Marked Agenda
Joint Texas Water Development Board and
Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission Work Session (Open meeting)
Friday, May 16, 2000, 10:30 a.m., Room 118
Stephen F. Austin Building
1700 North Congress Avenue
Austin, Texas
The Texas Water Development Board and the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission will meet with representatives of the Regional Water Planning Groups to discuss the status of and issues relating to regional water planning and planning for future joint agendas. A quorum of members were present from the Texas Water Development Board and the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission. State Senator Buster Brown discussed progress since the group first met three years ago to discuss the implementation of Senate Bill 1. He encouraged cooperative planning to overcome problems and the continuation of regional efforts to ultimately benefit the entire State. State Representative Ron Lewis thanked the regional representatives for their accomplishments. He expressed a concern regarding funding for implementation and urged the groups to actively work with their local communities to gain support for funding the various programs. He said general revenue is not the answer.
Following these opening remarks, representatives of each of the Regional Planning Groups gave individual presentations summarizing regional concerns, success stories and the need for ongoing dialogue and planning among and between the regions, as well as the funding and implementation of the plans which the groups create.
Some concerns include:
water quality
funding for implementation of the plans
contaminated water and assistance needed to devise a plan for use of those supplies
perpetuation of regional "walls" created by the regional boundaries
boundaries have complicated political tensions by separating regional interests, water providers from service areas, and water providers from supply sources
encroaching subsidence problems
consideration of new reservoirs currently limited by federal restrictions
the need for more extensive modeling
In closing, TWDB Executive Craig Pedersen noted that the planning process had resulted in raising many questions which need to be answered. He encouraged submission of specific information on items requiring further study such as the drought of record planning and ground water availability modeling.
Chairman Huston concluded that the State must deal with fundamental policy issues: moving water; protecting long term supplies; and groundwater management. He agreed that maintaining the local flavor was fundamental to the success of the program.
No formal action was taken.