Is the Texas Drought a Game Changer?

"In the cattle town of Emory in East Texas, the worst drought in state history is threatening a way of life. Scorching temperatures and no rain have forced many ranchers to sell off their stock. Normally before being brought to market, cattle are penned in a rancher's best pasture to be fattened. The heavier the cow, the more the buyer pays.
But the animals at a recent Emory auction look pitiful. They're standing in 107-degree heat — that's in the shade — with their ribs showing, stressed out. It's been like this for the last nine weeks; no rain. Although these cows were bred for the heat, they weren't bred for this. They look absolutely baked."

http://www.npr.org/2011/08/26/139947317/drought-puts-texas-ranchers-and-cattle-at-risk
"The unfolding calamity that is the Texas drought has thrown nature out of balance. Many of the wild things that live in this state are suffering.

Sections of major rivers — like the Brazos, the Guadalupe, the Blanco, Llano and Pedernales — have dried up. In many places, there aren't even mud holes anymore." The drought is hammering Texas," says Cindy Loeffler, the water resources branch chief at the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. "Usually we don't see impacts to fish and wildlife, they're adapted to hot, dry conditions in Texas. But this year, we're seeing impacts."...
http://www.npr.org/2011/08/26/139963653/texas-drought-takes-its-toll-on-wildlife