Do We Have Enough Water? Page: ATTACHMENT
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The Problem:
Not Enough WaterThe number of people in the Lower
Colorado Region (Region K) will dou-
ble by 2060. Most of this growth will
be in Austin and surrounding coun-
ties. As growing urban cities and rural
communities need more water, less
surface water will be available from the
Colorado River and Highland Lakes for
other uses.
Agriculture- especiallyricefarming-
will lack up to one-third of the sur-
face water it needs.
As demands increase over time, less
surface water will flow into Matago-
rda Bay.
Average lake levels will be lower in
lakes Buchanan and Travis.
These shortages could hurt the basin's
economy and natural resources:
Less surface water for rice farmers
could hurt the industry and the 4,000
jobs and $234 million it generates
annually for the basin's economy.
" Fishing and tourism industries could
be harmed if the flow of surface water
to the bay or estuaries significantly
declines over time.
Lake-related recreation that draws mil-
lions of dollars to the basin each year
could be affected by lower lake levels.
Irrigated agriculture in
the lower Colorado River
basin will see a decrease
in available water
supplies as the region's
population grows.Overcoming future surface water
shortages can be done, but it will be
expensive.
The Solution:
Sharing Water Resources
Region K isn't alone. The South Central
Texas Region (Region L) next door also
faces water shortages. Region L includes
fast-growing San Antonio, now the
seventh-largest city in the nation.
San Antonio has an aggressive and
highly effective water conservation
program but it won't be enough, due
to growth and federal restrictions on
using groundwater from the environ-
mentally sensitive Edwards Aquifer.
During the 2000 regional planning pro-
cess, Region L identified a dozen ways to
meet its shortages by taking groundwa-
ter and surface water supplies from the
lower Colorado River basin.
Instead of a long, costly fight over the
Colorado River, Region K, through
the Lower Colorado River Authority
(LCRA), and Region L, through the San
Antonio Water System (SAWS), decided
to work together to find a solution.
The result is a proposal to meet Region
K's future water shortages and some of
Region L's, too. San Antonio would pay
to conserve and develop water supplies
in the Colorado River basin. And thebasin's interests and natural resources
would be protected.
The Proposal:
Planning for the Future
The proposal has three strategies to con-
serve and develop water in the basin to
meet shortages, maintain the health of
Matagorda Bay, and keep average levels
of the Highland Lakes higher than they
would be without the project.
1. Conserve, or prevent loss of, surface
water used for irrigation in Colorado,
Wharton and Matagorda counties.
For example:
Improve canals and other irriga-
tion facilities.
Level fields with laser technology.
Plant more water-efficient rice.
2. Capture and store unused and excess
river flows in one or more holding
basins in the lower three counties.
3. Use a limited amount of groundwa-
ter together with surface water for
irrigation.
Use groundwater in the irrigation
divisions when surface water can't
meet demands.
" Limit the amount of groundwater
that can be used and comply with
state and local groundwater regula-
tions.
Use groundwater only for irriga-
tion in the lower three counties -
no groundwater would be sent to
San Antonio.
No more than 150,000 acre-feet* of
surface water a year would be sent by
pipeline to San Antonio. The water sale
contract between LCRA and SAWSRegion K and Region L water
planning groups identify
-ire water shortages during
regional water planning
ocess created by the Texas
egislature and the Texas
oment Board.LCRA and SAWS agree
to study a proposed water
supply project that would
benefit both regions.
Texas Legislature adopts
HB 1629 to set legal protec-
ions that must be met before
the project can proceed.LCRA and SAWS sign a
water supply contract, subject
to study phase findings.
LCRA holds public meetings
in the basin in January and
December to identify public
concerns and define an
in-depth study plan.N
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Reference the current page of this Pamphlet.
Lower Colorado River Authority. Do We Have Enough Water?, pamphlet, October 2006; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1544268/m1/2/?q=%22Science+and+Technology+-+Environmentalism%22: accessed July 9, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.