Meadows Research Institute for West Texas Water

08/25/2026

Produced water — the mixture that returns to the surface during oil and gas production — was once something oil and gas operators “didn’t want anything to do with,” Amy Hardberger told attendees at Water in the Desert 2026. “Isn’t it interesting what time will do?”

Hardberger, director of the Center for Water Law and Policy at Texas Tech School of Law, and freshwater ecologist Dr. Scott Collins outlined how produced water — long treated strictly as a waste product — has become one of the most closely watched water issues in West Texas.

Read the synopsis on our website or watch the session in its entirety on our YouTube channel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLKYbZtM9nI&t=1499s

(Brenda Ladd Photography)

Sul Ross State University Borderlands Research Institute The Meadows Foundation

08/24/2026

We applaud our Hill Country friends at Shield Ranch for their innovative work in pioneering one of state's first public rainwater systems, as recently featured in this Spectrum News report. The system is among the first in Texas to use rainwater as the sole source for a permitted public drinking water system with distribution infrastructure.

We agree with Dr. Brian Hunt, a geologist with the University of Texas Bureau of Economic Geology, that diversification of water sources is critical. Our Institute is just getting off the ground but we hope to support our West Texas community in rainwater harvesting in the future.

Read more here: https://spectrumlocalnews.com/tx/austin/news/2026/05/11/shield-ranch-texas-rainwater

Sul Ross State University Shield Ranch Borderlands Research Institute

08/02/2026

Take a look behind the scenes of Presidio County water research with our Kevin Urbanczyk, grad student Tina Neufeld and Sabrina Canalda, a visiting faculty member from El Paso Community College.

In back country sites in Big Bend Ranch State Park and Chinati Mountains State Natural Area, they’re measuring groundwater levels and checking logging and transmittal information from monitors that utilize geostationary satellite uplink technology. Presidio County Underground Water Conservation District has a network of these distributed across the county.

“The work may sound tedious but it’s crucial to the success of our understanding of the groundwater resource,” Urbanczyk says, “and our field office couldn’t be more beautiful.”

Sul Ross State University Borderlands Research Institute Big Bend Ranch State Park-Texas Parks and Wildlife

07/27/2026

A recent Nature Notes story from Marfa Public Radio takes listeners beneath the surface of West Texas to explore the complex aquifers that sustain communities, springs and wildlife across the region.

Reporter Andrew Stuart interviewed our Dr. Jesse Kelsch about her work to better understand the groundwater systems that feed San Solomon Springs, the Igneous Aquifer and the Santa Elena Aquifer. The story also highlights our newly launched San Solomon Springs Collaborative.

Kelsch and her colleagues are working to answer critical questions about where the region’s groundwater comes from, how it moves and where recharge occurs. The answers could help guide future conservation and water management efforts across Far West Texas.

We appreciate Marfa Public Radio for shining a light on this important research and the people working to better understand one of West Texas’ most valuable resources.

Read or listen to the full Nature Notes story here. https://www.marfapublicradio.org/show/nature-notes/2026-07-23/from-balmorhea-to-big-bend-geologist-jesse-kelsch-seeks-insight-into-west-texas-aquifers

Marfa Public Radio Sul Ross State University Borderlands Research Institute

07/24/2026

It's a wrap! We had a great time at our very first outreach program on Monday. Summer desert rainfall and Sul Ross' native landscaping inspired us to host a Rain Garden Workshop. Our Dr. Jesse M. Kelsch and Kelsey Wogan of the SRSU Plant Resources Center led participants on a walk around campus to demonstrate and discuss successful/unsuccessful rain garden techniques, including ground preparation and plant types. Just the first of many, stay tuned for upcoming opportunities to connect and learn.

Sul Ross State University Borderlands Research Institute The Meadows Foundation

07/13/2026

Living in the desert can be gorgeous when you work with species that thrive here, like this bright flame acanthus. Join us for a free Rain Garden Workshop on Monday, July 20 (10 a.m. to noon) to learn more about how to implement Sul Ross' methods for your own property, big or small.

Park near the Francois Fine Arts Building and the Museum of the Big Bend and then meet us in front of the Warnock Science Building (north doors, near the greenhouses).

We’ll walk around campus a bit to check out and discuss successful/unsuccessful rain garden techniques, including ground preparation and plant types. After lunch (on your own), drive over to the SRSU Plant Resources Center field plot (on the east edge of Alpine) where native plants are cultivated and available for sale.

Presented by MRIWTW and SRSU Plant Resources Center.

07/07/2026

We hope you’ll come to meet with regional leaders at the Trans-Pecos Wildlife Conference (August 5–7 in Alpine) to discuss optimal ways of stewarding West Texas wildlife and our vital natural resources. I

Sign up now for a unique opportunity to learn about the latest research and share your experiences.

We all know that water and wildlife are intrinsically linked — many of the region's greatest wildlife challenges are also water issues. So let’s talk about how:
• shifting wetland dynamics present new conditions for migratory waterfowl.
• border infrastructure impacts riparian corridors along the Rio Grande.
• invasive plants along the Rio Grande outcompete native species, impact streamflow, and threaten riparian habitat.
• prolonged drought and brush encroachment are altering watersheds and reducing the quality of habitat for livestock and wildlife such as pronghorn and grassland birds.

See you there! https://secure.qgiv.com/for/landownerworkshops/event/transpecoswildlifeconference/

Sul Ross State University Borderlands Research Institute Texas Wildlife Association Texas Parks and Wildlife

07/02/2026

How will Texas pay for the water future it says it wants?

This was a defining question asked and discussed at Water in the Desert 2026. Jennifer Walker, senior program manager for the National Wildlife Federation’s Texas Coast and Water Program, joined Rogelio Rodriguez, director at Water Finance Exchange, for a candid conversation about Proposition 4, state funding programs, and the practical realities facing Texas communities seeking water infrastructure support.

Over the next 50 years, Texas is projected to need approximately $154 billion in water and wastewater infrastructure investment — only a tiny fraction of projects have received funding in recent years.

“There’s a perception that communities are at a seven,” Rodriguez said of the dire funding situation. “A lot of them are at a negative two.”

Read the synopsis on our website or watch the session in its entirety on our YouTube channel. Links in our bio.

(Brenda Ladd Photography)

Sul Ross State University Borderlands Research Institute The Meadows Foundation

07/01/2026

“This is a big moment for Texas. We are proud to see important water topics come to life in such a visual way—connecting people to their water sources and making invisible infrastructure visible.”

📢 : The Texas Water Development Board launched a new statewide public awareness campaign, This is Texas Water, designed to help Texans better understand where their water comes from and the infrastructure that delivers it to homes, businesses, and communities across the state.

“We are grateful the Governor and Texas Legislature prioritized public awareness for water, and the TWDB is excited to steward this campaign,” TWDB Chairwoman L’Oreal Stepney said. “This is a big moment for Texas. We are proud to see important water topics come to life in such a visual way—connecting people to their water sources and making invisible infrastructure visible.”

📰 See the press release to learn more at:
https://texaswaternewsroom.org/pressreleases/statewide_water_awareness_campaign_connects_texans_to_their_water.html

06/14/2026

We’re proud to be the newest addition to the great research here!