Water

This week will see construction projects on 82nd Street and on the Northbound I-27 Frontage Road; drivers can expect delays and potential detours. And Texas Public Radio's Pablo De La Rosa has more on a recent report showing that water inflows to the Rio Grande have declined by a third since the 1980s.

In 2022, the Lubbock City Council announced that over $5 million from federal COVID-19 relief funding would go towards the construction of these splash pads, replacing three of the four aging public pools that residents used to enjoy.

Our reporter Bishop Van Buren has more on the Texas Water Development Board's projects meant to alleviate water loss across the state. The Board is asking for public comment, which can be provided online or by email. Texas Public Radio’s Kayla Padilla reports the Uvalde community is waiting today for the arraignment of a former school officer involved in the response to the Robb Elementary shooting.

Our reporter Bishop Van Buren attended Playa Field Day in the west Texas town of Nazareth to hear from experts on the environmental importance of playa lakes amid declining groundwater levels. And Texas Public Radio's Brian Kirkpatrick reports the Uvalde school district and sheriff's department must release crucial records sought by the media in connection with the 2022 Robb Elementary school shooting.

The lost water costs the cities millions and heightens the state’s water supply challenges.

The city of Lubbock published its 2023 Water Quality Report. Our reporter, Bishop Van Buren, explains that the report could be especially relevant for residents with immune system deficiencies. And Texas Public Radio’s Pablo De La Rosa has more as the U.S. Congress moves closer to withholding funds from Mexico in a dispute over water on the Rio Grande.

As historically low levels of water in the Rio Grande continue to threaten communities in the U.S. and Mexico, incoming rain is expected to provide short-term relief to water reservoirs. Texas Public Radio’s Pablo De La Rosa has more on infrastructure needs at the border. And KERA's Christopher Connelly reports on how Texas renters and homeowners are impacted by housing costs.

Texas Public Radio’s Pablo De La Rosa has more on a letter from U.S. legislators last week urging funds to Mexico be withheld until the country releases the water it owes to the Rio Grande Watershed as part of a treaty. Also last week, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced that the dunes sagebrush lizard will be designated as an endangered species, with the oil and gas industry being one of the main threats to its survival.

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center is hosting a suicide prevention summit this morning, aimed at helping college administrators implement more mental health services and support for their students. And TPR's Pablo De La Rosa has more on a study about optimizing water usage along the Rio Grande.The Texas Higher Education Suicide Prevention Spring Summit will take place from 8 a.m. to noon. The link to register for the virtual event can be found here.