From Red Orbit Breaking News: By Tony Thornton, The Daily Oklahoman Jan. 21--The two governors who preceded Brad Henry agreed that Oklahoma is flushing at least $100 million per year into the Red River, but both gave up on selling water to Texas, calling the idea political suicide. Low-ball offers by Texas water districts also foiled any plans to sell excess water from the Kiamichi Basin, said former Gov. David Walters and Howard Barnett, who was chief of staff for Gov. Frank Keating. The biggest obstacle, both men agreed, was a few well-organized "zealots" primed to torpedo any legislation aimed at a water sale. Their opposition is so embedded, "it may be like the Sunnis and the Shiites" trying to negotiate a peace plan, Walters said. The idea of selling southeastern Oklahoma water surfaced before Walters took office in 1991 and reappears occasionally, thanks largely to north Texas' population growth and concerns about how the metroplex will get its water in 50 years. Earlier this month, the Tarrant Regional Water District announced it was seeking to buy 460,000 acre feet, or 15 billion gallons, per year. The water would come from three southern Oklahoma tributaries before it reaches the Red River, where it becomes too salty to drink. Two days after making the announcement, the water district, based in Fort Worth, filed a federal lawsuit claiming Oklahoma's moratorium on out-of-state water sales violates interstate commerce laws. A hearing on the matter is set for Tuesday in Oklahoma City. Gov. Brad Henry had no comment on the lawsuit but said no water should be sold out of state until completion of "a detailed and exhaustive review" of Oklahoma's water needs is finished, probably in 2010. Read more... Posted at 1/22/2007 10:31:00 AM