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This paper describes the results of a study that was done by the USGS to assess recent (2017) water availability, forecast long-term trends in water availability, assess changes in water availability, and forecast future water availability in the Trinity River Basin in Texas. The Trinity River Basin surface water model and Trinity River alluvium aquifer (TRAA) groundwater model were created to evaluate future conditions under different global climate models (GCM). The results of this study show minimal overall changes in water availability for both surface water and groundwater. Trend analyses using historical data (1900–2017) indicated an increase of annual precipitation on the watersheds that drain into the reservoirs in Regional Water Planning Group C. However, the Trinity River Basin surface water model GCM ensemble mean annual precipitation indicates a downward trend, resulting in a downward trend in surface runoff. Additionally, the GCM ensemble mean for the Trinity River Basin surface water model and the TRAA groundwater model both indicate a downward trend in recharge while the TRAA model GCM ensemble mean indicates an upward trend in the amount of groundwater leaving the aquifer to rivers and streams resulting in an upward trend of cumulative storage change.

The objective of this study was to describe U.S. cow-calf producer access to and use of technology for managing cattle health and production records (CHPR). We anonymously surveyed 14,294 U.S. cow-calf producers. Multivariable logistic regression by manual forward variable selection was used to test demographic factors for association with CHPR-keeping technology outcomes. Smartphones, computers, and internet were available to 85.2%, 92.9%, and 88.7% of respondents, respectively. Factors associated with interest in a smartphone-based CHPR-keeping system included: smartphone use (OR = 7.7; compared to not using a smartphone), respondent age (≤ 54 years: OR = 4.8; 55-64 years: OR = 2.6; 65-74 years: OR = 1.5; compared to ≥75 years), electronic survey response (OR = 2.2; compared to paper), respondent keeps any form of CHPR (OR = 2.0; compared to no CHPR use), respondent education level (some college up to completed Bachelor’s degree: OR = 1.4; post-graduate or professional degree: OR = 1.5; compared to high-school diploma or less), cow-calf operation is not primary income source (OR = 1.3; compared to cow-calf operation being primary income source), region of the U.S. (midwest: OR = 1.1; mountain: OR = 0.8; northeast: OR = 1.4; northern plains: OR = 0.9; southeast: OR = 1.4; southern plains: OR = 1.0; compared to west) and respondent herd size (50-199 head: OR = 1.2; ≥ 200 head: OR = 1.4; compared to ≤ 49 head). Technology needed for electronic CHPR-keeping is common among U.S. cow-calf producers, however, individual demographic characteristics modified interest in electronic CHPR-keeping.