David K. Langford OpEd SAEN 101525

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Proposition 4 can help Texas water infrastructure keep pace with rapid growth

Proposition 4 would give Texas the tools to invest more wisely in infrastructure, conservation and long-term planning that can keep pace with our growth.

Oct 15, 2025

O P I N I O N // C O M M E N TA RY

Robin Giles, manager of Hillingdon Ranch in Kendall County, is pictured bringing yearling heifers to the ranch’s main pens in a photo from the book “Hillingdon Ranch: Four Seasons, Six Generations.” As a rural landowner, our guest columnist has seen frsthand the strain on our water system He’s urging Texans to vote yes on Proposition 4 in November

4:15

David Langford is a retired CEO of the Texas W

Photo by David K Langford
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Since 1887, when my great- grandfather founded Hillingdon Ranch in the Texas Hill Countr y, our family’s way of life has depended on the fow of the spring-fed creeks that run through our land.

For nearly a centur y, the main creeks fowed year-round, nourishing livestock , suppor ting native vegetation and helping to recharge aquifers that ser ve Texans near and far. But what once sustained us is no longer guaranteed.

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These days, instead of fowing steadily, much of our sur face water stands in stagnant pools. Even after a good rain, creek beds can stay dr y. While this scarcity threatens our ability to run a working ranch, the implications go far beyond our fence line.

I’ve spent my life working to protect Texas’ natural resources. As a founding member of the Texas Wildlife Association now representing thousands of landowners across 35 million acres I’ve seen the quiet , extraordinar y work rural Texans put into caring for their land But even the best conser vation effor ts can’t succeed without a statewide strategy that treats water as a cornerstone of our future.

What’s happening in the Texas Hill Countr y is a warning sign for the entire state.

As a rural landowner, I’ve seen frsthand the strain on our water system. The demands brought by explosive population growth, aging infrastructure and unchecked development are converging in ways we can no longer afford to ignore

This is why I’m urging my fellow Texans to vote yes on Proposition 4 this November.

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Proposition 4 represents the largest investment in water infrastructure in Texas histor y, and it would give Texas the tools to invest more wisely in infrastructure, conser vation and long-term planning that can keep pace with our growth.

It’s a once -in-a- generation oppor tunity to fund meaningful action, not just for ranchers and farmers but for ever y Texan who turns on a tap, irrigates a feld or depends on a healthy environment

At Hillingdon Ranch, our extended family raises Angus cattle, Angora goats and fne wool sheep, rotating them across our pastures to protect the land and preser ve vegetative diversity.

Bales of hay are seen in May 2024 on farm land near Mario meaningful action, not just for ranchers and farmers but f or depends on a healthy environment, our guest columnis Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News

This helps guard our thin Hill Countr y soils by enabling better rainfall capture that slows runoff. Well-managed grasslands act like a sponge, fltering water as it percolates into the ground and recharges the Edwards-Trinity Aquifer, the groundwater source that sustains life across this region.

Without dependable water, we can’t raise livestock . And without livestock , we can’t produce the beef, wool and mohair that feed and clothe Americans or generate the income needed to care for our families, suppor t our community and steward this land.

This isn’t just a rural concern. Our state’s environmental and economic futures are more inter twined than ever

Block Creek , which runs through the nor thern end of our ranch, eventually joins the Guadalupe River as a major tributar y. That river fows south as a lifeline, supplying water for millions of Texans and providing critical habitat for the endangered whooping crane.

Proposition 4 recognizes this reality.

It takes a broader view, recognizing that rural and urban water challenges are par t of the same stor y. Fixing the billions of gallons lost each year to leaking city pipes is par t of the answer. So is suppor ting the landowners who protect the land those waters run through.

Water is not just a resource. From Hill Countr y creeks to city taps, from family ranches to booming metro areas, our prosperity depends on it . With Proposition 4, we can take an overdue step toward securing the future of this state for all of us

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Oct 15, 2025

David Langford

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David K. Langford OpEd SAEN 101525 by Texas Wildlife Association - Issuu