Poll Shows Texans Support Saving River Water

A majority of Texans surveyed want state leaders to make sure rivers, bays and estuaries get enough water to keep them healthy, even if it means limiting water use for other purposes, according to a poll released this week by the National Wildlife Federation.

"The people of Texas understand that maintaining flowing rivers and healthy bays and estuaries is vital to the state's economic and social well-being," said Susan Kaderka, director of the group's Austin office. "These waterways are the lifeblood of our Texas landscape, and the public expects its leaders to protect them for future generations."

The poll of 800 registered Texas voters was conducted March 11-14 by the Tarance Group and has a margin of error of 3.5 percent.

The poll showed 73 percent said it was extremely or very important that the state ensures a certain amount of water is kept in the rivers to prevent them from drying up, while 6 percent said it was not very important or not important at all.

Seventy-four percent agreed with the statement that "we need to find a way for people to use less water so we can keep our rivers and streams from going dry," though 20 percent agreed that rivers drying up is "sometimes a necessary price of growth."

Eighty-eight percent agreed that the state should grant a water permit to protect river flows for fish, wildlife and recreation.

Source: San Antonio Express-News