Rural Texas Gains Defenders Against Urban Elites Seizing Precious Water

Texas is under siege. Not from an invading army, but from a creeping crisis that threatens our way of life: water scarcity. With a population set to explode to 51.5 million by 2070 and groundwater supplies projected to plummet by 32%, the Lone Star State faces a reckoning. Governor Greg Abbott, never one to shy away from a fight, has reappointed three battle-tested leaders, Jerry Dan Davis, Mike Sandefur, and Joe L. Ward, to the Red River Authority of Texas Board of Directors. Their mission? To safeguard the Red River watershed, protect property rights, and keep Texas’ water in the hands of its people.

These aren’t bureaucrats plucked from Austin’s ivory towers. Davis, a Collingsworth County farmer, knows the land like the back of his hand. Sandefur, a Texarkana business leader, brings sharp financial acumen. Ward, a Fannin County rancher and veteran, carries a legacy of service. Together, they embody the grit and wisdom needed to tackle Texas’ water challenges. Their reappointment, announced on April 23, 2025, sends a clear message: Texas will chart its own course, prioritizing local control over centralized mandates.

The stakes couldn’t be higher. Climate models paint a grim picture, with hotter temperatures and more frequent droughts slashing surface water by up to 20% in key regions. The Texas Panhandle, already reeling from a depleted Ogallala Aquifer, faces economic devastation as cotton gins shutter and rural communities fade. Meanwhile, Northeast Texas grapples with controversial water sales to thirsty North Texas suburbs. Abbott’s appointees are a firewall against these threats, tasked with balancing agricultural needs with growing urban demands while defending the rights of landowners.

The Red River Authority isn’t just another government board. It’s a bulwark for North Texas, managing the watershed that feeds farms, ranches, and towns across the region. Davis, Sandefur, and Ward bring deep roots in agriculture and civic leadership, ensuring decisions reflect the realities of rural Texas, not the whims of far-off regulators. Davis, for instance, operates a farm across three counties and serves on local agricultural boards, giving him a front-row seat to the challenges of groundwater depletion. Ward’s ranching operation and past role on the State Soil and Water Conservation Board equip him to champion conservation without trampling property rights.

This focus on local expertise matters because Texas’ water crisis isn’t a one-size-fits-all problem. The Panhandle’s aquifer woes differ from Northeast Texas’ surface water disputes. Yet some in Washington and urban centers push for top-down solutions, like sweeping regulations or massive state-funded projects that balloon government spending. These approaches often ignore the nuanced needs of rural communities, favoring corporate interests or city dwellers over farmers and ranchers. Abbott’s appointees reject that model, favoring voluntary conservation and market-driven solutions that empower locals.

Take the Texas Farm Bureau, a powerful voice for agricultural stakeholders. In 2024, it backed the Water Delivery Transparency Act, forcing the U.S. International Boundary and Water Commission to hear directly from farmers battered by Mexico’s inconsistent water deliveries under the 1944 Water Treaty. The result? Economic lifelines like the USDA’s $280 million grant in March 2025 for Rio Grande Valley producers. Abbott’s board picks align with this ethos, ensuring the Red River Authority amplifies local voices, not distant agendas.

At the heart of Texas’ water fight lies a sacred principle: property rights. Landowners, especially in rural areas, see their groundwater as an extension of their land, a resource they’ve stewarded for generations. Yet urban growth and climate pressures threaten to upend this. Proposals to pipe rural water to sprawling cities or impose strict pumping limits spark fierce resistance. The recent uproar in Northeast Texas over a proposed water sale from Lake O’ the Pines to North Texas suburbs exposed raw tensions, with locals decrying a lack of transparency and fearing their water would vanish to fuel urban sprawl.

Abbott’s appointees are poised to defend these rights. Sandefur, with his business savvy and ties to Texarkana’s civic fabric, understands the economic ripple effects of water policy. His experience on the Sulphur River Basin Authority Board equips him to navigate complex water rights disputes. Meanwhile, Ward’s military service and ranching background reflect a commitment to protecting Texas’ heritage. Together, they’ll ensure the Red River Authority respects the sanctity of private property, resisting policies that prioritize urban elites over rural stewards.

Contrast this with the approach of environmental activists and big-government advocates. They argue for heavy-handed regulations, like stricter water quality standards or centralized planning, claiming it’s the only way to address climate change and population growth. But their solutions often dismiss the realities of rural life, imposing one-size-fits-all rules that choke farmers and ranchers. The 2022 Texas Water Plan, while projecting dire shortages, leans heavily on state-driven projects, raising alarms among those wary of government overreach. Abbott’s appointees offer a counterpoint, grounding water policy in local realities and individual liberty.

Texas has faced water challenges before, from the Dust Bowl’s parched fields to the 1950s drought that tested the state’s resolve. Each time, Texans rose to the occasion, building reservoirs, forming conservation districts, and forging policies that balanced growth with stewardship. The Red River Authority, created to harness the river’s potential, is part of that legacy. Abbott’s reappointments ensure it remains a tool for resilience, not a pawn of bloated bureaucracies or urban interests.

The path forward won’t be easy. Aging infrastructure loses 572,000 acre-feet of water annually, enough to supply entire cities. The Texas Water Development Board estimates a $150 billion price tag to meet future water needs, a figure that demands careful scrutiny to avoid wasteful spending. Yet the answer isn’t more government control or urban-centric policies. It’s empowering local leaders like Davis, Sandefur, and Ward to make decisions that reflect Texas’ diverse needs, from the Panhandle’s cotton fields to Northeast Texas’ reservoirs.

As Texas stares down a future of scarcity, Abbott’s appointees stand as sentinels. They’ll fight to keep water in the hands of those who know it best: the farmers, ranchers, and small-town leaders who’ve built this state. Their reappointment isn’t just a bureaucratic shuffle; it’s a declaration that Texas will protect its water, its land, and its people, no matter the odds.