More than 200 public water systems in Texas are under mandatory water restrictions, and another 60 have asked for voluntary cutbacks, according to a July 26 Associated Press (AP) report.

Texas is the nation’s most drought-stricken state, with the south-central region under “exceptional” drought conditions according to a July 23 report from the US Drought Monitor. Seventy-seven of Texas’ 254 counties are in “extreme” or “exceptional” drought, the most severe categories, AP reported, noting public water systems in and around San Antonio, Dallas, Houston and Austin are among the 230 under mandatory restrictions.

The city of Liberty Hill, located northwest of Austin, has banned all outdoor watering, and is urging conservation. Its Web site carried this matter-of-fact message: “If we follow these strict guidelines, we may have drinking water.”

The AP report includes an image of the near-empty Pedernales River in the upper reaches of Lake Travis. Lake Travis is a reservoir along the Colorado River that has dropped to 31.5 feet below the historic July level, according to a July 27 Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) River Report.

John Nielsen-Gammon, the Texas state climatologist at Texas A&M University, told the AP he expects harsh drought conditions to last at least another month.

To access the US Drought Monitor for Texas, click here.