A drop of rain in Lubbock might end up in a glass of water in Galveston three weeks later.

Your favorite weekend spot adjacent to a reservoir might be intentionally underwater.

There are a few different day jobs for Texas’ lakes, and they play an important role you might not see. From keeping the lights on to ensuring the kitchen faucet doesn’t run dry, we’re breaking down the roles they have and what part recreation plays in it all.

Unpacking the Brazos River is a podcast by the Brazos River Authority.

Share your thoughts, questions, and ideas for podcast episodes you’d like to hear about at information@brazos.org.

Host: Charlie L. Shugart, BRA assistant public information officer.

Guests: Aaron Abel, BRA water services manager, and Chris Higgins, BRA lead hydrologist.

Intro music: Clay Sellers, BRA lab analyst.

About us:
The Brazos River Authority was created by the Texas Legislature in 1929 and was the first state agency in the United States created specifically for the purpose of developing and managing the water resources of an entire river basin. Today, the BRA's staff of 284 develop and distribute water supplies, provide water and wastewater treatment, monitor water quality, and pursue water conservation through public education programs. Although the Brazos River Authority is an agency of the State of Texas, it does not levy or collect taxes. Except for occasional governmental grants to help pay the costs of specific projects, the BRA is entirely self-supporting. The BRA maintains and operates its reservoirs and treatment systems using revenues from the customers it serves.

Water doesn't magically show up just because people move here. With the Brazos River Basin projected to double in population by 2080, business as usual won't cut it. Join the BRA’s Chief Strategic Officer, Jon King, along with Program Manager Rachel Lane, to answer the question on everyone’s mind: Can we just not build another lake? From 3,000 BC dam history to modern-day geotechnical drilling, we're taking a look at what it really takes to keep Texas from running dry.

Unpacking the Brazos River is a podcast by the Brazos River Authority.

Share your thoughts, questions, and ideas for podcast episodes you’d like to hear about at information@brazos.org.

Host: Charlie L. Shugart, BRA assistant public information officer.

Guests: Jon King, BRA Chief Strategic Officer, Rachel Lane, BRA program manager

Intro music: Clay Sellers, BRA lab analyst.

About us:
The Brazos River Authority was created by the Texas Legislature in 1929 and was the first state agency in the United States created specifically for the purpose of developing and managing the water resources of an entire river basin. Today, the BRA's staff of 284 develop and distribute water supplies, provide water and wastewater treatment, monitor water quality, and pursue water conservation through public education programs. Although the Brazos River Authority is an agency of the State of Texas, it does not levy or collect taxes. Except for occasional governmental grants to help pay the costs of specific projects, the BRA is entirely self-supporting. The BRA maintains and operates its reservoirs and treatment systems using revenues from the customers it serves.

This week, we’re sitting down with the BRA’s GM/CEO as he discusses the “bad hobby habit” that launched his 30 years of living and breathing the Brazos River Basin. Learn about how he navigates the urban sprawl affecting our water supply and the $6 million inflationary headaches trolling the basin’s future. It’s a story about passion, a story about progress, and the phone call that started it all.

Host: Charlie L. Shugart, BRA assistant public information officer.

Guests: David Collinsworth, BRA’s General Manager and CEO

Intro music: Clay Sellers, BRA lab analyst.

About us:
The Brazos River Authority was created by the Texas Legislature in 1929 and was the first state agency in the United States created specifically for the purpose of developing and managing the water resources of an entire river basin. Today, the BRA's staff of 284 develop and distribute water supplies, provide water and wastewater treatment, monitor water quality, and pursue water conservation through public education programs. Although the Brazos River Authority is an agency of the State of Texas, it does not levy or collect taxes. Except for occasional governmental grants to help pay the costs of specific projects, the BRA is entirely self-supporting. The BRA maintains and operates its reservoirs and treatment systems using revenues from the customers it serves.

Forget the fancy survival manuals and the jargon. Most of us think a disaster is something that happens to the guy on the news, not to us. We’re getting real about what it takes to actually stay alive when Texas weather turns mean. We're talking "Taco Watches," WWII fighter pilots, and the one simple thing you can do this month to make sure your family is ready for the unthinkable.

Because when the sirens go off, it's too late to start wondering where you put the flashlight.

Unpacking the Brazos River is a podcast by the Brazos River Authority. Share your thoughts, questions, and ideas for podcast episodes you’d like to hear about at information@brazos.org.

Host: Charlie L. Shugart, BRA assistant public information officer.

Guests: Donnie Naylor, BRA emergency manager, Dedrick Page, BRA safety trainer, and Ryan Dirker, City of Waco-McLennan County emergency management coordinator.

Intro music: Clay Sellers, BRA lab analyst.

About us:
The Brazos River Authority was created by the Texas Legislature in 1929 and was the first state agency in the United States created specifically for the purpose of developing and managing the water resources of an entire river basin. Today, the BRA's staff of 284 develop and distribute water supplies, provide water and wastewater treatment, monitor water quality, and pursue water conservation through public education programs. Although the Brazos River Authority is an agency of the State of Texas, it does not levy or collect taxes. Except for occasional governmental grants to help pay the costs of specific projects, the BRA is entirely self-supporting. The BRA maintains and operates its reservoirs and treatment systems using revenues from the customers it serves.

