Water Planning 101

Lower Colorado Regional Planning Group-Region K January 9, 2013

W. David Meesey, O.W.P.(Old Water Planner)

1

Hydrological Cycle

2

Water Planner’s Nightmare

3

Water Planning: Legislative Response to Drought

Late 1950s Drought of Record– 1957: Creation of TWDB– $200 million Water Development

Fund– 9 State Water Plans, 1961-2012

Late 1990s: Potential New Drought of Record– ~$6 billion economic losses in ‘96

(mostly agriculture)– ~300 entities with threat to water

supplies– 1997 & 2001: Implementation of SB

1 & 2 which created & refined regional water planning

4

Regional Water Planning

Statutory interests:

Public Counties Municipalities

Water districts Water utilities Groundwater

management areas

Industries Agriculture Environment Small

businesses

Electric-generating utilities

River authorities

5

Planning ProcessPlanning Process

Selectand Recommend

WMS

2010 Census plus RWPG

adjustments

2010 – 2070Population &

DemandProjections

2010 Water Use Survey

Surface Water Availability

Models

Groundwater Availability

Models

2010 – 2070Supply

Projections

Identify Water Management

Strategies (WMS)

Evaluate WMSImpacts

PublishInitialPlan

PublishFinalPlan

Receive Public

Comments

Identify Shortages 2010 - 2070

Existing

Water Supplie

s

Projected

Water Deman

d

Surplus (+) or Need

(-)

16 regions each produce a unique 5-yr plan Project future population and water

demands Quantify existing and future water supplies Identify surpluses and needs Evaluate and recommend water

management strategies Make policy recommendations Adopt the plan

Regional Water Planning

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Water Management Strategies

• WMS are the projects or actions recommended to meet water needs

• Examples: conservation; wastewater reuse; desalination of surface or ground water

• New infrastructure to access existing supplies (Example: new pipeline to a distant reservoir)

• New surface water diversions or impoundments in reservoirs (on/off-channel)

• New groundwater8

Impact AnalysisStrategies are analyzed for potential effects on:− Water quality− Existing water rights− In-stream flows− Bay and estuary freshwater inflows− Sustainable aquifer yield

− Agricultural water resources− Threatened and endangered species− Wildlife habitat− Public lands− Recreation 9

Why do we Plan?

Water right permits from TCEQ for a new project must be consistent with regional & state water plans

Financial assistance from TWDB for a project only if it is consistent with regional & state water plans. For some loan programs project must be recommended in plan to meet needs

Waiver of this requirement by agency governing body can be granted

10

Consistency with Regional & State Water Plans

Consistency is achieved when a proposed project will use the same source of water as currently used or recommended in the water plan

The project does not have to be in the water plan unless certain state financing is used (WIF, etc)

Treatment & distribution infrastructure usually not included in plans

11

Water Planning Terms &Concepts

• Drought-of-Record (DoR) - not the worst ever but the worst that was recorded in TX (~150 years)

• We plan for 50 years by decade – next plan will project to 2070

• Water volume in plans is shown in acre-feet-yr (AFY)– 1 Acre-foot = 325,851 gallons– Major reservoir = 5,000 acre-feet (1.63 billion gal)

• Need is not equal to demand (supply-demand=surplus (positive) or need (negative)

• Water management strategy – WMS• Wholesale water provider – WWP• Water user group - WUG 12

Water Planning Terms &Concepts

• Program Acronyms (Alphabet Soup):

• WAM – Water Availability Model (Surface)• GAM – Groundwater Availability Model• GMA – Groundwater Management Area containing

several GCDs or Groundwater Conservation Districts• DFC – Desired Future Condition or the strategy for

managing groundwater by a district• MAG – Modeled Available Groundwater or the amount

available for use annually based on the DFC as a result of running the GAM for the area 13

Lower Colorado (K) Region 2010-2060: population

projected to increase 100% to 2,831,937

Water supply needed 2060: 367,670 AF

Recommended water strategy volume 2060: 646,170 AF

Capital cost = $907 million Conservation: 37%; reuse

21% of strategy volume by 2060

Lower Colorado (K) Region

Conservation: 37% of 2060 strategy volume

New off-channel reservoir

Reuse: 21% of 2060 strategy volume

Planning Group Members

• Members represent interest groups; 12 statutory & “other”

– A member (county; manufacturing) represents the interests of ALL counties, etc. in the region

– May have more than 1 member per interest group, but each represents designated interest for the entire region

– Region K, with all or parts of 14 counties, goes beyond requirements by having members that represent each county in the region

– Ultimate goal? Produce and adopt a regional water plan every 5 years through work & cooperation of members

Planning Group Members

• Membership has its privileges - and responsibilities

– Attend meetings regularly– Designate an alternate for when you can’t go– Serve on a committee– Read and learn the material– Think about the “big picture” (water for Texas)– Ask questions when in doubt

Your vote counts; we are all in this together

Questions??

Call: David Meesey, TWDB 512) 936-0852

E-mail:david.meesey@twdb.texas.gov

Visit with members of LCRWPG(Region K)