Abbott Painted Himself Into a Corner

Dear Editor,
    Attorney General Greg Abbott has painted himself into a corner with his private well [“Austin's Water Prospectors,” News, Nov. 15]. His well might be extracting water from an aquifer, like the Ogallala in the Panhandle, which once pumped out, does not refill. In such a case, it would seem better to leave the water in the ground because in the near future, we might need it for something more important than lawn watering – like drinking.
    The other alternative is that he is pumping from an aquifer into which water flows from above and which naturally comes out along the Colorado River, just as Barton Springs comes out in Barton Creek. In such a case Abbott is depriving the Colorado of water, and since the Colorado flows into Matagorda Bay, he is depriving the bay of vital fresh water. In such a case, he would be placing the needs of his lawn above those of the bay and the many people who make a living from it.
    In either case, Abbott’s “more for me” philosophy doesn’t bode well for Texas if he is elected governor.