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The TWDB Water Rights Workgroup met September 17th to discuss the new viewer, water availability model updates, permitting and change of ownership updates, and watermaster updates. The agenda can be found here.

 

This report is intended to give you an overview and highlight of the discussions on the various topics taken up. It is not a verbatim transcript of the discussions but is based upon what was audible or understandable to the observer and the desire to get details out as quickly as possible with few errors or omissions.

 

Texas Surface Water Rights Viewer, Version 2.0

Kim Nygren, TCEQ Water Availability Division

  • Expanded content and room for more expanded content on viewer; Stalsby will do demo
  • John-Cody Stalsby, TCEQ – Viewer now a native web application, not just a map document; can now query by water rights owner and have access to all the details you need to know; can also now measure locations on the map
  • Yujuin Yang – Will viewer automatically update new water rights?
    • Yes, within a week of water right being issued

 

Water Availability Model Updates

Kathy Alexander, TCEQ Water Availability Division

  • HB 723 required TCEQ to develop updated models for river basins; final deliverables received by Aug. 31st, on schedule
  • Will be posting information to webpage; many deliverables have large file size, want input on which deliverables are most important to have access to
  • Included stream flow and evaporation information
  • Working to add into models the applications that were granted after models were created
  • Sarah Kirkle, Texas Water Conservation Association – Which basins were updated?
    • Brazos, Neches, Red, and Rio Grande Basins
  • Yang – What were the updates?
    • Models updated to expand hydrology through 2018; examined discrepancies in information; looked at existing gauges; data part pretty significant due to all the supporting information along with the water flow data

 

Legal Update

Ruth Takeda, TCEQ Attorney

  • Announces OLS retirement; Robert Martinez retired after 31 years

 

Permitting Update

Brooke McGregor, TCEQ Water Rights Permitting and Availability Section

  • Currently focused on administratively complete applications
  • Target processing time for applications is 90 days
  • In fiscal year, received 86 applications, 70 completed
  • HB 1964 related applications: received and completed 11
  • Fast track applications: received 34, completed 74 (many were received before fiscal year)
  • As of Sept. 13th, 126 pending applications (started out at 169), 19 have hearing requests
  • Starting Jan. 1, pre-application meetings will be required
  • Have made good progress is reducing backlog
  • New resource protection team leader, 4 vacancies still need to be filled
  • Yang – How many new diversion applications in Brazos River basin? Any major applications for Brazos basin?
    • Can see full list of applications sorted by basin on website
  • Peyton Lisenby, Brazos River Authority – Will PDF documents be available for the applications after the pages merge?
    • Yes, eventually; converting paper files into electronic ones

 

Change of Ownership Update

Joe Nicosia, TCEQ Water Rights Compliance Assurance

  • Looking into reducing time frames, in March response time was 127 days, now it’s about 47 days
  • Change attributed to staff, electronic payments
  • Total response of electronic water usage reports 43%; responses showed variability of users from individuals to cities; shows how versatile system was

 

Watermaster Update

Jose “Pepe” Davila, TCEQ Watermaster Section

  • Continuing to use COVID operations; witnessed higher level of electronic and virtual communication; video calls proving to be highly effective at conducting agency business
  • All 4 watermaster budgets were approved
  • September has been very wet month for some areas of the state; drought conditions correlated with areas that haven’t had a lot of rain this summer
  • For RG basin, programs delivered above usual in spite of pandemic; have filled 3 vacancies including watermaster deputy positions; still one deputy position vacant in Harlingen
  • Mexico has 12% of normal capacity; RGV continuing to get rain, regular peak demand did not materialize but will expect winter irrigation; upper RG has yet to receive significant rainfall
  • TCEQ meets with Mexico as part of technical work group looking at water availability
  • South TX program needs to fill one vacancy; have had several complaints concentrated in oil and gas operations; pumping schedule has been an issue in upper Guadalupe River
  • Concho rainfall increased in summer, reservoir has significant storage due to that; need to fill one vacancy in DFW area; irrigation minimal, suppressed by rainfall; 98.6% storage

 

Final Q&A

  • Aaron Abel, Brazos River Authority – Kathy mentioned updated reports, when will they be posted to website? Any timeline?
    • Could be more phased matter, but want to cater to group needs
    • Abel – Will reach out to you to coordinate
  • Ken Kramer, Sierra Club – Now that lands for 4 basins have been updated, which other basins should be updated should TCEQ get additional funding?
    • Don’t know at time; 2 other basins that were updated by others (Colorado, Sulfur basins); depends on direction from legislature