TX: Texas Water Development Board Formally Approves Eight Regional Water Plans
Source: TWDB
- Region C: Mr. Jerry Chapman, General Manager of the Greater Texoma Utility Authority, Denton, Texas;
- North East Texas RWPG: Mr. Ray Flemons, project manager for the consultant team that prepared the plan;
- Far West Texas RWPG: Mr. Tom Beard, RWPG Chair, Mr. Jake Brisbin, Executive Director of the Rio Grande Council of Governments, and Barbara Kauffman, Project Manager for the Rio Grande Council of Governments;
- Brazos G RWPG: Mr. John Garth, former Bell County Judge and current Chair of the Brazos G RWPG;
- Region H RWPG: Mr. Jim Adams, Chair of the Region H RWPG; Plateau Water Planning Group: Mr. Jonathan Letz, RWPG Chair and Kerr County Commissioner;
- Lower Colorado RWPG: Mr. John Burke, RWPG Chair and General Manager of the Aqua Water Supply Corporation, Bastrop, and Dr. Jobaid Rabir, Assistant Chief Water Resources Planner for LCRA; and
- Llano Estacado RWPG: Mr. James Mitchell, President and Mr. Jim Conkwright, General Manager, High Plains Underground Water Conservation District.
"We are especially happy and proud to formally approve the plans for each of these regions," said Chairman Madden. "These regional water plans embody months of hard work and cooperation among Texans throughout the state who are dedicated to providing sufficient supplies of quality water to the residents of these areas."
The sixteen RWPGs were responsible for assessing the needs
for water in their regions during drought-of-record conditions, based
on population projections through the year 2050. Each of the plans
contains strategies for water conservation, management, and
mitigation in order to meet the projected needs. The plans also
considered environmental impacts of the suggested strategies, specifically those strategies impacting flows to bays and estuaries,
and instream flows.
Regional water planning statute and rules provide that the TWDB formally approve the adopted regional water plans. In order to be formally approved, the plans must be developed according to regional and state planning rules, and be free from interregional conflicts.
Fifteen of the sixteen regional plans have now been formally approved by the Board. The TWDB anticipates that the formal approval process will be completed by Summer 2001. The TWDB will then submit a comprehensive State Water Plan to the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and appropriate Legislative committees by January 5, 2002.