MEMBERS PRESENT: James Adams, Chairman, Roosevelt Alexander, John R. Bartos, John Blount, Robert Bruner, Mark Evans, Jason Fluharty, Mary Alice Gonzalez, Carolyn Johnson, Susan Morgan, Ron Neighbors, Bill Roberts, Jack Searcy, Jr., Michael S. Sullivan , Jeff Taylor, William Teer, Steve Tyler, Danny Vance, and C. Harold Wallace.

DESIGNATED ALTERNATES: Jace Houston alternate for Marvin Marcell.

MEMBERS ABSENT: Jack Harris, Robert Istre, David Jenkins, Marvin Marcell, James Morrison, and James Murray

PRESIDING: James Adams, Chairman

Mr. Adams stated that Jace Houston is the alternate for Marvin Marcell.

Mr. Adams explained that the minutes were not yet available for distribution and would be considered at the December 1, 2004, meeting.

1. Recognize expanded use of groundwater, when compliant with local groundwater conservation district rules, as a water management strategy for Utility Districts in Brazoria, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, and Montgomery counties.

Motion by Ms. Johnson to approve amendment with the inclusion of language regarding the Subsidence Districts. Second by Mr. Vance. Motion carried unanimously.

2. Add water supply from the City of Houston as a water management strategy option for Utility Districts in eastern Fort Bend County.

Motion by Mr. Searcy to approve amendment as presented. Second by Ms. Gonzalez.

Motion carried unanimously.

3. Add wastewater reuse, the permitting of additional yield in Lake Houston, and the permitting of unappropriated flows in the San Jacinto River as a water management strategy for the City of Houston and the San Jacinto River Authority.

Motion by Mr. Vance to approve amendment as presented. Second by Ms. Johnson.

Motion carried. (16-2) Mr. Adams abstained.

4. Add the permitting of interruptible supplies from Buffalo, Brays, Sims, and White Oak Bayous as a water management strategy for the City of Houston.

Motion by Mr. Sullivan to approve amendment as presented. Second by Mr. Blount.

Motion carried. (17-2)

5. Add the redesignation of Chambers-Liberty Counties Navigation District supplies from irrigation use to mixed irrigation, municipal, or manufacturing use as a water management strategy option for Chambers County.

Motion by Mr. Sullivan to approve amendment as presented. Second by Mr. Neighbors. Motion carried unanimously.

6. Add the permitting of additional supplies from the Brazos River System as a water management strategy for the Brazos River Authority.

Motion by Mr. Sullivan to approve amendment as presented. Second by Mr. Wallace.

Motion carried. (17-2)

7. Add wastewater reuse as a water management strategy for the North Harris County Regional Water Authority.

A discussion ensued regarding a proposal to approve additional studies at a cost of $150,000, but the money might not be available from the TWDB until September of 2005.

Motion by Mr. Searcy not to approve the authorization request. Second by Mr. Bartos.

Motion carried unanimously.

The consultant team presented data related to surface and groundwater supplies and demands for the 2006 Regional Plan. Estimated 2060 projected yield of surface water availability from wholesale water providers will be 2,591,575 acre-feet/year. The estimated 2060 water shortages are predicted at 278,661 acre-feet, which will leave a surplus of 1,966,003 acre-feet in the year 2060. Not all of the surplus is available for Region H users.

The Committed Water Supplies and Draft Shortages by County for the 2001 and 2006 Plans were discussed. Many of the shortages would be taken care of with new contracts.

Received reports on updates and evaluations of the following feasible water management strategies from the 2001 Regional Water Plan for possible inclusion in the 2006 Regional Water Plan:

1. Allens Creek Reservoir:
1. Description: An off-channel reservoir in Austin County used to capture and store peak flows in the Brazos River.
2. Sponsor: BRA and Houston
3. Yield: 99,650 acre-feet/year
4. Unit Cost: $131/ac-ft
5. Total Cost: $170 million
6. Decade: 2020
2. Little River Reservoir:
1. Description: Main stem reservoir on Little River in Milam County, above the confluence with the Brazos River.
2. Sponsor: BRA
3. Yield: 129,000 acre-feet/year
4. Unit Cost: $228/ac-ft
5. Total Cost: $384 million
6. Decade: 2040

3. Bedias Reservoir:
1. Description: Reservoir on Bedias Creek in Madison County, above Lake Livingston.
2. Sponsor: SJRA and TRA
3. Yield: 90,700 acre-feet/year
4. Unit Cost: $121/ac-ft
5. Total Cost: $143 million
6. Decade: 2030

 

4. SJRA/Bedias Inter-basin Transfer:
1. Description: Pump station and pipeline to move Bedias yield to Lake Conroe..
2. Sponsor: SJRA
3. Size: 75,000 acre-feet/year
4. Unit Cost: $85/ac-ft (transfer cost)

$206/ac-ft (including water cost)

5. Decade: 2030

5. Houston/TRA Contract for Livingston Supply:
1. Description: Purchase of existing supply to meet needs in Harris County.
2. Sponsor: Houston and TRA
3. Yield: 200,000 acre-feet/year
4. Unit Cost: TBD
5. Decade: 2010
6. Luce Bayou Inter-basin Transfer:
1. Description: Conveyance to move Lake Livingston supply into the San Jacinto basin (Lake Houston).
2. Sponsor: Houston
3. Yield: 302,500 acre-feet/year
4. Unit Cost: $31/ac-ft
5. Total Cost: $91 million
6. Decade: 2020
7. Houston/GCWA Transfer:

1. Description: Sale and conveyance of Lake Livingston supply to GCWA through a pipeline from Bayport to Texas City
2. Sponsor: GCWA and Houston
3. Yield: 23,000 acre-feet/year
4. Unit Cost: $246/ac-ft
5. Total Cost: $68 million
6. Decade: 2050
8. SJRA/CLCND Contract
1. Description: SJRA purchase of water rights from Chambers-Liberty Counties Navigation District to meet demands in the Trinity-San Jacinto Coastal Basin
2. Sponsor: SJRA
3. Yield: 30,000 acre-feet/year
4. Unit Cost: TBD
5. Decade: 2000

The next two meetings will be scheduled for December 1, 2004 and January 5, 2005.

Highly Ranked Items/Issues:

• Interbasin Transfers
• Inter-regional cooperation / Inter-regional water sharing
• Watershed planning / source water protection
• Public – Private Partnerships
• Reuse (including basin-specific assessment of reuse potential and impacts)
• Standardized methods/policy for determining groundwater availability
• Desalination of seawater and brackish water

Environmental Category – Highly Ranked Items:

• Bays & estuaries
• Instream flows
• Sustainable growth, including impacts of growth
• Watershed planning/source water protection
• Integrating water quality and water supply considerations
• Environmental criteria to measure and maintain a sound ecological environment.

Bill Roberts reported that the TWDB was working on streamlining the amendment process and that Regional Water Planning Guidelines require that each Regional Water Planning Group evaluate social and economic impacts of projected water needs as part of the regional planning process.

Wednesday, December 1, 2004

San Jacinto River Authority

Lake Conroe Dam

1577 Dam Site Road

Conroe, Texas