Washington, D.C.- On April 22, 2009, Representative John Linder joined his colleagues on the Water Caucus to welcome the Texas Water Development Board, the Lower Colorado River Authority, the Lower Neches Valley Authority, and the San Antonio River Authority in honor of Earth Day.  The purpose of this briefing event was to discuss the history and challenges facing our nation’s water resources planning efforts.  

“Spring is a time for rebirth.  It also serves as a good time to remember our earthly duties to protect and sustain our water resources, as they may very well be our most precious.  Let us not forget that from water springs forth new life and the regeneration of old life.  Today, like many others around the world, I celebrated Earth Day.  I honored the day by hosting an educational event on Capitol Hill about our nation’s water issues.  I was enthusiastic to see so many individuals in the room.”  

Texas, a participant in the event, has been ranked as a leader in water resources planning due to its bottom-up approach in its State Water Plan that involves the key stakeholders at each level of the discussion and planning stage.  That said, Texas has acknowledged that according to its State Water Plan, if it does nothing pursuant to the strategies recommended in the plan, about 85 percent of the state’s projected population will not have enough water by 2060 during a drought.  

“The Texas Water Development Board has indeed produced a first-rate model in state water planning.  They have been ranked as a world leader in water resources planning, utilizing a bottom-up approach in its State Water Plan that involves the local, regional, and public utilities leaders. This is valuable information that the other 49 states can use and I am pleased to provide a forum for these discussions. We must be diligent and very serious about protecting our water resources, and the Water Caucus will continue to host these events in the future.”    

Linder represents Georgia’s Seventh Congressional District and is the author of HR 135, “The 21st Century Water Commission Act of 2009.”