Look West: Public lands and energy news from the Center for Western Priorities
** Texas oil and gas companies use billions of gallons of river water for drilling
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Monday, May 19, 2025
Pecos River in Texas. Source: Leaflet, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons ([link removed]) .
While the American Southwest experiences the worst mega-drought in 1,200 years ([link removed]) , oil and gas companies in Texas are using billions of gallons of water annually ([link removed]) from the Rio Grande and Pecos Rivers for their operations.
Inside Climate News obtained Rio Grande water data through a public information request ([link removed]) from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and found that drillers used more than ten billion gallons for drilling and fracking operations between 2021 and 2024 ([link removed]) . More than four billion gallons of Pecos River water have been used for oil and gas operations since 2016. Pumping water underground to drill or frack a well often permanently removes ([link removed]) it from the natural hydrologic cycle, given the presence of chemical fracking fluids and natural toxins like arsenic following its use in the extraction process for oil or gas.
Flows have decreased on the Rio Grande by more than 30 percent ([link removed]) in recent decades. The river is the sole source of drinking water for the city of Laredo, where because of the ongoing drought, city officials have asked residents to reduce their water use for several years. City planners are considering costly alternative water sources ([link removed]) to prepare for the day when the Rio Grande won’t be enough to supply the city, projected to come around 2040. The analysis ([link removed]) by Inside Climate News shows that Kingsley Water Company, an oil field water services firm based near Houston, has sold enough water from the Rio Grande and the Pecos River for drilling to meet the needs of
more than 100,000 Texas households for a year.
** Quick hits
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Monumental test awaits Trump's drilling plans
E&E News ([link removed])
Texas oil and gas companies use billions of gallons of river water for drilling
San Antonio Current ([link removed])
Chevron spill largest in Colorado since 2015, expected to take 5 years to clean
Colorado Public Radio ([link removed])
Judge rules against U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service's decision not to protect Joshua trees
Desert Sun ([link removed])
National parks set record visitation in 2024 with operational challenges looming
Associated Press ([link removed])
'I'm worried': Former Forest Service supervisor on the stewardship impacts from staff cuts
Grand Junction Daily Sentinel ([link removed])
Those national parks accounts aren't real, but they're spicy
New York Times ([link removed])
Opinion: On the meaning of public lands
More Than Just Parks ([link removed])
** Quote of the day
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” Most federal land management plans are drafted and implemented by Utah-based officials—our friends, neighbors, and fellow taxpayers—not imposed upon us by people who have never set foot in our state.”
—Salt Lake Tribune Editorial Board ([link removed])
** Picture This
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@usinterior ([link removed])
45 years ago today, Mount St. Helens erupted with devastating force, claiming 57 lives, including @usgs ([link removed]) scientist David Johnston. It remains the most destructive volcanic event in the recorded history of the lower 48 states.
Since then, scientists have made major strides in monitoring volcanic activity and improving communication with at-risk communities. These efforts are helping to build a safer, more informed future.
Photos by @usgsvolcanoes ([link removed]) and Harry Glicken
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