- Through wastewater surveillance, the Omicron variant can be tracked to understand the if the virus has already peaked in a community or if cases are still growing. Scientists, health officials, and biotech companies are building wastewater surveillance systems to spot new variants, track the spread of the virus, and provide advance notice of coming surges. The city of Houston has been utilizing a successful surveillance program since 2020 to help determine where the city should funnel resources such as vaccines, testing locations, cleaning supplies and educational materials.
- This week's TWDB drought map shows moderate or worse drought conditions covering the largest area of the state since the 2011-2014 statewide drought.
- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Texas General Land Office have proposed a major project to protect the Houston-Galveston region against hurricanes utilizing sand dunes, storm surge barrier gates, habitat restoration, elevating buildings, and a ring barrier around Galveston. While it will take time for the project to get approved, funded, and built, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says Houston could get hit by another major storm before completion.
- Small fish in Texas waters can give us early indications on how groundwater depletion or drought are impacting freshwater ecosystems. Shiners and minnows are highly sensitive to changes in their environment, so monitoring their populations could help us better forecast and respond to changing water flows.
- The city of Fort Worth is receiving $403 million to complete a project two decades in the making: the Trinity River Vision/Central City flood control project. A 1.5-mile bypass channel will connect the Clear and West Forks of the Trinity River, creating the 800-acre Panther Island. The new infrastructure will provide needed flood protection and growth opportunities in Fort Worth.