Texas water policy appendix: the weather

Abstract

The climate of Texas makes our state particularly susceptible to droughts, floods, and hurricanes. Weather events over the past 150 years have resulted in policy changes at the state and federal level that have helped us prepare for, respond to, and prevent weather disasters. Many of these efforts have been successful; however, continuous planning and improvement will be necessary to meet the needs of our growing population. Recent droughts and floods have demonstrated that traditional infrastructure must work in tandem with early forecasting and warning systems, which will require effective policies at both the state and federal level to support them along with citizen engagement.