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The Texas Water Development Board met to discuss outreach efforts and consider action items, including approval of regional water plans.
 
Discussion regarding outreach efforts and activities by the Board.

  • 4 workshops completed, 9 more on the schedule

 
Consider authorizing the Executive Administrator and the CFO/Development Fund Manager to take all necessary actions for the issuance, sale and delivery of State of Texas Water Financial Assistance Bonds in one or more series in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $50,000,000 for the Economically Distressed Area Program (EDAP); and approving the selection of financial advisor, bond counsels and senior managing underwriter for the negotiation of the bond issue.

  • Bond pricing to take place in March 2016
  • May come back to board in January to request additional authorization for bonds for the D-fund 2 program
  • Adopted

 
Consider approving by resolution a request from the Ables Springs Water Supply Corporation (Kaufman County) for a loan in the amount of $1,215,000 from the Texas Water Development Fund to refinance existing debt associated with water system improvements.

  • Facility includes storage tanks, piping, distribution lines that will connect to existing water distribution system
  • This will make for significant savings
  • All environmental requirements have been met
  • Adopted

 
Consider approving by resolution a request from the Riverbend Water Resources District (Bowie County) for a $5,000,000 loan from the Texas Water Development Fund to finance the planning, and acquisition of TexAmericas Center (TAC) water and wastewater facilities.

  • District wants to build sustainable water supply for residents
  • District currently comprised of 16 organizations
  • Loan is callable
  • Adopted

 
Consider approving by resolution a request from the City of Willow Park (Parker County) for financial assistance of $1,039,350 consisting of a $995,000 loan and $44,350 in loan forgiveness from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund to finance planning, design and construction for water system improvements.

  • City park requesting funding for water lines
  • Received funding in 2013 but project delayed
  • Request is a continuation of last project
  • Adopted

 
Consider approving by resolution a request from the Harris County Municipal Utility District No. 50 (Harris County) for a $2,470,000 loan and $1,034,409 in loan forgiveness from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund to finance design and construction costs for the rehabilitation and upgrading of an existing water distribution system.

  • Financial Assistance to fund design and construction for water system improvements
  • Well evaluation and replacing water lines
  • Adopted

 
Consider approving by resolution a request from the City of Liberty (Liberty County) for a $900,000 loan from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund to finance planning, acquisition and design cost for rehabilitation of manholes to reduce inflow/infiltration and wastewater treatment plant work.

  • Requesting loan from for cost of waste water improvements to address infiltration and inflow problems
  • City will evaluate extending sewer service to unreached area
  • Adopted

 
Consider approving by resolution a request from the City of Liberty (Liberty County) for a $915,000 loan from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund to finance planning, acquisition and design costs for the rehabilitation of an existing groundwater well, proposed construction of new well and storage capacity improvements. Loan from drinking water for planning and design costs within water system.

  • Address water loss and pressure issues
  • Install a new well and booster pump station as well as rehabilitation of existing well and water lines
  • Adopted

 
Consider approving by resolution, a request from the City of Kosse (Limestone County) for financial assistance totaling $2,100,000, consisting of a $1,050,000 loan and $1,050,000 grant from the Economically Distressed Areas Program to finance the construction phase for new wells and water system improvements.

  • City of Kosse completed their last project with financial assistance in 2013, they are now moving on to construction phase
  • Funds are to construct new water wells and water system improvements 
  • Adopted

 
Consider approving by resolution a request from the Nueces River Authority (Real County) for a $16,547,000 grant from the Economically Distressed Areas Program, to finance the construction of a wastewater treatment plant, wastewater collection system and associated lift stations to provide first-time wastewater service to the City of Leakey and surrounding subdivisions.

  • Bids are currently under evaluation

 
Con Mims, Executive Director of Nueces River Authority

  • This grant is critical to water quality project in Leakey
  • Septic tanks need to be replaced for environmental protection
  • Final step in an effort that began years ago
  • Adopted

 
Consider approving by resolution a request from Kerr County for a $14,050,618 grant from the Economically Distressed Areas Program and a $5,110,000 loan and $11,700,273 in loan forgiveness from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund to finance the construction of a wastewater collection system and associated lift stations to provide first-time wastewater service to Center Point and surrounding areas in eastern Kerr County. Condition is dangerous

  • Nearly complete with design portion of the project
  • Request for funding and loan forgiveness as disadvantaged community
  • Adopted

 
Consider approving by resolution a request from Kerr County for a $185,000 loan and $416,000 in loan forgiveness from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund to finance acquisition costs associated with a new wastewater system intended to provide first-time wastewater service to Center Point and surrounding areas in eastern Kerr County.

  • Requesting to finance acquisition phase of Center Point Wastewater Project
  • Loan and loan forgiveness as disadvantaged community
  • Acquisition should be done in June 2016
  • Adopted

 
Consider approving by resolution a request from the Loop Water Supply Corporation (Gaines County) for $170,000 in loan forgiveness from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, to finance the planning, design, and construction of water treatment plant improvements; and a waiver of water loss requirement.

