIWR), as authorized by the Water Resources Research Act of 1964 and 1984.

The Texas Water Resources Institute joins the other 53 institutes in celebrating NIWR during its 60th anniversary. The original legislation stated that, subject to the approval of the Secretary of the Interior, "one water resources research and technology institute, center, or equivalent agency," may be established in each state and territory, at a college or university, as designated by its governor. The institutes receive funding through the U.S. Geological Survey, to support, coordinate and facilitate research through the annual base grants, national competitive grants, coordination grants, and student internships. Read more.

Most Americans are oblivious to ‘forever chemicals’

A first-of-its-kind study published by Texas Water Resources Institute (TWRI) scientists last November measured U.S. adults’ knowledge of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS chemicals. TWRI conducted the first generalized U.S. study on public awareness of PFAS and found most Americans do not know what the substances are or understand potential associated risks.

PFAS are a category of thousands of manufactured chemicals and an emerging concern to environmental and human health. PFAS are called “forever chemicals” because their bonds between carbon and fluorine molecules, one of the strongest chemical bonds possible, make PFAS removal and breakdown very difficult.

45.1% of respondents had never heard of PFAS, and 31.6% had heard of PFAS but did not know what they are. 11.5% knew their community had been exposed to PFAS. 97.4% did not believe their drinking water had been impacted by PFAS.

In contrast, in July 2023 the U.S. Geological Survey published research showing that at least 45% of the nation’s tap water was estimated to contain one or more types of PFAS chemicals. Read more.

Texas springs in crisis

The number of dry springs in Texas has nearly tripled since the early 1980s, according to research published by scientists at the Meadows Center for Water and the Environment at Texas State University.

In the article, the authors began with Gunnar Brune's 1975 report, “Major and Historical Springs of Texas,” and his 1981 book, “The Springs of Texas, Volume 1,” then used a range of methods, including satellite imagery, historical maps and fieldwork, to identify and assess springs common to both texts.

The resulting analysis revealed that 30% of the springs examined by Brune are now dry, compared to 11% in 1981, representing a 173% increase or 2.7 times more failed springs. Read more.

Lake watch: new algorithm tracks daily reservoir evaporation rates

Texas A&M University College of Engineering researchers have developed a more accurate method for estimating daily reservoir evaporation rates. The recent study highlighted the efforts of Texas A&M researchers Huilin Gao, Ph.D. and Bingjie Zhao, Ph.D., with coauthors from multiple institutions and agencies.

“This method will enhance decision-making processes related to reservoir operations, water rights allocation, and long-term water planning in Texas and beyond,” said Nelun Fernando, Ph.D., manager of the Texas Water Development Board’s water availability department.

Researchers said the daily evaporation algorithm has only been applied to Texas lakes. The results reveal a clear geographic distribution and strong seasonality of evaporation throughout Texas, with the highest average losses occurring in July. The data also shows a significant upward trend in evaporation rates, increasing about 1.1 inches per decade. Read more.

What is the state of Texas’ wetlands?

With roughly 3.9 million acres of wetlands, 2.3% of its total land area, Texas has the fifth largest wetland acreage in the United States. As of 1990, there was an estimated 52% reduction in the state’s original wetland acreage, but there has been no recent assessment of statewide wetland loss or gain since then.

Recent analysis published in the Texas Water Journal explained that Texas wetlands face intensifying challenges in the coming decades.

The authors discussed actions that could anticipate effects of climate change, sea level rise and urban expansion to help address complex wetlands challenges. They recommended incorporating new technologies to allow for more timely and cost-efficient large-scale monitoring of wetland loss and gain. Read more.