One Meeting Isn't Enough

The Amarillo Globe-News editorializes that officials need many more discussions on water planning like the Senate Natural Resources Committee hearing that occurred this week because water planning is complicated and the Lege will be handling lots of important water rules this session, especially in the area of property rights.

Panhandle water policy officials and state legislators need to have many more discussions such as the one that occurred this week in Amarillo.

Why? Because the next Legislature well might have to hammer out a bucketload of new rules governing the use of water.

As the Texas Senate Natural Resources Committee heard for the umpteenth time this week, water planning is a complicated endeavor.

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Austin lawyer Brian Sledge, who made the trek to Amarillo to listen to the discussion, said the issue of property rights "is coming to a head."

Sen. Bob Duncan, R-Lubbock, whose district includes the eastern Panhandle, said he believes "nobody owns the water under their property, but they have the right to drill and capture it." Then he opened the door, if only a little, to the possibility of "central control" of water.

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Now that our water supplies are dwindling under our feet here in the Panhandle, we need to keep that discussion alive as well - and keep legislators alert to the catastrophe that awaits us if we fail to stay vigilant about water use.