Situated in the south central part of the United States, Texas is the second largest state in the U.S. It is also the third fastest growing state and holds a number of the most populous cities in the nation [US Census,2013] and number one in the nation in producing greenhouse gasses [EPA, 2013]. Stress in water resources can be seen in rapidly populated and over populated areas, where the water demand is high and availability is limited. This is particularly magnified in Texas due to climate change. It is important to identify different factors that shape Texas’ climate before characterizing its implication on water supply in the future.
Texas climate is challenging to categorize because of its great size and varying topographic characteristics. Geological factors such as the North American Cordillera hinder air travel west to east and vice versa, while also preventing cold air masses from the Arctic Circle travel southward to into the state. The Gulf of Mexico, supplies the air with moisture and buffers fluctuating temperatures [larkin and Bomar, 1983]. These factors form a range of climates in the state from subtropical-arid to subtropical-humid. [larkin and Bonmar, 1983]. A trend can be seen in relation to average temperature and precipitation. Temperature increases north to south (figure 1) and precipitation increases east to west (figure 2).
FIG1. Caption of ave temp FIG.2 caption will explain the trending precip. pattens
Texas climate cannot be simply explained by variations in mean temperatures and rainfall, but must be combined with variation in severe and high impact weather too. Tornados hail, and hurricanes are common occurrences throughout springtime. Hurricanes can yield substantial amounts of rainfall causing major flooding. [NG,2005] Drought also must be included when focusing on high impact weather in Texas.
Extreme weather events, such as drought, are tremendously important when considering stressors to water resources. History of drought has been documented in Paleoclimate studies using long lived tree species indigenous to Texas. Tree-ring proxies are especially useful when reconstructing histories of climate change across a large region like Texas, since many can be sampled from different areas. Annual tree ring data can give a precise year-to-year temperature and precipitation records. Tree ring data has shown droughts lasting a decade or more staggered throughout the state happening randomly since the 1600’s. (why this is important to water supply) [Brenner]
Temperatures in Texas are projected to rise 2°C to 5°C with the next century.
When we see Texas, we remember today mainly for its BBQ, Football and Black Gold, Texas tea. However, there is much more than just the usual itineraries that we find in most other states as well. Molly Ivins in her essay “Is Texas America” categorically states that, “Here's the deal on Texas. It's big. So big there's about five distinct and different places here, separated from one another geologically, topographically, botanically, ethnically, culturally and climatically” (Ivins). This is a true belief from Molly Ivins of how huge Texas was and how the demographics changed in each geographical location in Texas. The population of Texas and the demographics are two essential factors that include many important parameters in deciding the history of any state. The presence of many ethnic groups further adds to the diversification of
Texas and Texans. 1. 1. New York, New York, Columbus, Ohio, Chicago, Illinois, Peoria, Illinois, Woodland Hills, California: National Geographic, Mc Graw Hill, 2003. 232-233. Print.
Daniel Elazar created a classification scheme moralistic political culture of individuals, and traditionalistic to describe the political culture of the state. According to Elazar, Texas can be described as traditionalistic and individuals. Historically, the Texas political parties demonstrated a strong tradition, provincialism, and business dominance. The models, however, may weaken as the Republicans increase its power in the state and urbanization continues. Texas is the second largest state in the country and there are four different geographical regions: the Gulf coastal plain, the interior lowlands, Great Plains, and the basin and range province,
“Texas is 860 miles north to south and 773 miles east to west and contains 267,339 square miles with 624 miles of coastline.” (What are the Ecoregions of Texas, 1978) There are 10 different ecosystems which are Pineywoods, Gulf Prairies and Marshes, Post Oak Savanna, Blackland Prairies, Cross Timbers and Prairies, South Texas Plains, Edwards Plateau, Rolling Plains, High Plains, and Trans-Pecos.
The expansion of agriculture and railroads helped form Texas’s present economy. The invention of the steam engine not only allowed people to move across the country in 7 days, instead of 6 months, but it also allowed crops and livestock to be carried to markets and places where they would be sold anywhere in the country. They could be moved to another farm in Texas as well. Since it’s such a large state, railroads were a necessity for travel, and general transportation. The railroad-building boom lasted 40 years. The production of cotton in Texas introduced some of the first slave-based cotton farms, and was the dominant crop for a very long time. After this event, Texas’s economy was forever changed.
The Great Basin of North America and Wyoming specifically, is known for its arid and semi-arid environment, as well as prolonged and sometimes severe droughts. Drought is the prolonged and abnormal deficiency of moisture with the concomitant decline in runoff to a level significantly lower than usual (Guldin 1989). The history of droughts in Wyoming has been uncertain in the past, but recent studies of tree rings in the Big Horn Basin of Wyoming have given insight to droughts as far back as 1260A.D. (Gray et al. 2004). Looking at tree ring records in Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) and limber pine (Pinus flexilis) trees, Stephen Gray and his colleagues discovered that droughts which have been experienced in Wyoming since the 1750's, are weak in severity and length when compared to those since. The most severe drought period in Wyoming’s history occurred from 1262 to 1281. The droughts of the 1930’s and 1950’s, which have been used as benchmarks for all other droughts in the United States in recent times (Woodhouse et al. 2002), are ranked 149th and 28th respectively in comparison (Gray et al. 2004). The five top ranking droughts for 10, 15, and 20 year periods are all prior to the 1800’s, with the four driest single years being 1263, 1274, 1278, and 1280 (Gray et al. 2004). This indicates a change in precipitation patterns in the Big Horn Basin area of Wyoming since the 18th century, as all recent droughts have been mild when compared to those of Wyoming’s past.
