Texas Water Action Collaborative

Mission & Goals

The Texas Water Action Collaborative (TxWAC) matches companies and funders with conservation projects to positively benefit Texas’ water resources. TxWAC is piloting in the Upper Trinity River Basin.

The goals of the collaborative are to:

  • Benefit the quality and volume of water of the Trinity River;
  • Spread awareness and education regarding the need for water conservation and projects that have succeeded;
  • Build collaborative relationships to align goals, metrics, and timelines between conservation organizations, corporate entities, and communities;
  • Create matching methodology for funding, activity, measurement, and reporting of water conservation projects;
  • Build a replicable model for the entire Trinity and other Texas river systems.

How It Started

TxWAC was officially announced on World Water Day in 2021 after on-going conversations and collaborations between conservation organizations and corporations in the Upper Trinity River Basin. Texan by Nature was pulled in to develop, facilitate, and operate TxWAC, using the successful model of the California Water Action Collaborative as inspiration.

Where We Are Now

Texan by Nature facilitates TxWAC in partnership with individuals from the following organizations and companies that make up the TxWAC Planning Team:

Since March of 2021, the collaborative has announced TxWAC, hosted a kick-off meeting, surveyed corporate and conservation stakeholders, developed processes/frameworks for scoring and prioritizing projects by impact and importance, mapped all data, and has begun bi-monthly membership meetings:

Moving forward, the collaborative will continue to survey all stakeholders and refine the process/frameworks. Corporate matching began in 2021 to foster connections and secure funding commitments. Upon a successful pilot in the Upper Trinity River Basin, TxWAC will expand to the Lower Trinity River Basin and other river basins in Texas to accelerate new investments in water conservation.

Membership

At this time, there is no cost to stakeholders who join TxWAC as a member. Those who join the collaborative are joining the conversation and expressing an interest in achieving the goals of TxWAC. Collaborative partners are not guaranteed funding or partnerships as a result of joining. If you are interested in learning more about TxWAC membership, please contact Taylor Keys at taylor@texanbynature.org.

Corporate Members:

Conservation Members:

FAQs

If I have a project/program that needs funding, where do I submit my information?
Please complete the Conservation Efforts Survey if you are an organization seeking funding for projects/programs

If I want to fund a project/program, where do I submit my information to be matched with a project or program?
Please complete the Company/Funder Survey if you are seeking project matches/project funding opportunities

Why is TxWAC needed in Texas?
Texas’ population of 29 million people is expected to double by 2050, putting pressure on the state’s land, water, wildlife, and infrastructure. As the 10th largest economy in the world and a GDP of $1.9T, new water opportunities and conservation actions are needed to maintain economic leadership.

Why is TxWAC focused on the Trinity River?
The Trinity impacts the two largest human and corporate populations in the state of Texas. The Trinity River Basin extends 715 river miles and drains 18,000 square miles before emptying into Trinity Bay near Anahuac. Approximately 7.5 million people in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex depend on the Trinity River water supply for domestic, industrial, and agricultural use. In addition, the downstream population of 6 million people, including the city of Houston, depend on this water source and are directly impacted by the actions of upstream users.

How is conservation different in Texas than in other states and why is it so important?
Texas is ~95% privately owned. Successful, broad-based voluntary conservation efforts require collaboration between private landowners and other entities. View Texas Land Trends for the Trinity River Basin.

What are TxWAC’s plans for the future?
Expansion and replication. TxWAC would like to welcome additional corporate and conservation partners and create a model that can be replicated on all Texas river systems.

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