Texas A&M AgriLife Research’s Role in the TGPC

Texas A&M AgriLife Research Web site

Texas A&M AgriLife Research (AgriLife Research) is the official agricultural research agency in Texas. Headquartered at Texas A&M University, AgriLife Research promotes food and fiber production that emphasizes water conservation and the protection of natural resources. The Texas Water Resources Institute is an administrative unit of AgriLife Research and guides internal water-related research.

Broad goals of the AgriLife Research groundwater research program are to protect, preserve, and efficiently use water resources, and to develop sustainable agricultural production systems. Groundwater programs of AgriLife Research stress the development of management strategies, technologies, and educational programs to support sustainable agriculture. AgriLife Research groundwater quality research focuses on reductions in chemical use; the control, fate, and transport of agricultural chemicals; and the remediation of contaminated groundwaters.

Major efforts are underway to develop strategies to:

• manage brush species on rangeland to increase water yields,
• manage solid and liquid wastes from livestock production and processing to prevent water contamination,
• develop crop production technologies that produce high yields while minimizing the loss of pesticides, chemicals and nutrients into ground and surface waters, and
• manage contaminants produced during industrial and urban activities.

AgriLife Research’s research efforts are complemented by the programs of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service (AgriLife Extension). AgriLife Extension provides public outreach and educational services to agricultural producers, youth, and the general public.

More information regarding the various groundwater protection programs within this agency can be found in the current version of the TGPC’s Joint Groundwater Monitoring and Contamination Report.