Skip to Content
Questions or Comments: TexasEnviroHelp@tceq.texas.gov

Drought Information for Weather Centers

Use this information to assist your viewers in conserving water, especially during a prolonged drought.

Visit the Texas Drought Information Web page for up-to-date information on drought including maps, streamflows, and news releases.

  • Has your area recently gotten rain? Help viewers understand a lasting drought:
    • As you know, while the recent rainfalls help, they won’t end the drought. The ground is so dry, it acts like a sponge, absorbing rain and preventing crucial runoff into streams and lakes. It’s going to take steady rainfall over a sustained period of time to catch up. Heavy rains over a short period of time won’t solve the problem.
  • Check the daily fire danger map
  • Help viewers understand their drinking water source(s).
  • Remind viewers to always follow local water restrictions.
    • Find out if your area is under water-use restrictions.
  • Encourage citizens to conserve water.
    • Use read-only PSAs on air.
    • Provide water conservation tips:
      • About 50 percent of water used outdoors is wasted due to improper installation, maintenance, and use of watering systems. To make sure you get the most out of watering your lawn and garden, have your system inspected each year by a licensed irrigator to ensure proper operation.
      • Install inexpensive faucet aerators to cut in half the amount of water used by each faucet.
      • Check your faucets, and fix any leak you find. Faucet leaks can waste up to 3,000 gallons of water a year.
      • Test your toilet for leaks; a leaking toilet can waste up to 73,000 gallons of water a year. To test, add a few drops of food coloring or a dye tablet to the water in the tank, but do not flush the toilet. Watch to see if the coloring appears in the bowl within a few minutes. If it does, the toilet has a silent leak that needs to be repaired.
      • Look for water-efficient models when replacing plumbing fixtures or appliances. A water-efficient clothes washer uses 50 percent less water than a conventional model. Water-efficient plumbing fixtures can reduce water use by 25 to 60 percent.
  • Let viewers know about available resources to help them do their part to save water.
    • Request free educational resources from the Take Care of Texas website:
      • Mirror Clings: remind everyone to “Turn off the faucet. Every drop counts.”
      • Landscape Series: six publications offer tips for Texans to maintain their yards while conserving water and taking care of the environment.
        • Take Care of Texas Guide to Yard Care
        • Mulching and Composting
        • Rainwater Harvesting with Rain Barrels
        • Managing 10 Common Texas Yard Pests
        • Managing Lawn Problems in Texas
        • Landscape Irrigation
      • Bumper Stickers: remind drivers of the importance of conserving water.