# Texas And Available Water



## Viking (Mar 16, 2009)

I have a friend that's enamored by the independent attitude of Texas and talks about his desire to move there. My wife, son and I lived in the panhandle town of Whitedeer, just West of Pampa 30+ years ago. Nice area, good people, not the best winters and it was noted to be in tornado alley. Thing is I did some asking about water and mineral rights and was told that basically what wasn't owned by oil companies was owned by the railroad. I talked to farmers and ranchers about available water and they told me that most were pumping from the Ogallala Aquifer which at that time was mostly at about 600 feet. The area had very little public land (BLM or National Forest) so hunting is pretty much restricted to knowing someone that has a ranch or farm that will allow you to hunt on. I happen to appreciate the attitude of the freedom loving Texans and if Texas seceded from the Union I'd be tempted to move there, however, to me water is of the utmost importance. So my question is to the Texans here, if the SHTF and power and water no longer flow how will things fare for those who are otherwise prepared?


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## GrinnanBarrett (Aug 31, 2012)

I agree with your assessment of the water conditions in the panhandle and most of far West Texas. We live in NE Texas and own the mineral rights to our property. We continue to encourage conservative Preppers to move here. Texans are a tough bunch. I am fifth generation Texan with my family going back to 1821 here. 

It is tough for us to watch people come in and want to change us into what they had back East or Up North. We had a bunch of Vets from up North move in and tell us we had to fly the US flag above the TEXAS Flag. We do not do that. Texas is the only state where our flag flies at the same height as the US Flag. We are not NY. GB


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## nomadjanet (Mar 28, 2011)

if you go east of the dry line (IH 35) it's not all that dry in Texas. thing is we have long droughts but when it does rain, we might get 4" in one day. Big problem is over population of cities.
Where we are people can go about 400 feet and get a good well. We bought some land a little further out and our plan is to drill a well & also to install a rainwater capture system. There is already a stock pond, and community water on site. Most of the land owners in the area have a well & a stock pond, no one is doing rainwater capter around here yet. 

People in Texas will be fine, we will have to adjust to less water usage for non essential things.


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## jsriley5 (Sep 22, 2012)

nomadjanet said:


> People in Texas will be fine, we will have to adjust to less water usage for non essential things.


I see what your saying but how about when everyone is growing a LARGE Garden to self sustain as well as watering for personal livestock. NOt arguing just wondering if you figured that in when you estimated that there is enough water. I undestand there will be fewer well manicured lawns and golf courses but will that be enough water usage cut to turn around and water alot of gardens, pastures, keepong in mind that water flowing over the boarder can't be counted on since someone up north may decide to "teach texas a lesson" and cut or drastically restrict water flow so if you don't control the source I"d not count on the water. NOt Poo Pooing texas I"d still like to live there was even considering Arizona and New Mex until the election results showed the blue overthere. My original Dream states were Montanna and alaska but Im just not able to handle the cold anymore and certainly not the harsh living of Boonie alaska. 
Anyway just food for thought and out there for opinions.


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

I have 3000 gallons of rain water capture from the house. It is amazing how quickly it fills!! I was shocked. I also have two 330 gallon totes capturing from a garage, and one 275 gallon tote that will soon be capturing from a storage building.

I also have four 275 gallon IBC totes I can place on my flatbed trailer (1100 gallons) ... I am less than 5 miles from either a river or a lake (about equal to either, the river is a little closer) .... that's 9000 lbs of water, enough to last for weeks even watering the garden properly. I can pull the trailer with my diesel pickup.


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## tsrwivey (Dec 31, 2010)

We live in east Texas & we have a well as do all of our neighbors. There are many, many ponds around that I've never seen dry up. We have a swimming pool with 20,000 gallons of water. There's a small lake within walking distance of my house & several large lakes within an hour's drive. We have a very steep roof & have a spot that much of the rain runs to so it would be easy to stick a barrel there to capture that water. Yet something else on our to do list.


