If you are a documentary nerd like I am, you may like a good documentary about real people in a real town in Texas. Narrated by Dennis Quaid, Water Wars explores a clash between ranchers, farmers, and billionaires in a high-stakes legal war over water rights that goes all the way to the Texas Supreme Court.
The film is set in Dell City, West Texas, right outside of El Paso. Its population is so small that there is no law enforcement, and it is mostly comprised of generational ranchers and farmers. Dell City has one of the driest climates in the United States. However, in the late 1940s, when prospectors were searching for oil, they discovered something even more valuable- the Bone Spring-Victorio Peak Aquifer.
Once discovered, this dry land could be repurposed. Besides providing water for people and livestock, this land could now be irrigated to grow profitable crops like alfalfa, cotton, and grapes.
For many years, the law was the “rule of capture.” If you can capture the water on your land, it’s yours. But in 1949, the Texas legislature enacted the Ground Water Districts (GCDs) Act, which authorized the creation of local groundwater districts.
The state authorized local GCDs to manage the aquifer levels and conserve resources. But as is so often the case, these local boards were full of corruption. They often took unfair advantage of their governing position, putting many multi-generational ranchers and landowners in a precarious position.
While these controversies have affected many landowners and GCDs in Texas, Water Wars focuses on the Lynch and Guitar families, who were the central landowners involved in one of the most famous and contentious groundwater disputes in Texas history, and focuses on Dell City in Hudspeth County. This decades-long conflict over the sale of underground water rights to a thirsty El Paso fundamentally shaped Texas water laws.
At the premiere of Water Wars in downtown Nashville, at the former Woolworth’s, Dennis Quaid fans and country stars were there to support producers Philip Guitar and Jon Michael Simpson as the captivating story of their struggle for water rights was told.
Like any good Hollywood tale, Water Wars featured plenty of corruption, buying off judges, and back-stabbing, with millions of dollars at stake. Unfortunately, this was not a made-up story, and real lives were affected.
Dennis Quaid stated, “This movie is really about human nature. We can all relate to it, because what do we do when we’re confronted by something so basic that means our very survival?”
He continued, “These people who struggled and fought were antagonists to one another, and fought like hell, went all the way to the Supreme Court, and in the end, this small town buried the hatchet. Because you got to live with one another, and we can all take a lesson from that, can’t we?”
Water Wars is a fascinating history lesson. It provides a valuable message that we all need to do the right thing, the best thing for everyone. And in the end, we need to forgive and get along.
Starting September 4th, you can watch Water Wars on Amazon Prime.
– – –
Bethany Bowman is a freelance entertainment writer. You can follow her blog, Instagram, and TikTok.
Water Wars Premiere Photo Gallery
Bethany Writes 
Leave a comment