Tag Archives: drought

Why does Greg Abbott hate FEMA?

Posted on July 13, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I mean, FEMA loves Texas, so… Gov. Greg Abbott was quick to request federal assistance last week after devastating floods hit the Texas Hill Country. But the Republican governor is simultaneously helping the Trump administration find ways to “wean off” … Continue reading →

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El Paso’s wastewater recycling plant

Posted on March 24, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Dealing with our state’s water needs will require lots of different types of solutions. By 2028, El Pasoans will begin receiving water from a $295 million advanced water purification plant that will convert treated wastewater into drinking water, the first … Continue reading →

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An overview of our state water situation

Posted on March 17, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

It’s pretty bad. Texas officials fear the state is gravely close to running out of water. Towns and cities could be on a path toward a severe shortage of water by 2030, data compiled in the state’s 2022 water plan … Continue reading →

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Assessing North Texas’ wildfire risk

Posted on January 29, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Interesting stuff. North Texas terrain and climate differ significantly from Southern California’s, but the possibility of wildfires in the Tarrant County area that are as destructive as those in Los Angeles cannot be ruled out, according to Luke Kanclerz, head … Continue reading →

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Three water stories

Posted on January 27, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

This lawmaker wants to fix Texas’ water shortage with desalination and billion-dollar pipelines The state lawmaker expected to carry out Gov. Greg Abbott’s “transformative” water reforms this year wants to earmark billions of dollars to develop new sources and fix … Continue reading →

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Everything you wanted to know about trees in Houston but were afraid to ask

Posted on August 21, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

A good overview. In the weeks following the storm, Houstonians had to dodge fallen trees, branches, debris and more across the region. In fact, Hurricane Beryl potentially impacted about 50 percent of urbanized-area trees, according to the Texas A&M Forest … Continue reading →

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When you’re hoping for a hurricane

Posted on July 1, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Doesn’t seem like a great position to be in. South Texas was prepared for a deluge. City officials distributed sandbags and planned road closures. Gov. Greg Abbott declared a state of disaster before Tropical Storm Alberto, which was projected to … Continue reading →

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Hope we have enough water this summer

Posted on March 26, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Not looking great for some parts of the state right now. Two consecutive summers of brutal heat and drought have left some parts of Texas with notably low water supplies going into 2024. A wet year or a well-placed hurricane … Continue reading →

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The Panhandle wildfires

Posted on March 2, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Scary stuff. A blanket of snow and rain that descended over the Texas Panhandle on Thursday helped firefighters to quell the spread of the largest wildfire in the state’s history, which has engulfed more than 1 million acres of land … Continue reading →

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On the weather and the climate

Posted on January 23, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Good news: The dormant wildfire season — which has produced nearly all of the 30 largest wildfires in Texas — is here, but data from the Texas A&M Forest Service suggest this may be a mild year thanks to El … Continue reading →

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Private dam proposal withdrawn

Posted on October 27, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Good news. After months of opposition by communities along the Llano River, the former CEO of Houston-based energy company Phillips 66 has withdrawn his permit application to build a private dam on his ranch in Edwards County, according to state … Continue reading →

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Drought 2023

Posted on October 18, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

It’s bad. Any questions? A lingering drought affecting more than 80% of Texas is causing wildfires, hurting agriculture and drying up water supplies throughout the state. This year’s drought comes less than a year after Texas experienced one of its … Continue reading →

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Drought Contingency Plan Stage Two

Posted on August 25, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: The City of Houston will enter Stage Two of the City’s Drought Contingency Plan, effective August 27, 2023. The Drought Contingency Plan calls for Stage Two mandatory water conservation measures when the significant drop in annual rainfall … Continue reading →

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New frontiers in bad ideas

Posted on August 17, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Private dams. No, seriosuly. A private dam proposed on the South Llano River, a major tributary to the Highland Lakes, is the center of a debate in the Hill Country this week as a public hearing set for Thursday evening … Continue reading →

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Wildfire disaster declared

Posted on August 16, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Stay safe, y’all. Gov. Greg Abbott has issued a wildfire disaster declaration for about 75% of Texas counties, allowing them to use all available state resources to respond to any new fires as the state continues to bake under triple-digit … Continue reading →

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Texas Department of Agriculture sort of recognizes climate change

Posted on January 9, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a start, I guess. On the heels of a historic drought that devastated crops from the High Plains to South Texas, a new Texas Department of Agriculture report released Tuesday linked climate change with food insecurity and identified it … Continue reading →

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The Christmas Bird Count

Posted on December 26, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

If you’re looking for a little holiday project… For the 123rd year in a row, the Christmas Bird Count is happening all over the country. Bird enthusiasts and nature lovers head outside, take a census of birds in their area … Continue reading →

