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Friday January
26, 2007 Source: Texas Water Development Board, Office of Planning On January 5, 2007 the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) delivered the 2007 State Water Plan entitled Water for Texas 2007 to the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and members of the Legislature of Texas. The state water plan is intended to be a guide for state water policy including preparation for and response to drought conditions. In an article written by Kevin Kluge, of the Texas Water Development Board Office of Planning , he says, " ... for most people, the question remains, “Why should they care about the State Water Plan?” He states, "The reasons are numerous. First, the number of Texans is expected to increase by 40 percent between 2000 and 2020, and will increase much more in the state’s fastest growing cities. Even with aggressive conservation programs, more people will require more water, whether for home use, industrial use or for power generation." The article also states, ..." despite the high costs of additional water, the potential costs of not developing additional water supplies will be even higher. If a statewide severe drought were to occur in 2010 and no additional water sources were developed, it is projected that the state would lose approximately 118,970 jobs and over $9 billion in income." This article addresses the Texas Water Plan, however the issues raised are relevant to all western states experiencing rapid growth while attempting to develop policies to address drought conditions. Details of the Texas State Water Plan
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