Harlingen, TX (KRGV) — Neighbors living along a Harlingen resaca that nearly dried up this summer are now organizing to keep water there year-round.

Water has returned to the resaca following recent rain. But residents say a full resaca isn't enough — they want a long-term solution.

Jenny Mowers, a Harlingen resident who has lived along the resaca for 27 years, said the community learned the resaca relies on agricultural irrigation runoff and rainwater drainage.

"In the next few years things are gonna change with that because we have so much development of property around we have a lot less agriculture land a lot less demand for irrigation," Mowers said.

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She started knocking on doors. About 45 to 50 people have now joined the newly created Harlingen Resaca Restoration Project.

The group is working to become a nonprofit and is seeking funding for engineering studies to find ways to keep water flowing into the resaca long term.

"There's lots of options and right now we don't know what's the best one, but that's the purpose of the engineering studies," Mowers said.

Mowers said those studies would also look at the environmental impact.

Cameron County Drainage District Number 3 has also joined the effort. The district said it is working with neighbors and exploring opportunities to help with the studies and planning.

The district said its goal is to find practical ways to help preserve the resaca, protect its wildlife and address drainage needs.

"As a response to your story we were able to get a community awareness of the issue that we had no water out here. This lake was dry and all it was was cracked earth," Mowers said.

Mowers said she doesn't want neighbors to get comfortable with the water being back.

"If you take some time to see the birds and the turtles and the fish, it's all very temporary. It's all very at risk. So, not to get complacent, to speak your mind and have a voice in the movement," Mowers said.

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