There has been a huge question of why Texas has shifted from being mainly Democratic to Republican state. When reading “Cowboy Conservatism” by Sean P. Cunningham the most basic analysis of why there has been the drastic change was because rather than Texas leaving the Democratic Party the Democratic Party left Texas. Both parties went through a great amount of change on what each specific party views were. For example “Both parties experienced periods of factional discord and ideological readjustment” The democratic and republican parties had big changes in their political views. The economic changes that Texas was undergoing was one of the reasons that there was discord in the democratic and republican party. Increase in the population in the suburbs was a huge impact in the change of the political parties. The migration into the major cities such as Houston, Austin, and Fort Bend County had an influence on the votes. Since there was an influx of people from other places with republican views there was a tremendous increases of change in votes of political party’s from democratic to republican. There was also a decrease in conservative democrats in the U.S. furthermore having a decrease of conservatives demarcated and increase of more suburbs and the Republican Party is what changed Texas to republican. Texans had a view of the Democratic
While reading "The Kind of Light that Shines Over Texas," I noticed that the author emphasized the different reactions of minorities towards racism and injustice. The varying responses truly showed how much the blatant racism affected them and their behavior. Ah-so isolated herself in reticence and seemed to “build a home” in herself, creating walls and barriers that kept everyone else out. On the other hand, the narrator, an anti hero, denied his racial identity and sucked up to those who treated him badly. The unjustifiable hatred of others causes us to do irrational things in order to gain their acceptance and approval. In the narrator's case, the kids and even the teacher of his predominantly white school causes him to be a culprit of internalized
Texas is considered a colossal state with a great potential. Students from grades K-12 even through college, under all conditions, suffer greatly on school necessities like supplies, college loans, or possibly even transportation ways. Students up in northern states have it easy on how their parents can support their needs because the fact that the economy is so much better than down in the south.
Robert C. Balling Jr. and Patricia Gober (2006) Climate Variability and Residential Water Use in
The Annexation of Texas was one of the most debatable events in the history of the United States. This paper argues the different opinions about doing the annexation of Texas or not. In this case Henry Clay and John L. O’Sullivan had completely opposite opinions about this issue. The reasons of why not do it was because of the desire to prevent war, for division over slavery, and for constitutional rights. On the other hand, John L. O’ Sullivan wanted to do this because of his idea of Manifest Destiny. By 1845, the annexation of Texas went into effect.
With the changes coming from global warming and increased greenhouse gasses, there will be many impacts to Texas over the coming decades. One of these impacts is the effect on our water resources. Texas’ main source of fresh water is precipitation, coming almost completely from rainfall. With temperatures rising and with an expectation that precipitation levels will most likely drop in coming years, this combination will put great stress on our water reservoirs. If we continue our current usage rates of water and if recent climate changes continue to persist then we will see a huge decrease in our water reservoirs. Also, given that we are in a drought, it appears that conditions are getting worse every year, posing a serious problem for the future if this issue is not addressed now.
Texas has a rich and long history and much of it has passed through the state over the years to become a part of its folklore. This Texas folklore is part of many cultures within the state and has even filtered outside the state. The first cultural influence on Texas was from the Paleo-American Indians. When these Indians arrived they were in a bit of a culture shock when they met the Spanish in the 16th century. In the following centuries, more people began to arrive in Texas and they brought new ways of talking, believing and doing things. The Spanish and the Mexican set the patterns south of Nueces and along the Rio Grande. Anglos brought their ways of life from the British Isles to the South and Eastern part of Texas. African Americans who came to work on the plantations on the Brazos and Trinity bottoms brought songs, stories and beliefs that came with them from Africa. Germans came directly from the Old World to the Hill Country, Cajuns came from France and eventually through Louisiana and settled in Southeast Texas. The Dutch, Danes, Polish, Czechs, Norwegians who also came here brought with them their ways of life and they all became bound together to become part of Texas. By the year 2000, Texas was made up of 54.5% Anglos, 31% Hispanic, 11.4% African Americans and another 3.1% of other ethnicities.
There are many gratifying factors that attract people to the state of Texas which allows it to be one of the most diverse demographic systems in the United States. The most imperative influences in Texas’ are the prosperous business settings in its major cities, the vast amount of land and rich natural resources, and the convenient central location in the United States. All of these factors are attractive to citizens throughout the states and immigrants looking to migrate into the country. These features can cause a state to have major fluctuations in its demographics in regards to race, income, and age.
Texas is unlike any other culture in the United States. Inside the state of Texas, many different forms of dialect, ways of life, and even land forms can be found. Texas in unique because it is both a culture and a co-culture. Both platforms are very important to overall life in Texas. Texas residents are also very ethnocentric. Texas as a whole is considered a culture because, most residents share certain traits and beliefs. For example, Texas is set apart from other states because of the strong pride that comes with being a resident, their unique dialect, and the love for football. As a co-culture, Texas is represented by differencing land forms