Texas Water Resources Institute

06/01/2026

Do you have New World screwworm questions? Our colleagues at Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service have answers and resources - stay up-to-date with current information at: tx.ag/NWSHub

05/31/2026

How does illegal dumping harm waterways?

Items disposed of in or near waterways pollute streams, rivers, lakes, bays, and estuaries downstream. This includes materials or chemicals dumped into storm drains. Illegal dumping in waterways directly harms environmental health, public health, and recreational opportunities.

Environmental Health is Trashed: Chemicals and pollutants from dumped items can leach into soil, groundwater, and surface waters. This lowers water quality and harms plants, crops, livestock, and wildlife. Remediating untreated hazardous waste is costly and intensive.

Polluting Impacts Public Health: Pollutants can work their way into drinking water sources, including wells, through groundwater or surface waters. Dumped material can also become habitat for disease-carrying rodents, mosquitos, or other pests. Animal carcasses can raise bacteria levels in waterways to dangerous levels for both wildlife and human contact.

Illegal Dumping Harms Recreation: Exposed glass, metals, and hazardous chemicals can negatively affect recreational activities and physically harm children and adults nearby. Animal carcasses are especially unsightly and can give off foul odors. Illegal dumping lowers property values, damages community aesthetics in natural spaces, and attracts more criminal activity.

Through the Matagorda Education Program, TWRI seeks to educate residents about the challenges their watershed faces: https://buff.ly/VJ9uJfi

05/30/2026

The TWRI water team has grown this spring with the addition of two new members. Juliana Symons and Madeleine Spencer join the TWRI water team as program specialists. Learn more about their roles and backgrounds: https://buff.ly/s0NwT4Y

05/30/2026

What can you do to prevent illegal dumping? Click through to see ways you can make an impact.

Through the Matagorda Education Program, TWRI seeks to educate residents about the challenges their watershed faces: https://buff.ly/VJ9uJfi

05/29/2026

What is illegal dumping?

Illegal dumping is the discarding of waste in any area not legally designated for disposal. It is a common occurrence in rural and urban communities, commonly near streambanks, shorelines, forests, ditches, vacant lots and alleys. Once a site is used for illegal dumping, it can attract more illegal activity. In Texas, illegal dumping is classified as a misdemeanor or felony offense, punishable by fines or jail time.

Commonly dumped items include animal carcasses, tires, appliances, household trash, electronics (e-waste), construction debris, chemicals, grease and automotive fluids.

Through the Matagorda Education Program, TWRI seeks to educate residents about the challenges their watershed faces: https://buff.ly/VJ9uJfi

05/27/2026

Join our team! TWRI is currently hiring for a project manager.

For details and to apply: https://buff.ly/vby0aYJ

05/27/2026

Did you know that in the Matagorda Bay Basin, there are an estimated 10,000 septic systems in operation? Over the life of these systems, it's estimated that 15% will fail. Failing septic systems pose risks to the bay and public health. Learn in this video how to maintain and repair your system and protect local water quality!

Matagorda Bay is home to diverse wildlife and aquatic species, productive agricultural lands, and renowned recreational fishing. TWRI and project partners are working together with communities in four Matagorda Bay Basin watersheds to help address water quality problems.

For more general information on septic systems, visit ossf.tamu.edu.
Looking for more Matagorda Bay and Matagorda Basin water quality information? Visit matagordabasin.tamu.edu.

Funding provided by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board, as part of a Clean Water Act Section 319(h) Grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

https://youtu.be/PgkhgIzeiFY?si=v8REzc4b7GywCAtl

Did you know that in the Matagorda Bay Basin there are an estimated...

05/24/2026

We managed to avoid the rain this week while monitoring Upper Keechi creek and enjoyed a pleasant May day!

Research specialists Shaylynn Postma and Audrey McCrary, along with graduate research assistant Sree Vidhya Kuduvaa Sankarbabu took routine water quality measurements and samples.

05/24/2026

Last week, TWRI hosted an Agricultural Best Management Practices (BMPs) for Watershed Planning training event at the Texas A&M Beef Cattle Center.

In the morning, attendees learned about agricultural nonpoint source programs, development and implementation of conservation plans, and methods for integrating BMPs.

In the afternoon, attendees were taken on a field tour of the Texas A&M AgriLife Research Farm, where they saw real-world examples of cropping system practices, livestock management strategies, and ongoing research in land and water stewardship.

“Seeing these practices on the ground is invaluable,” said Lucas Gregory, associate director of TWRI. “It reinforces how conservation planning, producer needs, and watershed protection come together in ways that benefit both working lands and natural resources.”

05/15/2026

Research roundup! Catch up on the latest peer-reviewed research on Texas water from across the state.

Learn about digital groundwater conservation communication, the role emotions play in water decision-making, climate-driven drought trends and more: https://buff.ly/W9DXPoN