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## hiwall (Jun 15, 2012)

I had thought about moving to Texas but the lack of public land(around 3%) stopped me from doing so. I'm in Arizona with 83% public land. Other than that Texas is great.


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## semperscott (Nov 7, 2010)

I live in NE Texas and water is not a problem. The well is 300 feet deep and the water is cold and pure.

One thing to consider is that if Texas goes on it's own, most people realize that Texans will not continue the wasteful spending of tax dollars with all the free handouts. Besides the savings in tax dollars there will also be a benifit in that most of the 47% will be moving out of the cities to a liberal state. That will greatly reduce the water usage as well as raise the state IQ average. 

As far as government land I believe it is great we have so little otherwise that would allow big brother to further intrude on our rights.


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

You can hunt on Army Corps of Engineers land, but you have to have a permission slip. Also, a lot of it is bow hunt only. 

That is not a deterrent to me, since all wild game would be killed in just a few months of SHTF anyway.


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## The_Blob (Dec 24, 2008)

semperscott said:


> I live in NE Texas and water is not a problem. The well is 300 feet deep and the water is cold and pure.
> 
> One thing to consider is that if Texas goes on it's own most people realize that Texans will continue the wasteful spending of tax dollars with all the free handouts. Besides the savings in tax dollars there will also be a benifit of most of the 47% moving out of the cities to a liberal state. That will greatly reduce the water usage.
> 
> As far as government land I believe it is great we have so little otherwise that would allow big brother to further intrude on our rights.


Maybe the Katrina 'refugees' will finally GTFO & stop contaminating Houston :gaah:


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

The_Blob said:


> Maybe the Katrina 'refugees' will finally GTFO & stop contaminating Houston


I have a dream...


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## nomadjanet (Mar 28, 2011)

jsriley5 said:


> I see what your saying but how about when everyone is growing a LARGE Garden to self sustain as well as watering for personal livestock. NOt arguing just wondering if you figured that in when you estimated that there is enough water. I undestand there will be fewer well manicured lawns and golf courses but will that be enough water usage cut to turn around and water alot of gardens, pastures, keepong in mind that water flowing over the boarder can't be counted on since someone up north may decide to "teach texas a lesson" and cut or drastically restrict water flow so if you don't control the source I"d not count on the water. NOt Poo Pooing texas I"d still like to live there was even considering Arizona and New Mex until the election results showed the blue overthere. My original Dream states were Montanna and alaska but Im just not able to handle the cold anymore and certainly not the harsh living of Boonie alaska.
> Anyway just food for thought and out there for opinions.


Most Texans get their drinking water from aquifers not rivers flowing from up north. I am not saying it would not be different, but people lived here before there was support from the US and they have a lot more knowledge and infrastructure now than they did then. 
We are pumping oil from the ealgeford shell as fast as they can and they are refining it right here in Texas so we have that advantage now.
People who have only seen photo's of west Texas don't realize that this is not a desert state.


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## kejmack (May 17, 2011)

Depending on public land is a mistake. Everyone is going to be out there blasting away when the SHTF. If they don't hit the wildlife, they are liable to hit you!

I am amazed at how people who *don't live in Texas* constantly worry about our water. How exactly do you all think the pioneers survived here? We have water here. We have always had water and even in the drought, there is water.

Other places have drought (look at the midwest last summer) but people don't talk about abandoning those places.


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## Tweto (Nov 26, 2011)

kejmack said:


> Depending on public land is a mistake. Everyone is going to be out there blasting away when the SHTF. If they don't hit the wildlife, they are liable to hit you!
> 
> I am amazed at how people who *don't live in Texas* constantly worry about our water. How exactly do you all think the pioneers survived here? We have water here. We have always had water and even in the drought, there is water.
> 
> Other places have drought (look at the midwest last summer) but people don't talk about abandoning those places.


Yes, we are having a severe drought here, but we do not have a water shortage. I don't know of any one that has a well more then 100' deep with plenty of water.


