Ongoing drought across south Texas is shrinking local water reserves, with the region’s two primary sources – Lake Corpus Christi and Choke Canyon Reservoir – continuing to decline at a rapid pace.
As of mid-October, the lake serving as the region’s primary water supply is 13.9% full, while Choke Canyon is at about 11% of its total capacity. Drought conditions have put the city of Corpus Christi into Stage 3 restrictions, requiring a 15% reduction in overall water usage.
Corpus Christi’s water future is being built on short-term measures and multi-year infrastructure development, officials said.Officials warn of a water emergency within the next year if the arid weather persists. In the meantime, city leaders are considering alternatives, including a nearby aquifer and a multi-billion-dollar desalination plant.
Ultimately, Corpus Christi’s water future is being built on short-term measures and multi-year infrastructure development, said John Byrum, executive director of Nueces River Authority, a planning agency tasked with developing and preserving the region’s water resources.
Lake Corpus Christi was created by damming the Nueces River, a 315-mile watercourse that empties into Corpus Christi Bay. Segments of the river are akin to “a tub full of rocks,” with water literally flowing out of sight during periods of severe drought, said Byrum
Besides harming wildlife, the low water levels are drying up fishing, swimming, boating and other economy-sustaining recreational activities, he added.
“This has been going on so long, we haven’t been able to get that ‘tub’ full enough where you can see the water,” Byrum said. “Businesses are suffering, and the tax base is suffering.”
Multiple projects afoot
To combat the continuing drought, Corpus Christi is evaluating multiple new water supply projects. Leaders from the Nueces River Authority are working to fund a feasibility study on a new pipeline connecting the river to Choke Canyon Reservoir, which holds over 695,000 acre-feet of water.
Next is a planned brush control project in the lake’s upper basin. Replacing thirsty vegetation with water-efficient plants would allow more moisture to infiltrate the soil and recharge underground aquifers. The initiative would also provide local ranchers with compost, produced by combining chopped brush with sludge from wastewater treatment.
This past August, Corpus Christi City Council approved a purchase agreement for water rights from the Evangeline Groundwater Project in coastal San Patricio County. Expected to deliver about 24 million gallons per day, the project would cost approximately $840 million to implement based on infrastructure construction and water rights costs.
Byrum calls the aquifer plan a “mid-range” answer to a problem that requires more sustainable solutions. To that end, the Nueces River Authority aims to erect a 450-million gallon desalination facility on the Harbor Island coastal development site. The project’s first phase includes a plant designed to produce 100 million gallons daily, with total costs for future expansions projected at $5.5. billion-$6 billion.
The facility will purify water using reverse osmosis, a membrane-based technology that forces brackish water through a semi-permeable membrane, leaving behind salts and other impurities. Usable water will then be delivered to nearly a million people via a 178-mile pipeline running along the Interstate 37 corridor.
Mathis, Texas, is projected to be the first community to receive this new, drought-proof water supply, said Byrum.
“We hope to have water (for Mathis) by 2029,” said Byrum. “There’s a lot of people needing water down here, and don’t have the luxury of taking a lot of time.”
A drop of hope
Like many of its south Texas neighbors, the city of Mathis pumps its drinking water from Lake Corpus Christi. Yet, water levels are becoming too low to safely extract drinkable water – nor does the small city have the infrastructure to delve into the lake’s muddy depths, said public works director Robert Tafolla.
“We would have to get temporary piping and set it further out in the lake than what our intake is,” Tafolla said. “It would be costly and time-consuming, and become a strain on the pumping system.”
Map: City of Corpus ChristiMathis found some relief for its water woes in September when crews discovered water in an abandoned city well. Mathis, which uses about 500,000 gallons daily for a population of 4,300, is preparing to tap several other older wells. The city is also planning on drilling two new wells as it considers its future water security.
These plans come at a crucial time for Mathis, which relies entirely on Lake Corpus Christi for its drinking water. Officials are currently talking to Corpus Christi and surrounding cities about new conservation methods, wastewater reuse and other strategies for protecting local reserves.
Action must be taken for a region already facing major drought-spurred disruptions – from defunct sugar mill operations to cities declaring disaster emergencies. Water is also essential for the continued operation of the Port of Corpus Christi, one of the world’s largest crude oil exporters.
“This proves there’s always a need for a secondary source of water,” said Tafolla. “Just having one source is not always the best option, or you might end up in a situation like we are right now.”
