Texas’ rivers are iconic. But the groundwater that sustains them is invisible. State law perfectly captures this dichotomy. Naturally flowing water in rivers and streams is owned by the state and held in trust for the public good. That’s because we can see what that water means to us: It provides for our cities, towns, farms, and ranches. We picnic next to it and we float in it with our friends and family. So the state has laws that try to prevent rivers from running dry. The laws that apply to groundwater in Texas are different and don’t necessarily protect groundwater from ...