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## Fn/Form (Nov 6, 2008)

When the power goes out who will be pumping water anyway? Certainly not the big cities. The aquifer water levels will remain or rise.

I grew up in SE TX about 100mi from the coast. Our well was about 80' deep, and I have yet to find water as good as that.

Around here a well goes from 200 to 700. A Grundfos SQFlex/solar setup is as reliable as it gets for non-surface water.


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## jsriley5 (Sep 22, 2012)

kejmack said:


> I am amazed at how people who *don't live in Texas* constantly worry about our water. How exactly do you all think the pioneers survived here? We have water here. We have always had water and even in the drought, there is water.
> 
> Other places have drought (look at the midwest last summer) but people don't talk about abandoning those places.


Wasn't suggesting anyone abandon Texas, and I am aware that people have continually lived there for a long long time since well before it was texas. But the number of people have changed a bunch, The number of people pumping water from the aquifers has changed ALOT. And my relations there do occaisionally mention worry about water for livestock when some of the litle rivers (not sure if theirs is considered a river or a crick) dry up, and stock ponds go dry. And KNow of a awful lot of hay that gets hauled from my area and others to feed livestock too as it often is soo dry the hayfeilds just dont produce enough down there. And while the folks living in the town there won't be getting water pumped to em and many will just sit there and die not all of em will so there will be water consuption by plenty of em from wherever they can get it. Wasn't trying to DIS on TEXAS as a matter of fact it is one of the serious considerations of mine to actually purchase a BOL/ and or potential Home close to relatives there. Just checking to see if Ya'll had given it serious thought and had it all figured out yet.


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## techrun (Nov 7, 2012)

LincTex said:


> That is not a deterrent to me, since all wild game would be killed in just a few months of SHTF anyway.


Wouldn't killing more docile cattle be the first option of most. The county in which I was raised has 16,000 head of cattle grazing on wheat pasture annually.

Then there's at least 4,500-5,500 momma cows in the county last I check the FSA office numbers.


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## techrun (Nov 7, 2012)

Tweto said:


> Yes, we are having a severe drought here, but we do not have a water shortage. I don't know of any one that has a well more then 100' deep with plenty of water.


Definate water issue in Texas. Especially west Texas. Farmers are growing half the amount of cotton in some areas due the water shortage.

Drought isn't the problem, over population is the issue. The aquafiers can't recharge after a drought due.

Too much water sucked out for corn and cotton production. You'd be amazed at how many gallons of water it takes for just one acre of corn. Mind numbing!!!:scratch


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## nomadjanet (Mar 28, 2011)

I have thought a lot about this issue and I have decided you are correct. There is not enough water here, tell all your liberal friends not to move here as they will die of thirst and be unable to irrigate their gardents. LOL


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## Viking (Mar 16, 2009)

One of the staying where we are points for us is that I have developed a spring that feeds a 1,100 gallon covered concrete cistern at the top of our property, we get 25 psi in our home from gravity flow. I have a 45 foot deep well at the bottom of our place but it's too shallow and didn't go far enough down to avoid the bacterial iron area and so if it's not constantly pumped the first 20 gallons or so is thick bloody looking water. I haven't used it for years because I water the trees I plant on the lower portion with the overflow out of the cistern. I want to add at least another 1,000 gallons of storage along side of the existing one just for insurance on drier summers when the overflow gets down to a dribble. What amazed me is when we started running around the Northern Nevada desert mountains the streams and springs there had more running water than most of the creek basins here in Southwestern Oregon.


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

techrun said:


> Wouldn't killing more docile cattle be the first option of most.


All it takes to kill 20,000 cows is 20,000 morons who fled from the city that watched too many Rambo movies.


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## jsriley5 (Sep 22, 2012)

yup is one of my fears around here and securing livestock is near the top of my imediate actions list.


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## kejmack (May 17, 2011)

nomadjanet said:


> I have thought a lot about this issue and I have decided you are correct. There is not enough water here, tell all your liberal friends not to move here as they will die of thirst and be unable to irrigate their gardents. LOL


I have changed my mind after reading Janet's post. She is right. Texas is a desert. Think tumbleweeds and skulls. Anyone thinking of moving here should reconsider.


