Texas could lose up to 800,000 jobs if the state were to be hit by a prolonged, severe drought, according to a report by Rice University’s Baker Institute.
The study warns that drought-driven water shortages would significantly impact the state’s economy and strain its electric grid.
"If we do not expand our water supply portfolio and we're hit by another long, severe drought, such as the drought of the 1950s, then we're looking at hundreds of billions in GDP losses and thousands of jobs lost," Texas 2036 Director of Infrastructure and Natural Resources Policy Jeremy Mazur said.
Texas 2036, the nonprofit that commissioned the report, is urging lawmakers to prioritize investments in water infrastructure. The state needs more than $150 billion over the next 50 years to modernize its water systems, with federal aid expected to cover about one-third of the cost.
The report emphasized the need for immediate action to mitigate future drought impacts.