  • Corporation under EPA enforcement for Arsenic and Fluoride  
  • Water treatment plant improvements with total project cost of $560,000
  • Also funded through Department of Agriculture
  • Adopted

 
Consider approving by resolution a request from the City of Rio Hondo (Cameron County) for financial assistance in the amount of $1,960,215, consisting of a $300,000 loan and $1,660,215 in loan forgiveness from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund to finance water system improvements

  • Rehabilitation of city’s water system, received funding for planning previously
  • Request for construction phase
  • Loan and loan forgiveness as financially disadvantaged city
  • Adopted

 
Consider approving by resolution a request from the Port Mansfield Public Utility District (Willacy County) to amend TWDB Resolution No. 14-113 by extending the commitment period for financing certain water system improvements through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund and by changing the loan repayment pledge for the approved commitment.

  • Requesting to change loan pledge to only net revenues of water and waste water system
  • Adopted

 
Consider affirming by resolution the commitment to provide financial assistance from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund to the City of Fort Worth (Tarrant County) made in TWDB Resolution No. 08-92, and concurring in the Executive Administrator’s environmental finding.

  • Address problems with aged and deteriorating sewage lines – overflow and infiltration
  • Affirmation allows administrative approval for design and construction funds
  • Adopted

Consider adopting and authorizing publication of amendments to 31 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) §354.4 relating to the amended Memorandum of Understanding with the Texas Department of Agriculture.

  • Authorize adoption of amendments to 31 TAC 351.5
  • Legislature directed TWDB and TDA to coordinate for financially disadvantaged area
  • Maximizes delivery funds
  • Adopted

 
Consider authorizing the Executive Administrator to publish a request for applications in the Texas Register for Fiscal Year 2016 Agricultural Water Conservation Grants for a total amount not to exceed $600,000.

  • Allows eligible entities to apply for projects to provide technical assistance to agricultural producers
  • Funding for agricultural water conservation monitoring equipment
  • Feasibility study for development of statewide network of evapo-transferation stations
  • Study of irrigation efficiency in Texas
  • Detailed final report upon completion
  • Adopted

 
Consider authorizing the Executive Administrator to negotiate and execute inter-local cooperation contracts for participating groundwater conservation districts and river authorities no later than March 31, 2016; and amend the contract with INTERA, Incorporated to include an additional scope of work associated with the supplemental funding provided by participating parties and adjust the contract deadlines, as needed.

  • Two of originally contributing districts wanted to contribute additional funds
  • Increase makes total contract $772,000
  • Board authorized and completed
  • Increase the contract and recommends approval
  • Money to expand previous work, completion of the study
  • 6 months to 1 year to finish

 
Steve Box, Executive Director of Environmental Stewardship

  • Important project to enable improvements to groundwater management
  • Allows us to bring more science to decision process
  • Adopted

Consider authorizing the Executive Administrator to negotiate and execute research contracts from General Revenue funds in a total amount not to exceed $500,000 on or before October 31, 2016, in support of Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) Strategy A1.1 for the collection and analysis of environmental impact information in Texas streams, rivers, bays, and estuaries; and amend individual contracts as needed through contract negotiations such that the total of all contracts does not exceed $500,000.Allows EA to negotiate and execute research contracts

  • Proposal supports agency directives
  • $500,000 for 10 projects in FY16-FY17
  • Diverse studies targeted towards specific needs of different areas
  • Adopted

 
Five items are taken up together for consideration to authorize the Executive Administrator to negotiate and execute contracts for studies of environmental flows in different rivers

  • Five items are similar to studies approved in 2014
  • Priority environmental flows studies selected by stakeholder committees
  • Additional funding to refine work plans submitted between 2010 and 2013
  • Adopted

 
Consider authorizing the Executive Administrator to amend the Fiscal Year 2016 Joint Funding Agreement with the U.S. Geological Survey for the Water Resources Investigations data collection program to include up to $1,000,000 of additional funding for new streamflow gages and/or modification of existing gages.

  • Contract helps us collect accurate water data
  • Allows EA to add up to an additional $1 million if funds become available
  • Adopted

 
Briefing and discussion on the process of developing, adopting, and approving the 2016 Regional Water Plans.

  • TWDB required to approve state water plan every five years
  • Previous issues have been resolved
  • Thanks planners for all of their work – 14 of 16 regional planning groups adopted their plans by consensus
  • After approval data will be incorporated into state water plan – the final state water plan will be brought to TWDB this summer

 
15 items are taken up together for consideration to approve regional water plans

  • This is to approve 15 of the 16 regional water plans
  • Strategies provide wide variety of strategies for water management
  • Plans meet needs for most water user groups, but not all needs can be met feasibly
  • No interregional conflicts
  • Adopted

 
No Additional Public Comment
 
Meeting Adjourned