Rio Grande Regional Water Planning Group

Socioeconomic Impacts of Projected Water Shortages for the Rio Grande Regional Water Planning Area (Region M)

Administrative rules require that regional water planning groups evaluate the impacts of not meeting water needs as part of the regional water planning process, and rules direct staff of the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) to provide technical assistance: “The executive administrator shall provide available technical assistance to the regional water planning groups, upon request, on water supply and demand analysis, including methods to evaluate the social and economic impacts of not meeting needs” [(§357.7 (4)(A)]. Staff of the TWDB’s Water Resources Planning Division designed and conducted the following report in support of the Rio Grande Regional Water Planning Group (Region M).

This document summarizes the results of their analysis and discusses the methodology used to generate the results. Section 1 outlines the overall methodology and discusses approaches and assumptions specific to each water use category (i.e., irrigation, livestock, mining, steam-electric, municipal and manufacturing). Section 2 presents the results for each category where shortages are reported at the regional planning area level and river basin level. Results for individual water user groups are not presented, but are available upon request.

Read the report here.

Planning Group Honors Board Members

The Rio Grande Regional Water Planning Group honored retiring board member Roberto Gonzalez during its June 2, 2010 meeting. Mr. Gonzalez served as general manager of the City of Eagle Pass Water Works System for more than 27 years, representing municipalities on the planning group board since 1998.

Born in Zaragoza, Mexico, Mr. Gonzalez attended Uvalde and Eagle Pass public schools before graduating from Texas A&I University. He was the first Mexican-American city manager of Eagle Pass when he was first hired in 1977. He has been an active member of his community, participating in various civic and regional initiatives, including serving as board president for Futuro Empowerment Zone Inc.

Because of his retirement from the City of Eagle Pass, Mr. Gonzalez is also resigning his position on the Region M board.

The board’s vice chairman, Jim Darling, presented Mr. Gonzalez with a plaque honoring his many years of service.

The board also observed a moment of silence in honor of former board member Charles Browning, Jr., who passed away in May. Mr. Browning was the general manager of the North Alamo Water Supply Corporation. He was a charter member of the Rio Grande Regional Water Planning Group, representing water utilities.

Roberto Gonzalez receives a plaque recognizing his service.

Updated IPP Chapters Available for Review and Comment

Updated chapters of the Initially Prepared Plan (IPP) are available for public review and comment. Public comments are still being accepted through June 28 at the contact information listed at the bottom of the page. The original versions of all ten chapters are also available at the bottom of this page.

Read the updated IPP by downloading the following chapters:

• Chapter 1 – Introduction - General Overview of Regional Water Planning & Senate Bill One
• Chapter 2 – Current and Projected Population & Water Demand for the Rio Grande Region
• Chapter 3 – Evaluation of the Adequacy of Current Water Supplies
• Chapter 4 – Identification, Evaluation, & Selection of Water Management Strategies Based on Needs
• Chapter 5 – Impacts of Water Management Strategies on Key Water Parameters of Water Quality and Impacts of Moving Water from Rural and Agricultural Areas
• Chapter 6 – Consolidated Water Conservation & Drought Management Strategy Recommendations of the Regional Water Plan
• Chapter 7 – Long-Term Protection of the State’s Water Resources, Agricultural Resources, and Natural Resources
• Chapter 8 – Unique Stream Segments/Reservoir Sites/Legislative Recommendations
• Chapter 9 – Intrastructure Financing Report
• Chapter 10 – Public Participation, Facilitation and Plan Implementation Issues
• Executive Summary

For those desiring to edit the chapters by typing comments directly into the files, Word docs are also available. Keep in mind that fonts and formatting may not transfer to your version of Word.

Rio Grande Regional Water Planning Group Solicitation of Nominations

The Rio Grande Regional Water Planning Group (RGRWPG) is seeking nominations to fill vacancies on the voting membership. Nominations will be accepted for one (1) vacancy in the County Category, and (1) vacancy in the Small Business Category.

Nominations will be open until positions are filled.

Nominations must be submitted in written form to the RGRWPG Executive Committee, c/o Kenneth N. Jones, Jr., Executive Director of the Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council (LRGVDC), 311 North 15th Street, McAllen, Texas 78501-4705.

