CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Corpus Christi officials warned Tuesday that the city’s water supply is operating with little room to spare as lake levels decline, rainfall forecasts weaken and key groundwater projects are not yet online.
The update, delivered during Tuesday’s City Council meeting, showed Lake Texana already sits below last year’s levels. Projections indicate the reservoir could drop to about 50 percent by early spring, while water supply and demand are expected to remain closely matched for months at a time.
Officials said avoiding stricter water restrictions will depend on continued conservation and cooperation from the weather.
Climate forecasts show below-normal precipitation across South Texas and reduced streamflow feeding regional reservoirs, offering no strong signal for the spring rains the system typically depends on.
With that uncertainty, city leaders continue to point to long-term water investments — particularly the Evangeline Groundwater Project — as the future of Corpus Christi’s water supply.
The project is designed to initially produce 12 million gallons per day, with the option to double capacity later.
Corpus Christi paid $169 million for the groundwater rights on more than 22,000 acres in San Patricio County — roughly $61 million above appraisal — along with $1 million for inspections and $3.25 million in nonrefundable escrow.
The Evangeline project is not yet operational and has faced permitting delays and opposition from neighboring communities.
Because the groundwater is located in San Patricio County, the project must clear multiple layers of permits and agreements before any water can be pumped. The city still needs approval from local groundwater districts, construction of infrastructure to move the water south, and cooperation from neighboring communities concerned about large-scale pumping.
Those concerns have included the city of Sinton, where leaders previously warned they would challenge pumping. Corpus Christi is now proceeding under an interlocal agreement with Sinton that includes a dedicated water pipeline.
City officials stressed Tuesday that Evangeline is a long-term addition to the system rather than an immediate fix. In the meantime, the city is relying on conservation measures and temporary use of its own wells.
Leaders said the next few months will be critical as Corpus Christi waits for rainfall and progress on the Evangeline project.
For the latest local news updates, click here, or download the KRIS 6 News App.
Catch all the KRIS 6 News stories and more on our YouTube page. Subscribe today!
