I anticipate a Texas collapse.
It all depends on the weather. Though I agree it's not looking good.
People will say that desalination will save them... I don't think that'll happen. For one, it would require a massive investment in the technology right now... and that means building it with today's technology, which, frankly, isn't that good. It costs a sh**t-ton of money to desalinate enough water for as many people as Texas has. They also have no alternative. Because the Great Lakes lie within the borders of two nations and the states and provinces surrounding the lakes have agreed that no water may be drawn from the lakes that is not replaced within the same water year.. that ain't gonna happen.
If we continue to experience La Niņa conditions as frequently as we have in the past 4 years, Texas is going to have a major problem on their hands. Unlike the much worse droughts of 1908-1911, 1917-1919, and 1954-1957, it won't take but a relatively light drought to cause major problems for them. Their population is simply too large these days. On top of that, the Oglala Aquifer is draining very quickly. Kansas and Nebraska need that water so they can grow that winter wheat, you know! Because without irrigation from unsustainable sources, most years are unfit for growing cereal crops as intensely as we do in those areas. Never mind the Keystone XL pipeline proposed to go over that area which would greatly benefit Texas... as long as it doesn't spill and seep into the aquifer... the equivalent of Texas shooting themselves in the foot and then ejecting explosive diarrhea all the way up the southern and central plains. But Texas has always had a "take the money and run" attitude.
In the end, the cost of water in Texas is going to be enormous. And the fight between agriculture and the suburban "I've got mine" crowd will only intensify. And when the next intense drought hits.. it'll devastate the agricultural sector there while also driving the cost of drinking water through the roof. Even in liberal Austin. Especially in liberal Austin (and Dallas too).
Potable water in the 21st century will have an uncanny resemblance as a political issue to oil in the 20th century.
