Texas Sued by Billionaire Who Wants to Siphon 42 Billion Gallons of Water Out of EastTexas

that’s what I’m talking about. Private interests are behind the siphoning and the permanent destruction of large bodies of water in North America.

Dallas businessman sues over stalled plans to export East Texas water

I asked AI for a breakdown on this specific water plan. I’m suspecting many similar plans have been underway in Quebec and Ontario lately as well (given the visibly disappearing water levels from both provinces), but Canadians are always kept in the dark until it is too late. Well, now it is too late. The water is gone. At least, they are doing something about it in Texas.

Overview of Kyle Bass’s Water Plan

Kyle Bass,a Dallas-based hedge fund manager known for his “big short” during the 2008 financial crisis, is behind a controversial plan to extract large quantities of groundwater fromEast Texas.Through his companyConservation Equity Management,founded in 2021, Bass aims to explore and potentially pump water from theCarrizo-Wilcox Aquifer,one of the most extensive aquifers in the southern United States, stretching from Louisiana to Mexico.

His stated goal is to address Texas’s looming water crisis by transporting water to regions facing shortages, particularly areas south of Waco and north of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.However, critics argue the project represents a “water grab” by an out-of-state investor that could deplete local resources.

Key Components of the Project

Bass’s plan involves several strategic steps:

Land Acquisition: He has purchasedover 11,000 acresacross Anderson, Houston, and Henderson counties through entities likeRedtown RanchandPine Bliss Ranch LLC.
Exploratory Wells: His companies have applied for permits to drill test wells to assess the aquifer’s capacity. These are not yet for full-scale extraction.
Extraction Capacity: If the tests confirm projections, the project could pump up to 48,972 acre-feet per year—approximately 15.9 billion gallons—from the aquifer.
Water Transport: While no pipeline has been built yet, the intent is to pipe the water to high-demand urban and industrial areas in central and north Texas.
Bass maintains the project is still in the data-gathering phase, saying: “Should the data… indicate less water is available than our hydrogeological and engineering studies project, we will re-evaluate our plans.”

The Role of the Carrizo-Wilcox Aquifer

The Carrizo-Wilcox Aquifer is central to this plan. It is a vast, sand-and-gravel-filled underground reservoir that functions more like a saturated sponge than a flowing river. It supplies water to thousands of private wells, farms, ranches, and small municipalities across East Texas.

The aquifer is not fully mapped, and its recharge rates are uncertain.

East Texas currently relies on it for agriculture, timber (pine forests), and domestic use.
Unlike the heavily regulated Edwards Aquifer, the Carrizo-Wilcox has limited oversight, especially in rural counties without groundwater districts.
Experts warn that over-extraction could lead to irreversible depletion or subsidence, as seen in other parts of Texas.

Legal and Regulatory Framework

Bass’s project exploits Texas’s longstanding “rule of capture” doctrine, which grants landowners the right to pump as much groundwater as they can, regardless of impact on neighbors.

This 120-year-old legal principle makes it extremely difficult to block private extraction, even at industrial scales.
A 2012 Texas Supreme Court ruling strengthened this right by allowing landowners to sue for regulatory takings if districts limit pumping.
The Neches & Trinity Valleys Groundwater Conservation District has limited authority and resources to challenge large operators.
Notably,Houston County,where Bass also owns land,has no groundwater meaning noregulatory oversight

Bass has invoked the rule of capture as the “bedrock principle of Texas property law”,signalling his intent to legally defend large-scale pumping.

Local and Statewide Opposition

The plan has sparked fierce resistance from East Texans:

Anderson County Judge Carey McKinney called it an “existential threat”, saying it “awakened the sleeping giant” of rural communities.
Local business owners, like Mark Calicutt of Calicutt Drilling Inc., distrust Bass’s models:

“I can make a computer model say whatever you want… But the real-world data I see every day is completely different.”
State lawmakers, including Rep. Trent Ashby (R-Lufkin), warn the project sets a “dangerous precedent” and threatens Houston County’s water supply.
Hundreds of residents have attended town halls and legislative hearings to oppose the plan.

Critics argue the water wouldbenefit distant cities and developers,not local communities.

Potential Environmental and Economic Impacts

The long-term consequences remain uncertain but potentially severe:

Depletion of Wells: Neighboring landowners may be forced todrill deeper or lose access to water, as seen in Lee County after the Vista Ridge pipeline.
Ecosystem Damage: Reduced water levels could harmsprings, wetlands, and wildlifedependent on groundwater.
Subsidence Risk: Uncontrolled pumping has causedground sinking in other regions, increasing flood vulnerability.
Economic Harm: East Texas industries likecattle, crops, and timberrely on consistent groundwater. Pine trees alone can use100–150 gallons per day.