CV0203 1

1
Region H Water Planning Group
Executive Summary Of the Regional Water Plan
2
Region H Water Planning Group
Senate Bill 1 Regional Planning Groups

• Passed the Legislature in 1997
• Designated 16 Planning Groups
• Regional Planning Groups responsible
• for 50-year planning period for water
• supply.
• Management strategies to overcome
• projected shortfalls.

3
REGIONAL PLANNING GROUPS

• Representatives serve from
• various categories

• Services
• Manufacturing
• Transportation

4. Government 5. Agriculture 6. Fishing
4
Region H Voting Representatives
The utility districts representative J. C.
Jack Searcy, Jr. Alternate Ed Shackelford
Complete list of members on page 12 in notebook.
5
Region H Overview

• Encompasses all or part of 15 counties
• Current (2000) population 4.8 million
• Future (2050) population 9.7 million
• Current (2000) water demand 2.25 million
  ac/ft/year 2.009 billion gal/year
• Future (2050) water demand 3.18 million
  ac/ft/year 2.839 billion gal/year.

6
Region H Water Planning Group

• Harris County is projected to account for 48
  of the total region water demand.
• Projected water conservation reduction
  expected to be 25 of demand.

7
Region H Service Area
Counties included

• LeonMadisonTrinityWalkerPolkSan
  JacintoMontgomeryWaller

• LibertyAustinHarrisChambersFort
  BendGalvestonBrazoria

8
Demand Distribution
2000 Decade2.25 Million ac-ft/yr
2050 Decade3.19 Million ac-ft/yr
(2.009 BGD)
(2.839 BGD)
RHWPG also endorses the delivery of 5.2 million
acre-feet/year as fresh water inflows for
Galveston Bay.
9
Region H Water Supplies

• Current water supplies3,687,500 ac/ft/yr
  (3.292 billion gal/day).
• Projected Available Supply3,460,000 ac-ft/yr
  (3.089 billion gal/day).
• Primary Sources San JacintoRiver Basin
  Lakes Houston and Conroe Trinity River Basin
  Lake Livingston Gulf Coast Aquifer Chico,
  Evangeline Jasper

San Jacinto River
Trinity River
Brazos River
10
Region H Water Supplies

• Major Water Providers (MWPs)
• 1. Brazos River Authority
• 2. City of Houston
• 3. Gulf Coast Water Authority
• 4. San Jacinto River Authority
• 5. Trinity River Authority
• All but TRA will experience water
  shortages (2050)

Trinity River
San Jacinto River
Brazos River
11
Region H Water Supplies

• Water Users Groups (WUGs)
• 1. Identified 215 WUGs
• 2. 122 of 215 primarily water shortages
  (2050)
• 3. 93 of WUGs to experience water
  shortages (2050)
• 4. NHCRWA WHCRWA to be designated as
  WUGs.

Trinity River
San Jacinto River
Brazos River
12
Water Management Strategies

• Strategies to meet the MWPs shortages

• Little River Reservoir
• Irrigation Conservation
• Contractual Transfer
• Allens Creek Reservoir

• Municipal Conservation
• Bedias Reservoir
• Wastewater Reclamation
• Luce Bayou

• Houston/Trinity River Authority Contract
• Brazos River Authority Voluntary Redistribution
• Bedias Reservoir to San Jacinto River Authority
  Transfer
• Houston to Gulf Coast Water Authority Transfer
• San Jacinto River Authority/Chambers Liberty
  Counties
• Navigation District Contract
• All of the above strategies cost 1.042 billion.

13
Recommendations

• Regulatory, Administrative
• Legislative Recommendations

• Regulatory and Administrative
• Review population estimates
• Allow more flexibility in shortages
• Base water planning on renewals
• Modify notification procedures
• More realistic assumptions in Surface
• Water Availability models
• Maintain current definition of 16 regional
• Planning areas.

14
Recommendations, continued

• Legislative Recommendations
• Revise Chapter 297.73 of Texas Water Code
• Adopt regulations to exempt certain water
• rights from cancellation
• Remove barriers to interbasin transfers
• Maintain rule of capture basis when not in
• defined groundwater conservation districts
• Support development of Groundwater
• Conservation Districts
• Develop funding method for RWPG after plan
• Establish funding for continuing the Bays and
• Estuaries program.

15
(No Transcript)
16
(No Transcript)