Texas Water Matters


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Region N - Coastal Bend

2010 Initially Prepared Plan Information

Read the Initially Prepared Plan: http://www.nueces-ra.org/CP/RWPG/ipp_2011/

Public Hearing: 1:30pm Thursday April 8, 2010 at the Johnny Calderon County Building 710 E. Main Street, Robstown, Texas

Contact: Rocky Freund, Nueces River Authority, (361) 825-3193

Comment Deadline: June 8, 2010

Submit Comments:
Email comments to Rocky Freund rfreund@nueces-ra.org or mail comments to Nueces River Authority,
1201 N. Shoreline Blvd., Corpus Christi, TX 78401

2005 Regional Water Plan Review

The following general review is based on the 2005 Initially Prepared Regional Water Plan (IPP).

Regional Facts

Major Cities	Corpus Christi
Population: 2000	569,292
Population: 2060	885,665
Total Water Use: 2000	205,936 Acre-Feet
Total Water Use: 2060	308,577 Acre-Feet
Primary Rivers	Nueces, Frio
Major Aquifers	Gulf Coast, Carrizo-Wilcox
Annual Precipitation	24-36 Inches
Net Evaporation	40-52 Inches

Basic Plan Facts

Population is expected to grow by 63.7% between 2000 and 2060
Total project cost of proposed water supply measures: 1.36 Billion dollars
Projected Deficit: 46,084 Acre-feet
Two new reservoirs proposed: Lake Texana Stage II (Located within Region P) and the Off-Channel Reservoir Near Lake Corpus Christi

What's at Issue?

The Coastal Bend Region is home to a productive coastline that supports an abundance of natural resources and industries, including fishing and travel. The bays and estuaries are home to a host of wildlife including fish, shrimp, blue crabs, and endangered whooping cranes. One of the challenges this region faces is protecting freshwater inflows to the economically important bays.

Given this challenge and the fact that the Coastal Bend region is in a relatively dry area of the state it only makes sense for the region to plan to use water as efficiently as possible. Unfortunately the group's current water conservation target is not as strong as it should be. In addition, the plan overcompensates for projected demands by identifying strategies to meet over four times the projected needs, thereby creating projects that are unnecessary and potentially damaging to the environment.

Action Items

Here are some of the items the Region N Planning Group must address.

Conservation and Drought Management
For conservation and drought management, the plan needs to...

Revise their water conservation goal. The group's current water conservation target-a recommendation that water user groups that use more than 165 gallons per capita per day reduce consumption by 15%-is not nearly as strong as it should be.

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

Compare the costs of proposed water supply options in a consistent and reasonable manner. This should include municipal, agricultural and industrial water conservation, which is often the least expensive (and least environmentally damaging) supply option.

Groundwater Management
To ensure the long term viability of the state's groundwater resources, the plan needs to...

Adopt a clear definition of "sustainable management" and of the concept of "near sustainable management" that is proposed for some of the region's aquifers.
Discuss the potential impacts from withdrawing and/or transferring water from the Capitan Reef aquifer and the Dell City area to El Paso County including any potential impacts to springflow in the region.

Economics
To ensure that only the most economically sound water supply strategies are implemented, the plan needs to...

Compare the costs and benefits of the supply alternatives in a consistent and reasonable manner.

Online Resources

Regional water plan documents can be located on the TWDB website.


		View a comparison of current and projected water use for selected cities in Region N. View Case Study


		Contact the Regional Group Member who represents your interest. Contact Your Group Member Attend a Region N group meeting. Times and locations are posted on the TWDB website. Attend a Region N Meeting Here are just a few things you can do.


		Here's what happens if rain stays away Corpus Christi Caller Times, 8/2/09 Read Article Duval County gets Groundwater District Alice Echo-News Journal, 7/27/09 Read Article Climate Change Threatens Drinking Water, As Rising Sea Penetrates Coastal Aquifers ScienceDaily, 11/07/2007 Read Article That Sinking Feeling Texas Observer, 11/02/2007 Read Article A pipeline from river is possible for future Water management plan geared to area's growth Caller-Times, 9/22/2006 Read Article Bay feels effect of dry summer Caller-Times, 7/25/2005 Read Article Ways to manage water debated Caller-Times, 7/15/2005 Read Article Texas Bays and Wildlife Are at Risk: National Wildlife Federation Report Highlights Need for Changes in State Water Policy For Immediate Release: October 20, 2004 Read Press Release Report says Guadalupe in danger Victoria Advocate, 10/21/2004 Read Article When it comes to feeding Nueces Bay, nature's way should flow Corpus Christi Caller Times, 05/16/02 Read Article (Copyright 2001 Caller-Times Publishing Company. Linked with permission. All rights reserved.)