Texas Water Matters


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Region L - South Central Texas

What You Can Do

Read the Initially Prepared Plan: http://www.regionltexas.org/2011_rwp2.php

Submit Comments: Ms. Erin Newberry, San Antonio River Authority, P.O. Box 839980, San Antonio, TX 78283. Email: enewberry@sara-tx.org

Comment Deadline: June 16, 2010, 5 pm

Regional Facts

Major Cities	San Antonio, Victoria, New Braunfels, San Marcos
Population: 2010	2,460,599
Population: 2060	4,297,786
Total Water Use: 2010	981,370 Acre-Feet
Total Water Use: 2060	1,291,568 Acre-Feet
Primary Rivers	Guadalupe, San Antonio, Nueces, San Marcos, Blanco
Major Aquifers	Edwards (BFZ), Trinity, Carrizo-Wilcox, Gulf Coast

Basic Plan Facts

Population in the region is projected to more than double between 2000 and 2060
Off-channel reservoirs and diversions on the Lower Guadalupe and Lower Colorado rivers are proposed as well as off-channel and in-channel reservoirs on the Lavaca River
Proposed groundwater strategies result in long-term drawdown of water levels in aquifers and result in decreased baseflow to rivers and streams

What's at Issue?

The San Antonio area faces major challenges because of the need to reduce dependence on the Edwards Aquifer in order to protect spring flows at Comal and San Marcos Springs and associated endangered and threatened species. At the same time, water needed for industrial and electric power generation facilities has added new water demands to the region.

Several proposed water development projects could have significant effects on more of the principal rivers and associated bay and estuarine systems of our State. Components of the Region L plan have the potential to affect the ecological health of not only the San Antonio and Guadalupe Rivers but also the Colorado, Nueces, and Lavaca Rivers. The plan also could have affects on several of the major estuarine systems of Texas: San Antonio Bay (Guadalupe Estuary), Corpus Christi (Nueces Estuary) and Lavaca and Matagorda Bays. A prominent example is the proposed Guadalupe River Diversion to meet the needs of the proposed Exelon nuclear power plant. This strategy, along with other proposed diversions from the Guadalupe River would include serious reductions in freshwater inflows to the Guadalupe estuary, and threaten endangered Whooping Cranes at the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge.

Groundwater projects in the Plan are projected to result in long-term drawdowns in the Trinity, Carrizo, and Gulf Coast Aquifers. These drawdowns could result in decreased springflow, decreased baseflow to rivers and estuaries, and increased pumping cost for local groundwater users.

Action Items

To secure the protection of flows for fish and wildlife, the plan needs to...

Include groundwater pumping levels that maintain the region's aquifers for future generations and do not diminish spring flows, particularly springs that feed rivers and streams.
Not include the GBRA Exelon Project as a recommended strategy given the pending nature of the project.
Not include Lavaca River Off-Channel Storage or Palmetto Bend II as water supply strategies because the existing municipal and industrial demands in Calhoun County are met with other strategies in the Region L plan.
Include environmental water needs as a specifically recognized category of water demand that must be planned for.

Online Resources


		Attend a Region L group meeting. Times and locations are posted on the TWDB website. Attend a Region L Meeting Here are just a few things you can do. Learn more about water issues in the Texas Hill Country. Learn More


		Seeking a consensus plan for water Victoria Advocate, 11/03/09 Read Article Group says water laws not protecting river Section: Environment, Guadalupe San Antonio Aransas Bay Areas News 8 Austin, 9/24/09 Read Article LCRA backs off San Antonio water-sharing deal Austin American Statesman, 04/10/2009 Read Article Not enough water for growing population The Boerne Star, 9/30/08 Read Article Facing a water 'calamity' Boerne Star, June 2008 Read Article New water facts revealed The Gonzales Inquirer, 4//2008 Read Article Is there enough water to go around? Victoria Advocate, 12/20/2007 Read Article