LCRA Board Approves MOU Proposing GBRA Collaboration

On May 21, the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) unanimously approved a memorandum of understanding between LCRA and the Greater Brazos River Authority (GBRA). According to the LCRA agenda, the collaboration described in the memorandum “provides opportunities for creative planning and solutions that could help meet the current and future water needs for both authorities’ respective water needs, particularly in areas near each others’ service area boundaries.”
 
Below is the MOU approved by LCRA:
 

WHEREAS, the Lower Colorado River Authority ("LCRA") is a conservation and reclamation district created under the authority of Article 16, Section 59 of the Constitution of the State of Texas, consisting of that part of the State of Texas lying within the boundaries of Blanco, Burnett, San Saba, Travis, Bastrop, Fayette, Colorado, Wharton and Matagorda Counties; and
WHEREAS, the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority ("GBRA") is a conservation and reclamation district created under the authority of Article 16, Section 59 of the Constitution of the State of Texas, consisting of that part of the State of Texas lying within the boundaries of Kendall, Hays, Comal, Guadalupe, Caldwell, Gonzales, De Witt, Victoria, Refugio, and Calhoun Counties; and
WHEREAS, LCRA and GBRA (collectively, the "Authorities") recognize that many parts of Texas, including portions in their respective service areas, are experiencing rapid growth, both in population and in the number of businesses and industries locating in Texas, which have significantly increased the need for water supply development and water services; and
WHEREAS, the persistent drought in Texas underscores the need for creative planning and the implementation of creative solutions to meet current and future water needs; and
WHEREAS, the Authorities recognize they can best serve their respective basins by long-term planning efforts and initiatives that will focus, where appropriate, on solutions to water needs that are regional or that transcend their service area boundaries; and,
WHEREAS, the Authorities recognize that cooperative efforts could be made in portions of their respective water service areas that are contiguous (the "Contiguous Areas") and those portions located close enough to one another to make cooperative projects feasible (the "Proximate Areas").
NOW, THEREFORE, the Authorities agree to institute long-term regional and trans-boundary planning processes and initiatives to address the water needs in areas of mutual concern, as follows:
 

Within their Contiguous and Proximate Areas, the Authorities shall:
 
1.1 Work to identify areas that may be best served by joint effort, or regional or trans-boundary water supply projects;


 
1.2 Identify sources of water, funding, and other resources that would be the most efficient resources for such projects;
 
1.3 Develop criteria for joint water supply planning efforts;
 
1.4 Gather and share data as they deem appropriate to the purposes of the Memorandum of Understanding;
 
1.5 Within the limits of each Authority's statutory authority and where appropriate to the purposes of this Memorandum of Understanding, carry out joint planning, financing, construction, and operation of cooperative, regional or interterritorial water supply projects; and,
 
1.6 Cooperate in the legislative and regulatory processes to address the issues necessary to carrying out the purposes of this Memorandum of Understanding.
 

 
2.1 The Effective Date of this Memorandum of Understanding shall be date when the last signer below is shown to have signed the Memorandum.
 
2.2 The Boards of Directors of each Authority shall review the accomplishments made under this Memorandum of Understanding and the desirability of its continued existence every five years; provided, however, that either of the undersigned Authorities may withdraw from this Memorandum by giving not less than 30 days written notice of withdrawal to the other Authority, and upon such withdrawal this Memorandum will terminate.
 
2.3 Each Authority shall specifically delineate its respective Contiguous and Proximate Areas to which this Memorandum of Agreement shall apply,
 
2.4 Nothing in this Memorandum wi11limit the ability of either Authority to pursue water supply planning and water resource development within their respective service area boundaries.