So what’s up with that full court PR madness from the folks in the Tarrant Regional Water District in Texas? Is the future of the many interstate water management compacts that govern water distribution among the western states really under threat. This may seem obscure, but if you follow water, you can’t help but have stumbled over the argument that, if the Supreme Court takes up the case in question, all the compacts will be out the window.

Not so much, writes Stephanie Ogburn after doing a bit of digging on the question:

According to Harris, of Western Resource Advocates, the Texas water district is looking for allies. Oliver’s strategy is to get Western water mavens worried enough to take up his cause.

“He’s going after again the water districts, states, anybody else that he thinks might be interested in siding with them if the Court picks up the case.”

Those groups could file friend of the court briefs on Tarrant’s behalf, says Harris.

“But honestly I think he’s making a mountain out of a molehill here.”

So there you go. Are we on the verge of water anarchy? Probably not.

(This thing’s been bouncing around out there, via Tarrant’s PR, and I haven’t had time to do the leg work. Journalistically, it’s a weak payoff to do the work to conclude something’s not really a story, and we owe Stephanie gratitude.)