Details regarding eligibility criteria for the interest categories identified, the conditions of membership, and other questions regarding objectives of the RGRWPG may be obtained by contacting the LRGVDC at the above address or by calling 956-682-3481.

Region M Holds Public Hearings on Initially Prepared Plan

The Rio Grande Regional Water Planning Group (Region M) held two public hearings in April on its Initially Prepared Plan (IPP), which is an updated version of the 2005-06 regional water plan. The first public hearing was held on April 21, 2010 at Weslaco City Hall, with the second public hearing occurring on April 28, 2010 at the Laredo Public Library. At both hearings, interested people came to learn more about what will be included in the plan.

Audience members asked questions about where the plan’s population numbers come from, where the Laredo brackish groundwater desalination project will be built, what the lower Valley thinks of Laredo’s plan to build a low-water weir, and if impacts to the area’s endangered species are being considered in the plan. The planning group’s consultant, Jake White of NRS Consulting Engineers, answered their questions. At the Laredo hearing, the city’s director of utilities, Tomas M. Rodriguez, Jr., also answered many questions.

Residents in the Rio Grande Regional Water Planning area (Maverick, Webb, Zapata, Jim Hogg, Starr, Hidalgo, Cameron, and Willacy Counties) are encouraged to read the updated plan and send comments to the planning group before the June 28, 2010 deadline.

Each chapter of the plan can be downloaded and read below, along with instructions on how and where to send comments.

Region M board members attend the first public hearing in Weslaco.		Consultant Jake White answers questions while Sonny Hinojosa and Sonia Lambert listen.
A Laredo television station interviews consultant Jake White.		The City of Laredo’s Utilities Director Tomas Rodriguez listens while Mayor Raul G. Salinas discuss his water concerns.
Audience members ask questions in Laredo.

Water Planning Group Adopts IPP; Public Notice: Dates Set for Public Hearings

The Rio Grande Regional Water Planning Group (RGRWPG) adopted its Initially Prepared Plan (IPP) during a public meeting on February 17, 2010. The IPP updates information previously contained in the 2006 regional water plan. The updates to the Rio Grande Regional Water Plan, like those of the state’s other regions, will be incorporated into the 2011 State Water Plan.

Public hearings on the IPP were set for Wednesday, April 21, at 10 a.m. at the Weslaco City Hall Legislative Chamber, 255 S. Kansas St., Weslaco, TX 78596, and Wednesday, April 28, at 11 a.m. at the Laredo Public Library located at 1120 Calton Road. Electronic copies of the chapters are linked below; hard copies of the chapters are available for public review in each county's County Clerk office, and in one library in each county, as well as the LRGVDC office. Click here to read the full public notice, which includes county clerk and library locations.

Read the IPP by downloading the following chapters:

• Chapter 1 – Introduction - General Overview of Regional Water Planning & Senate Bill One
• Chapter 2 – Current and Projected Population & Water Demand for the Rio Grande Region
• Chapter 3 – Evaluation of the Adequacy of Current Water Supplies
• Chapter 4 – Identification, Evaluation, & Selection of Water Management Strategies Based on Needs
• Chapter 5 – Impacts of Water Management Strategies on Key Water Parameters of Water Quality and Impacts of Moving Water from Rural and Agricultural Areas
• Chapter 6 – Consolidated Water Conservation & Drought Management Strategy Recommendations of the Regional Water Plan
• Chapter 7 – Long-Term Protection of the State’s Water Resources, Agricultural Resources, and Natural Resources
• Chapter 8 – Unique Stream Segments/Reservoir Sites/Legislative Recommendations
• Chapter 9 – Intrastructure Financing Report
• Chapter 10 – Public Participation, Facilitation and Plan Implementation Issues

Please send written comments on the IPP to:

Mr. Ken Jones LRGVDC Executive Director 311 N. 15th St. McAllen, TX 78501 Fax (956) 631-4670

Mr. J. Kevin Ward, Executive Administrator Texas Water Development Board 1700 N. Congress Austin, Texas 78711-3231

For additional information please contact Mr. Jones at (956) 682-3481. The deadline for comments is 60 days after the Laredo public hearing, or June 28, 2010.

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