Home / Arts and Entertainment / Texas Water Wars: Billionaires vs. Ranchers
Texas Water Wars: Billionaires vs. Ranchers
28 Aug
Summary
- A documentary highlights a bitter fight over groundwater in Dell City, Texas.
- Ranchers battled influential water boards and billionaires for water rights.
- A 2008 Supreme Court ruling continues to shape Texas water law today.
A new documentary, "Water Wars," narrated by actor Dennis Quaid, chronicles a bitter dispute over groundwater in Dell City, a remote West Texas oasis. The film highlights the intense conflict over the region's water, known as "liquid blue gold," which reached a peak in 2008.
Dell City's community faced division when El Paso offered lucrative water deals, and new water board rules, allegedly influenced by billionaires, restricted local access. Rancher Phil Guitar and his attorney Russ Johnson led a legal challenge against the water district's decisions. Their fight centered on claims denial and ended with a 2008 Texas Supreme Court case.
The Texas Supreme Court ruled that the water conservation district exceeded its authority with its rules on groundwater transfer outside the district. This landmark 2008 decision continues to influence water law in Texas. Quaid's narration draws parallels to "David and Goliath" and "Hatfields and McCoys," emphasizing the struggle of underdogs.
