Principles for Protecting Texas’ Water Resources
1) Use existing water
supplies efficiently.
Municipal,
agricultural and industrial water users should adopt aggressive water
conservation practices, both large and small-scale. We should make the most of
current water supplies before we start building dams and pipelines to develop
new ones.
2)
Keep rivers flowing.
Water planners and
managers should make sure that enough water remains in rivers and streams to
keep Texas
rivers flowing. They should also ensure that enough fresh water reaches coastal
bays and estuaries to maintain their productivity as fisheries and as wildlife
habitat.
3)
Protect wildlife habitat.
Water management
decisions and new water development projects should avoid or minimize adverse
impacts to wildlife, water quality and wildlife habitat.
4) Use surface and groundwater
sustainably.
We should take water from
rivers and pump water from underground aquifers only as fast as rainfall can
replenish them. We need to leave water—and wildlife—for future
generations.
5) Save tax dollars.
Water planners should make sure that new water development projects
are cost-effective by carefully weighing the costs and benefits of the proposed
project and alternatives.
