Water suppliers may need to consider the health of mussels

Federal agency considers listing 11 species found in Texas waterways as endangered.

A federal ruling on the well-being of freshwater mussels might set off statewide legal battles and change how water all across Texas is allocated.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service may decide by the end of the year whether 11 species of mussels are endangered. If the answer is yes, the state's river authorities might have to recalculate how much water they can distribute to industry, farmers and growing cities and still leave enough in Texas' already stressed rivers to keep mussels healthy.

Water suppliers may need to consider the health of mussels