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The Texas Water Development Board met on Monday, October 26 to discuss House Bill 30 with stakeholders. Time was allowed for comments and question from the public.
 
Presentation of HB 30 – Larson, Relating to the development of seawater and brackish groundwater.

  • HB 30 directs TWDB to designate brackish groundwater production zones and to work with GCDs and stakeholders when identifying and designating brackish groundwater production zones
  • TWDB will produce a report every two years and make recommendations regarding reasonable monitoring to observe the effects of brackish groundwater production within the designated zones
  • Four aquifers will be included in the December 1, 2016 report to the legislature
    • Gulf Coast
    • Carrizo-Wilcox (between the Colorado River and the Rio Grande)
    • Blaine
    • Rustler
  • Remaining aquifers in the state will be completed by December 1, 2022
  • Brackish Resources Aquifer Characterization System (BRACS)
    • Objective is to map in sufficient detail the brackish groundwater resources of each major and minor aquifer
    • Collect and load data into BRACS database and GIS datasets
    • Maintain collection of well reports and geophysical well logs
  • Groundwater that is slightly saline (1,000 to 3,000 mg/L) and moderately saline (3,000-10,000 mg/L) are considered brackish

 
TWDB Approach

  • Initial stakeholder meeting
  • Map entire brackish groundwater resource for each aquifer
  • Propose potential production areas in each aquifer in a stakeholder meeting
  • TWDB staff prioritizes potential areas
  • Perform impact analysis of 20 and 50 year pumping
  • Propose brackish groundwater production zones to TWDB Executive Administrator
  • Present Executive Administrator’s recommendations to TWDB in public meeting
  • Present study findings in biennial seawater and brackish groundwater report to Legislature due December 1, of each even-numbered year
  • 2016 contracts
    • Blaine
    • Carrizo-Wilcox
    • Gulf Coast
    • Rustler
  • 2017 Contracts:
    • Blossom
    • Nacatoch
    • Trinity
  • Remaining aquifers to be studied by 12/2022

 
TWDB Major Questions to be Answered

  • HB 30 says “the board shall identify and designate local or regional brackish groundwater production zones in areas of the state with moderate to high availability and productivity of brackish groundwater that are separated by hydrogeologic barriers sufficient to prevent significant impacts to water availability or water quality in any area of the same or other aquifers that have an average total dissolved solids level of 1,000 mg/L or less at the time of designation of the zones.
    • How should we define “significant impacts”?
      • Is this based strictly on water levels or could it also be based on water quality?
    • How should we define “hydrogeologic barriers”?
      • Some barriers are obviously hydrogeologic, but some barriers could be defined in different ways
  • HB 30 says “Brackish groundwater production zones are not located in an aquifer that has an average total dissolved solids level more than 1,000 mg/L and is serving as a significant source of water supply for municipal, domestic, or agricultural purposes at the time of designation of the zones or an area of a geologic stratum that is designated or used for wastewater injection through the use of injection wells or disposal wells permitted under Chapter 27”
    • How should we define significant source?
      • This definition could vary greatly depending on the surrounding area

 
Public Comments and Questions

  • Paul Weatherby, Middle Pecos Groundwater Conservation District mentions says we need to protect springs and wants an exemption for the Rustler in Pecos County
  • Will there be a rulemaking process?
    • There is an internal debate about if a rulemaking process will be necessary for definitions
  • There are a few comments made that “a significant source of water supply” could have different definitions for different areas – some rural areas may have small amounts of brackish groundwater, but they are significant to farmers in the area
  • Is TWDB working with Railroad Commission?
    • They are working closely with Railroad Commission who has valuable GIS data

 
The meeting is adjourned. Public input may be provided before October 30, 2015 in written comments submitted to Dr. Sanjeev Kalaswad at Sanjeev.kalaswad@twdb.texas.gov.