Formation of the District by the Texas Legislature was the result of a cooperative effort by the District's Memeber Cities in response to prolonged drought conditions in West Central Texas during the 1950's and was intended to provide a new source of water for the four Member Cities and, subject to satisfying the needs of the District's Member Cities, other users of water for municipal, industrial, and other purposes authorized by the District's permits from the State of Texas. As the region in which the District is located is once again (as it has on several other occasions since the 1950's) experiencing severe drought conditions and water from Hubbard Creek Reservoir is now required by each of the Member Cities to supplement (and in some cases totally replace) the water resources available to the individual Member Cities, the wisdom and foresight in forming the District and in the continued existence and operation of the District cannot be questioned. The water resources of the District have played, and will continue to play, a critical role in meeting the water needs of the District and others in West Central Texas, not only for health and safety reasons, but also for the economic viability, growth, and development. Numerous cities, towns, water supply corporations, farmers and ranchers, and others in West Central Texas depend upon the Member Cities and/or the District for water.