AVAILABILITY AND INTERDEPENDENCY: EVALUATING THE ROLES AND RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN GROUNDWATER RESOURCES AND ENERGY GENERATION IN THE STATE OF TEXAS

The interdependencies of water and energy highlight the importance of linking information and planning efforts for these two fundamental resources. Demands for both water and energy are projected to increase in the coming decades resulting in the need for planning efforts that encompass the local, regional, state, and national levels.

Of particular interest is the role that groundwater resources may play in meeting the increased pressures for water supply. As demand intensifies across sectors, electricity generation becomes a strategic area for increased use of groundwater resources. This evaluation looks at the inter-relationships between electricity generation and groundwater resource availability using datasets from the State of Texas as a case study.

Texas is an energy-intensive state. While power plants currently account for an estimated 2.5% of the total water consumption, projected increases in demand through 2060 show that energy related water consumption is one of the fastest growing sectors in the state.

At the same time, groundwater is a key component to the overall state water balance, providing nearly 60% of the fresh water supply. The most recent State Water Plan projects that the occurrence of drought of record conditions in 2010 could result in water shortages for 33% of user groups. This situation worsens as the planning horizon is extended out to 2060. Recommended water resource strategies include developing new groundwater supplies, drought management, conservation, and use of non-traditional resources such as brackish supplies.

In the coming years the influence of global change, such as higher temperatures and drought occurrence, will increase the need to use systematic planning for energy and water. This evaluation provides an initial comparison between potential energy generation demands, groundwater resource availability, and desired future conditions of communities that are affected by decisions about managing these resources.