Texas Water Wars

From the Texas Tribune - In Major Case, Wins for Ranchers is Loss for Cities:

"The Texas Supreme Court on Friday handed a victory to farmers, ranchers and other longstanding water rights holders by declining to take up a Brazos River case with widespread implications for future water battles in drought-prone Texas.

Denying a state petition for review, the justices left in place a lower court’s ruling that said Texas cannot give special treatment to cities or power generators over more “senior” water rights holders on parched rivers — even if the state declares it necessary to protect the “public health, safety and welfare.”

That means some cities, power generators or others with more “junior” river rights would need to pay up or go thirsty when severe drought strikes."