A Survey of Public Perceptions and Attitudes about Water Availability Following Exceptional Drought in Texas

This study examines the results of a random sample survey of Texans evaluating citizen awareness, attitudes, and willingness to adopt water conservation practices. The study investigates changes in public attitudes following the most intense one-year drought on record in Texas by evaluating public perception of water availability, assessing Texans’ attitudes and perceptions regarding drought conditions, and comparing the number of Texans adopting practices to conserve water before and after the drought of 2011. Almost 70% indicated that the likelihood of their area suffering from a prolonged drought was increasing. More than 61% of respondents have changed the way their yard is landscaped and 62% have also adopted new technologies in an effort to conserve water. Overall, responses indicated that Texans are concerned with water availability after experiencing, in 2011, the worst one-year drought on record, and that the majority of respondents are taking personal action in an effort to conserve water for the future

Local Response to Water Crisis: Explaining Var in Usage Restrictions During Drought

What explains local policy response to extreme events? This question takes on growing importance as climate change increases the frequency of droughts, floods, heat waves, wildfires, and severe storms. Emergency events like these often require local officials to make decisions that trade off short-term risk reduction against longer-term political costs. Policies that promote community-wide safety and resilience may face opposition because they restrict resource use or otherwise limit personal activities. Using data on the adoption of local water usage restrictions during the 2010–2013 Texas drought, we examine the balance between political and problem-driven incentives for local emergency response. We find that problem conditions and institutional capacity of water systems outweigh political interests in shaping the timing of policy response.

Take Care of Texas: Texas Is Still In Drought

This one-page water bill insert reminds water users that Texas continues to face drought conditions and asks them to pledge to use water wisely.

Conserve Texas Water: How Do Texas Agriculture Producers Deal with Drought

This brochure describes ways that agricultural water users in Texas manage water use during drought.

Water Grand Challenges: Economics of Water

Guest UserJanuary 1, 2013The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment, The Meadows Center, Texas State University, Policy, Drought, Climate, Energy