Last week, lawmakers, water experts, community leaders, and landowners from Texas convened in Alpine for the Water in the Desert conference. The event was hosted by Sul Ross State University with the aim of discussing new challenges and opportunities in west Texas water management.

A press release issued by the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), one of the conference’s organizers, revealed that the Water in the Desert conference took place on January 18, 2023. The discussions encompassed a range of topics including gaps in regional water data, developments in water policy within the Texas legislature, Chihuahuan Desert hydrology, groundwater management needs, stewardship practices, and significant regional water improvement projects.

According to information from the Nature Conservancy's website, another organizer of the conference, the Chihuahuan Desert spans approximately 200,000 square miles making it North America’s largest desert. It stretches across six Mexican states and parts of two U.S. states: New Mexico and Texas. Similar to most deserts, surface water is scarce in the Chihuahuan Desert. Existing water is often redirected for use in agricultural irrigation or for livestock.

Vanessa Puig-Williams, director of EDF’s Texas Water Program stated in the press release that "Because of its relative scarcity, water is central to the healthy function of West Texas landscapes and communities." She further noted that "As drought deepens, cities spread, and groundwater pumping increases, the pressure on the region’s limited water resources only grows. This gathering was an ideal chance for all interested parties to come together and talk about the kind of public-private collaboration it will take to help the region safeguard its most critical resource."