Region K Water Plan

John E. Burke, P.E.Chairman, Lower Colorado Regional

Planning Group (Region K)General Manager, Aqua Water Supply

Corp.

How Aqua Got Involved

Late 1990s - Concern about our water supply

Our aquifer was targeted by water marketers

Senate Bill 1 - Regional water planning

Regional Water Plans

Senate Bill 1, 1997

16 planning regions

Each region prepares a 50-year water plan, updated every 5 years

First plans in 2001

Region K

Region K’s Diverse MembersPublic Julia Marsden League of Women Voters Travis

Chris King Wharton Co. Commissioners Court Wharton

Bill Neve Burnet Co. Commissioners Court Burnet

Billy Roeder Gillespie Co. Commissioners Court Gillespie

James Sultemeier Blanco Co. Commissioners Court Blanco

Dennis Jones City of Lago Vista Travis

Teresa Lutes City of Austin Williamson

Industries Barbara Johnson Austin Area Research Organization Travis

Bill Miller Rancher Llano

Haskell Simon Rice Industry Rep. and Farmer Matagorda

Jim Barho Protect Lakes Inks, Buchanan Burnet

Ron Fieseler Blanco-Pedernales GCD Hays

Jennifer Walker Sierra Club, Lone Star Chapter Travis

Ronald Gertson Wharton

Harold Streicher Assistant Fayette County Attorney FayetteElec. Generating Utilities Rick Gangluff STP Nuclear Operating Company Matagorda

River Authorities Mark Jordan LCRA Travis

Water Districts Paul Tybor Hill Country UWCD Gillespie

Water Utilities John Burke Aqua WSC Bastrop

Roy Varley Mills

Bob Pickens Colorado

Recreation Del Waters The Ski Dock Travis

Small Businesses

Other(s)

Counties

Municipalities

Agricultural

Environmental

Region K Population Projections

0

500,000

1,000,000

1,500,000

2,000,000

2,500,000

3,000,000

2000 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050 2060

2006 LCRWPG Plan

Region K Demand Projections

0

200,000

400,000

600,000

800,000

1,000,000

1,200,000

1,400,000

acre

-fee

t/ye

ar

2000 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050 2060

2006 LCRWPG Plan

Region K’s Issues At Outset

Region K projected to be water-short even with conservative demand projections

Many “straws” proposed to take water from our basin: “Water is the new oil”

Instream flows and bays and estuary needs

More Challenges

You can’t create new water - or can you?

Rice farmers can’t afford conservation measures

Need to develop new models (GAMs, WAMs)

Other regions also water-short and have competing needs

The birth of an idea….

Region K Groundrules

Groundwater is renewable resource; no “mining” of aquifers

Minimal social, economic and cultural impacts

Economics, environmental impacts, and water availability guide selection of projects

Interbasin solutions must benefit each region

Region K’s approach

Involve all stakeholders

Adhere to groundrules, e.g., water as renewable resource

Collaborate

Seek win-win solutions

Be innovative - e.g., how to use available water more efficiently?

Region K(Lower Colorado)

Region L(South Central TX) LCRA-

SAWS Water

ProjectWater Shortfall Agricultural irrigation Rural communities upstream of Highland Lakes

Water Shortfall•San Antonio needs additional supply for municipal use

LCRA - SAWS Water Project

Key: Capture floodwaters in off-channel reservoirs

SAWS pays for rice farm conservation

Conjunctive use of groundwater during drought

Main concern is instream flows, bays & estuaries in drought-of-record

$41 million for studies, environmental impact assessments, and plans

More stable water levelsin Highland Lakes

Water for agriculture

Water for ruralcommunities

Austin

San Antonio

LakeBuchanan

Instream flows to

maintain aquatic habitat

Water for San Antonio

Freshwater inflows forMatagorda Bay

Lower Colorado River basin and San Antonio region both

benefit: a “win-win” solution.

LCRA – SAWS Planning Timeline

Possible Extension (30 Years)

Implementation Period

(50 years)

2010 2060 2090

LCRA-SAWS Water ProjectLCRA-SAWS Water Project

Study Period

2002 2010

Decision on project implementation

2004 2007-2008

Technical Study Plan Development Technical Studies Permit Submittal

Permit Review/ Approval

Region K Supply with LCRA-SAWS project

0

100,000

200,000

300,000

400,000

500,000

600,000

700,000

2000 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050 2060

ac-f

t/yr

Water Management Strategies Region K Needs

What If Project Doesn’t Happen

Decrease in rice farms, which leads to…– Decrease in flow to bays and estuaries

– Decrease in habitat for migratory birds

Regions with water needs will turn to other sources– Would not help our basin’s needs

– Could have negative environmental impacts elsewhere

What’s Next

Finish studies on instream flows, bays and estuaries

Make decision whether to implement plan (LCRA - SAWS)