Corpus Christi, Texas, home to the nation’s largest oil export hub, and its surrounding Coastal Bend area are in a water shortage that has residents, businesses, and industry carefully monitoring their water use and worried about a growing crisis.
Since August 2024, the city’s 318,000 residents have been unable to water their lawns and have been restricted in their ability to water gardens or wash their boats and cars.
Without significant rainfall, the city’s government may have to declare a water emergency as soon as December 2026. This would require households to limit their water use to 6,000 gallons per month (22,700 liters), two-thirds of the average U.S. household’s water use.
I study hydrology and water resources at the University of Texas at Arlington. As part of my research, I am developing computer models to inform flood and drought planning in the Coastal Bend region.
Officials have been exploring solutions, including some with the potential to at least temporarily ease the water crisis. But solving the region’s long-term water problems will likely require major investments, particularly as its industries expand.
