TRIB+Water Volume: 3 Issue: 7

Welcome to Trib+Water, a water news wrap-up and analysis prepared every other week by The Texas Tribune and the Meadows Center for Water and the Environment at Texas State University. We bring you the latest news and events concerning the river systems of Texas and important water issues on a state and regional level.

Vol: 3 Issue: 7:

Water Ruling Cuts State's Power in Droughts by Jim Malewitz A state appeals court has sided with farmers, ranchers and other longstanding water rights holders in a Brazos River case with widespread implications for future water battles in drought-prone Texas.   List of Fastest-Growing Counties, Metro Areas Has Strong Texas Flavor by Alexa Ura Three Texas counties and four metropolitan areas ranked among the rapidly growing areas in the country, according to population estimates released Thursday by the Census Bureau. Hays County Water Fight Tumbles Into Committee by Neena Satija Dripping Springs state Rep. Jason Isaac went before the House Natural Resources Committee on Wednesday to make the case for his four-bill cocktail aimed at stopping a controversial groundwater pumping project in Hays County.    The Q&A: Sharlene Leurig by Christine Ayala In this week's Q&A, we interview Sharlene Leurig, hydrologist and producer of “Our Desired Future,” a storytelling project about water impacting West Texas. The Bookshelf: April 8, 2015 by Christine Ayala In this week's Bookshelf, our content partner Kirkus Reviews highlights Water to the Angels. Event: Colorado River Alliance’s Family Water Festival Family Water Festival, a free event, will be held April 12 with more than 30 water-awareness activities to connect families with their local water sources, particularly the Colorado River. Opinion: Rules Needed for Cross-County Water Pumping The proposed Vista Ridge water project, which would pump water from the Carrizo-Wilcox aquifer across five counties to the city of San Antonio, could threaten the Hill Country through uncontrolled development. Study: Cattle Causing Coastal Watershed Contamination A Texas Water Journal study of potential contamination of the Copano Bay coastal watershed found that cattle were the largest potential contributors of E. coli and Enterococcus. Bill Filed to Deal With Tubing Parties on the San Marcos Residents along the San Marcos River, who have had to cope with noise and litter from partying tubers, are getting some help from state Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo. Drought to Bring Changes to Habits in California California Gov. Jerry Brown's announcement of mandatory water restrictions, the first ever in the state, has created a divide between urban and agricultural users as the state faces its fourth year of severe drought. Will Texas Follow California's Example on Water? As Texas continues to deal with drought, some have questioned whether the state would follow California Gov. Jerry Brown's precedent in issuing mandatory water restrictions. Congressional Bill Aims to Cut Costs of Rural Water Supply The Water Supply Cost Savings Act, designed to reduce costs for supplying drinking water to small and rural communities, has been refiled in the U.S. House. Data App: Track Texas Reservoir Levels by Ryan Murphy Using data from the Texas Water Development Board's reservoir status tracker, our auto-updating map visualizes the current state of Texas reservoirs.