By: Rebecca Carrillo, DWFI Program Coordinator
The February 2026 Water Law Symposium was hosted by Texas Tech University’s Texas Tech Law Review and Center for Water Law and Policy. The Symposium highlighted the most pressing water law issues in Texas and provided a great opportunity to hear directly from water professionals in the state. I attended the one-day symposium virtually alongside my colleague, DWFI Senior Program Manager Renata Rimšaitė, in an effort to learn more about the regional water challenges Texas faces and gain insight into their policy strategies and solutions. The lessons we gained from the symposium helped to inform DWFI’s ongoing efforts to better understand agricultural water management policies across the United States. Several key insights stood out to me during the symposium.
Legal and Legislative Updates
The first two presentations of the day focused on new changes in Texas water case law and an update on legislative decisions. This portion of the symposium expanded my knowledge of Texas water law and served as an important reminder of the ever-changing priorities of regional water politics. The most prominent pending cases in Texas covered a range of water conflicts, including overpumping groundwater allocations, surface water rights, water quality regulations, and the extent of jurisdiction for a river authority. The legislative update similarly placed an emphasis on groundwater management and regulatory reform. The challenges presented in these discussions directly align with a lot of the work conducted at DWFI. Addressing water scarcity in agriculture is an important and complex issue that all states manage differently. Hearing about Texas’ regional approaches to these water problems was enlightening.
Future Water Challenges
In a moderated discussion with Texas Senator Charles Perry, the future of Texas water was examined. Senator Perry emphasized the need for strategies to better address groundwater depletion, particularly in the Plains and the Valley regions. These regions in Texas are currently experiencing the greatest depletion of water in the state. Senator Perry explained how drilling new wells is no longer a viable choice for producers. In fact, many producers have opted to plant less water-intensive crops or transitioned back to dryland farming. For many, Senator Perry explained, their decisions are based on the best economic choice available, and they are learning how to "produce more with less." He also mentioned challenges with the state's water plan, especially when it comes to balancing rural agricultural water use with the demands of municipal water use. At DWFI, we aim to generate new knowledge about water management policies that could help advance farmers’ and policymakers’ decision-making and be beneficial for water conservation. Hearing directly from a Texas senator and learning about the struggles agricultural producers face emphasized the importance of bridging policy, economics, and real-life experiences together. Each facet of these water issues is important and cannot be left out when creating meaningful solutions.
New Technologies in Agricultural Water Conservation
The last presentation that captured my attention focused on emerging water conservation technologies in agriculture. This panel discussion included Dr. Susan Metzger, director of the Kansas Center of Agriculture Resources and Environment, director of the Kansas Water Institute at Kansas State University, and DWFI collaborator. I previously heard her speak at the University of Nebraska Lincoln’s Nebraska Water Center Great Plains Conference and the Kansas Governor’s Conference on the Future of Water in 2025. Dr. Metzger shared research conducted with data from OpenET. Jeremy Louder, a fifth-generation farmer in Texas, also participated in the panel. He emphasized the rapid speed of agricultural technology development and how it has positively changed irrigation and seeding practices on his farm. The last panelist, Janet Guthrie from the Texas North Plains Groundwater Conservation District, highlighted the importance of focusing not just on the technologies themselves, but also on the processes required for successfully implementing them. She stressed the need for detailed regulation and widespread education across the state. Together, the panel’s different perspectives provided insight into the many needs and changes occurring in both the tech field and the crop fields.
Final Thoughts
Overall, the 2026 Water Law Symposium provided a great analysis of the complexities of Texas water law and agricultural water management. From case law updates to new agricultural technologies, the symposium identified a breadth of water challenges in the state. For DWFI, these discussions help to inform us on the ever-evolving research, policy, and producer needs in water and in agriculture. I thoroughly enjoyed hearing directly from those who are navigating these challenges, and attending this symposium was a meaningful and valuable experience.