There is another side to the relationship between water and energy. Energy is necessary to bring water from underground reservoirs to the earth's surface. In Texas, where two-thirds of all fresh water used is pumped from underground sources, water availability for many purposes is directly affected by energy availability. Irrigation farmers are acutely aware of their dependence on energy for water.
Irrigation presently constitutes the greatest single use of groundwater in the state.
In many areas of Texas, farmers are caught in a squeeze between upward spiraling fuel costs and declining water levels due to depletion of underground reservoirs. Presently 76 percent of irrigation energy is provided by natural gas. The study was partially funded by the Texas Water Resources Institute. The research analyzed the impact of the proposed National Energy Plan on Texas agriculture. They conclude that the irrigation farmer in Texas is much more vulnerable to curtailment of natural gas than he is to price increases.