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Houston to spend more fixing water pipes

Posted on December 4, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Seems like a good idea. The city is poised to at least double its annual spending on water line repairs, citing two years of pipe breaks and leaks driven in part by ongoing drought conditions. Houston lost nearly 20 billion … Continue reading →

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Still rough times for oysters

Posted on November 16, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Continuing from earlier in the year. Tuesday marks the start of Texas’ commercial and recreational oyster season, but the bulk of the state’s oyster reefs are already closed for harvesting. This follows last year’s season during which the majority of … Continue reading →

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Drought is not good for pumpkins

Posted on October 31, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Sorry, kids. This year’s hot, dry weather has wreaked havoc on Texas agriculture, and the state’s pumpkin crop has not been spared. Farmers and agricultural experts say that drop in supply has translated into higher prices for pumpkins popular for … Continue reading →

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Yes, it’s been an especially hot summer

Posted on August 5, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Record-breaking, in fact. Average high temperatures in Houston so far this summer have outpaced previous historically hot summers on record, according to the National Weather Service. In the months of May, June and July, temperatures in the city averaged 95.1 … Continue reading →

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Harris County implements a burn ban

Posted on July 1, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Surely this is a thing we can all comply with. Harris County Commissioners Court on Tuesday enacted a countywide burn ban due to drought conditions and an increased threat of wildfires across unincorporated Harris County, but fireworks will remain legal … Continue reading →

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In case you hadn’t noticed, we’re in a drought

Posted on June 27, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

And by “we”, I mean most of the state. About 80% of Texas is currently experiencing some level of drought conditions, ranging from “moderate” to “exceptional.” The drought, which caused wildfires across the state earlier this year and prompted burn bans, is now … Continue reading →

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Rough times for oysters

Posted on May 20, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

It’s bad for oyster fishers, too. But if there just aren’t enough oysters to support harvesting them, well… Currently, 25 of the state’s 27 harvesting areas are already closed. The season normally runs from Nov. 1 through April 30, but … Continue reading →

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Houston’s preparations for the next freeze

Posted on February 17, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

We learned from the experience, which I hope will serve us well for the next time. The grid’s near collapse last February had drastic consequences for local governments, none more acute than the challenge water systems confronted in trying to … Continue reading →

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Ten years after the Bastrop fire

Posted on November 14, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

The headline on this story asks whether Texas is ready for the next big fire. I think we know the answer to that. Ten years ago, Texas experienced it’s worst wildfire disaster in the state’s history. Over 31 thousand fires … Continue reading →

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Climate change is bad for Texas

Posted on October 9, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

In case you were wondering. Climate change has made the Texas heat worse, with less relief as nighttime temperatures warm, a report from the state’s climatologist published Thursday found. Climate data also show that the state is experiencing extreme rainfall … Continue reading →

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Zombie trees

Posted on September 3, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

We are still experiencing the effects of the freeze. Zombies are in your yard, in parks and along roadsides and other green spaces throughout Texas. They’re trees that are partly dead and partly alive, struggling to move forward and waiting … Continue reading →

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The infrastructure bill and Texas flooding

Posted on April 17, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

It’s more than just the Ike Dike. President Joe Biden’s infrastructure plan includes $50 billion to fortify states against future extreme weather events such as the droughts, floods and hurricanes that caused up to $200 billion in damage in Texas … Continue reading →

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When Houston is more like Austin

Posted on August 6, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

In a climate sense. Which is to say, drier because of climate change. A new study predicts that Texas’ climate is going to get drastically drier because of climate change. The journal Earth’s Future recently published the study looking at … Continue reading →

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Rio Seco

Posted on June 6, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

This is not good. Mario Rosales, who farms 365 acres along the Rio Grande, knows the river is in bad shape this year. It has already dried to a dusty ribbon of sand in some parts, and most of the … Continue reading →

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From Harvey to drought

Posted on February 1, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

If it’s not one thing, it’s another. The Texas Panhandle has become ground zero in a drought that has crept into much of the state just five months after Hurricane Harvey — including areas that suffered massive flooding during the … Continue reading →

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Harvey and the oysters

Posted on October 8, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

If it’s not one thing, it’s another. Oyster lovers will shell out more for the marine delicacy this fall, as freshwater runoff from Hurricane Harvey’s historic floods killed virtually all of the bivalves in the prolific seabeds of Galveston Bay. … Continue reading →

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Dealing with climate change whether you believe in it or not

Posted on January 4, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Writer Taylor Hill visits West Texas to talk about drought, wind energy, and the topic that dare not speak its name, also known as climate change. Actions, though, do speak louder than words. AzTx Cattle and other ranching and farming … Continue reading →

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