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## jsriley5 (Sep 22, 2012)

Think you better reconsider your gonna need all the help you can get with both North and South borders special over on the NOrth and South west.


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## semperscott (Nov 7, 2010)

Consider that in a SHTF time zone that there will be no major pumping of water. The big companies and corparations will not have the people much less the electrical power to pump the large amounts of water they need.

Hence the average Texan with a well will have more water then than they do now. :scratch


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## techrun (Nov 7, 2012)

kejmack said:


> I have changed my mind after reading Janet's post. She is right. Texas is a desert. Think tumbleweeds and skulls. Anyone thinking of moving here should reconsider.


Actually, Texas is so big, there are some very arid regions where water would be hard to come by.

Ever driven south of Midland/Odessa or down in around El Paso see lots of rock, lots of dirt and little vegetation.


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## techrun (Nov 7, 2012)

Then there are areas like where my parents live that have a little stream at the bottom of the hill that has flowing water year around.


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## techrun (Nov 7, 2012)

semperscott said:


> Consider that in a SHTF time zone that there will be no major pumping of water. The big companies and corparations will not have the people much less the electrical power to pump the large amounts of water they need.
> 
> Hence the average Texan with a well will have more water then than they do now. :scratch


Very true, a solar generator hooked up to a personal well is good idea. Or a hand pump to an existing well on hand.

I have a small well that I use to water my yard. However, in case of having no electricity, I have a hand pump that's good for about 100 ft. or so.


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## Ezmerelda (Oct 17, 2010)

nomadjanet said:


> if you go east of the dry line (IH 35) it's not all that dry in Texas. thing is we have long droughts but when it does rain, we might get 4" in one day.


And yet, when I went through East Texas (Nacogdoches area) this past September (east of the "dry line"), I saw at least two hand-painted signs up on either side of town advertising water for sale. I wanted to take a picture, but I didn't have time to stop. Also, signs in town carried warnings from the local government to conserve water.

So, is it because of overpopulation in Nacogdoches?

Out in the country doesn't seem to be any better, the community well water in Shelby County is disgusting and leaves a slimy residue on whatever it touches.

Maybe private wells are better? Properly maintained? Deeper? :dunno:

On the other hand, the Toledo Bend Reservoir didn't look too low...:scratch


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## nomadjanet (Mar 28, 2011)

there was a drought in the midwest last summer too. we do have dry spells. couldn't say how nacodoches was but we had a pretty dry summer, not a record breaker like 2011. well never slowed down, stock tank never went dry, none of the livestock around here died lor got sick. Texas will be OK, hundreds of homes and thousands of acres burned in 2011 and most people recovered. no fema or redcross for weeks on end. and yes maybe a little run away capitalizm with water rights but for the most part, we just have to do whatever needs to be done. now as far as houston and austin go, that may be another matter, they may actually use ozarka to flush the wc if the pipes ever go dry.


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## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

In a lot of areas around here there are "Water For Sale" signs. That is a good thing, it doesn't indicate drought conditions.

With all the Oil and Gas drilling, a lot of "Fracing" is done with high pressure water(or water based fluids). It used to be done with explosives but now days it is almost always done with fluids. Water is also used in drilling fluids(Mud) to carry the debris out of the well during drilling. When a well is producing, water is often injected into the well to help recover the oil that may otherwise not be obtainable.

Quite a bit of water is used for these purposes and most is "Purchased" locally.



Ezmerelda said:


> And yet, when I went through East Texas (Nacogdoches area) this past September (east of the "dry line"), I saw at least two hand-painted signs up on either side of town advertising water for sale. I wanted to take a picture, but I didn't have time to stop. Also, signs in town carried warnings from the local government to conserve water.
> 
> So, is it because of overpopulation in Nacogdoches?
> 
> ...


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