How cold does the water have to be to cause cold water shock? Probably not as cold as you think. We’re diving into how common mistakes can turn a great day at the lake into a tragedy, and how a simple mantra can help keep you and your loved ones safe.

Unpacking the Brazos River is a podcast by the Brazos River Authority. Share your thoughts, questions, and ideas for podcast episodes you’d like to hear about at information@brazos.org.

Host: Charlie L. Shugart, BRA assistant public information officer.

Guests: Dylan Mayfield, BRA Lake Granbury reservoir manager and Kyle Lewis, BRA Lake Granbury assistant reservoir manager/project manager

Intro music: Clay Sellers, BRA lab analyst.

About us:
The Brazos River Authority was created by the Texas Legislature in 1929 and was the first state agency in the United States created specifically for the purpose of developing and managing the water resources of an entire river basin. Today, the BRA's staff of 284 develop and distribute water supplies, provide water and wastewater treatment, monitor water quality, and pursue water conservation through public education programs. Although the Brazos River Authority is an agency of the State of Texas, it does not levy or collect taxes. Except for occasional governmental grants to help pay the costs of specific projects, the BRA is entirely self-supporting. The BRA maintains and operates its reservoirs and treatment systems using revenues from the customers it serves.

We're talking massive steel gates, legendary Texas pioneers, and why evaporation is truly Lake Limestone’s No. 1 customer. This water supply reservoir is a place where German tourists, traveling preachers, and locals all converge, but keeping this paradise protected is a full-time, hands-on job. Tune in as we hear about replacing more than 40-ton gates using a massive crane barge and dealing with unexpected 10-inch rainfall in this episode on Lake Limestone and its Sterling C. Robertson Dam.

Unpacking the Brazos River is a podcast by the Brazos River Authority. Share your thoughts, questions, and ideas for podcast episodes you’d like to hear about at information@brazos.org.

Host: Charlie L. Shugart, BRA assistant public information officer.

Guests: John Dickson, BRA regional lake operations manager, Jackie Scott, BRA assistant reservoir manager and program coordinator, and Scott Davis, BRA lake ranger sergeant.

Intro music: Clay Sellers, BRA lab analyst.

About us:
The Brazos River Authority was created by the Texas Legislature in 1929 and was the first state agency in the United States created specifically for the purpose of developing and managing the water resources of an entire river basin. Today, the BRA's staff of 284 develop and distribute water supplies, provide water and wastewater treatment, monitor water quality, and pursue water conservation through public education programs. Although the Brazos River Authority is an agency of the State of Texas, it does not levy or collect taxes. Except for occasional governmental grants to help pay the costs of specific projects, the BRA is entirely self-supporting. The BRA maintains and operates its reservoirs and treatment systems using revenues from the customers it serves.

That delicious, buttery gravy, salad dressing, peanut butter, and bacon grease you just washed down the sink can become a slow-motion dynamite for your home's plumbing. Why is Brown Friday the busiest day for plumbers, and how can your own holiday cleanup habits leave you with a disgusting, raw sewage back-up and a repair bill that costs more than your entire feast?

Unpacking the Brazos River is a podcast by the Brazos River Authority. Share your thoughts, questions, and ideas for podcast episodes you’d like to hear about at information@brazos.org.

Host: Charlie L. Shugart, BRA assistant public information officer.

Guests: Troy Zwerneman, BRA regional operations programs coordinator, and Candice Sheridan, BRA public information coordinator.
Intro music: Clay Sellers, BRA lab analyst.

About us:
The Brazos River Authority was created by the Texas Legislature in 1929 and was the first state agency in the United States created specifically for the purpose of developing and managing the water resources of an entire river basin. Today, the BRA's staff of 284 develop and distribute water supplies, provide water and wastewater treatment, monitor water quality, and pursue water conservation through public education programs. Although the Brazos River Authority is an agency of the State of Texas, it does not levy or collect taxes. Except for occasional governmental grants to help pay the costs of specific projects, the BRA is entirely self-supporting. The BRA maintains and operates its reservoirs and treatment systems using revenues from the customers it serves.

Growth and water needs are colliding in Eastern Williamson County. We’re unpacking a series of projects ongoing to secure a sustainable water future for the entire region. Learn about the bottlenecks, dealing with 112-degree water, and the radical idea of storing water in underground “bubbles.”

Unpacking the Brazos River is a podcast by the Brazos River Authority. Share your thoughts, questions, and ideas for podcast episodes you’d like to hear about at information@brazos.org.

Host: Charlie L. Shugart, BRA assistant public information officer.

Guests: Brad Brunett, BRA Chief Operations Officer, and Mandy Cullar, BRA program manager.

Intro music: Clay Sellers, BRA lab analyst.

About us:
The Brazos River Authority was created by the Texas Legislature in 1929 and was the first state agency in the United States created specifically for the purpose of developing and managing the water resources of an entire river basin. Today, the BRA's staff of 284 develop and distribute water supplies, provide water and wastewater treatment, monitor water quality, and pursue water conservation through public education programs. Although the Brazos River Authority is an agency of the State of Texas, it does not levy or collect taxes. Except for occasional governmental grants to help pay the costs of specific projects, the BRA is entirely self-supporting. The BRA maintains and operates its reservoirs and treatment systems using revenues from the customers it serves.