Highlights of 2006 Regional Plan

KEY POINTS

  • Municipal population will more than triple, to over 3.8 million, by 2060.
  • Municipal water demand, now about 230,000 acre-feet (AF) per year is projected to swell to almost 626,000 AF/year.
  • Conventional supplies of water from the Amistad and Falcon reservoir System on the Rio Grande will diminish, declining from1.12 million AF/year to 1.08 million AF/yr in 2060.
  • Unless water management strategies are implemented, water users will be short nearly 600,000 AF/yr by 2060.
  • The total price tag to cover initial capital costs for implementing all recommended strategies totals more than $13 billion.
  • Annual costs for proposed water management strategies total $152 million for municipal strategies and $82 million for irrigation strategies.
  • Municipal water suppliers comprise the overwhelming majority of users needing additional supplies over the next 50 years. But advanced municipal water conservation, the cheapest water management strategy identified, will yield only 19,000 AF/year.
  • Improvements in agricultural water use can produce the most significant water savings at the most economical costs. More than 438,000 AF/yr could be saved in irrigation systems and on-farm improvements, compared to less than 325,000 AF/yr in savings from municipal strategies.
  • While municipal projects can readily access state and federal funding sources, few similar options exist for agricultural projects: only 10 percent of irrigation system conveyance improvements and only 40 percent of on-farm improvements can be funded locally.
  • Further evaluation, local buy-in, and funding are needed to implement recommended water management strategies.

GRAPHS (will open in a pop-up window)

SUMMARY

The Planning Group found that by 2060, the area’s population is projected to more than triple, from 1.2 million in the year 2000 to over 3.8 million in the year 2060. This growth will mainly be in municipal populations. Municipal water usage will likewise swell from 230,000 AF/yr to 626,000 AF/yr. Because water supplies, mainly from the Amistad and Falcon Reservoir System, will remain steady or slightly decrease, new water supply strategies need to be found and implemented. If water needs go unmet, the socioeconomic impact would be considerable: $2 billion lost in income; 26,000 lost jobs; $75 million lost in taxes.

A multi-pronged plan to meet water supply needs over the next 50 years should include:

• Optimizing available water from the Rio Grande, through acquisition of water rights
• Diversifying water supplies, potentially through desalination of sea water or brackish groundwater, and/or developing other mechanisms for water reuse
• On-farm irrigation conservation measures
• Improvements to irrigation conveyance methods
• Improvements to municipal water conservation
• Ensuring Mexico’s compliance with international water treaties

Total annual implementation costs for the suggested municipal Water Management Strategies is $152 million, likely to be financed by 40% bonds, 33% federal government programs, 16% state government programs, 8% cash reserves, and 3% other methods.

Total annual implementation costs for the suggested irrigation Water Management Strategies is $82 million ($56 million on-farm conservation and $26 million irrigation conveyance system improvements). The on-farm conservation strategies are likely to be funded 40% from local sources and 60% from outside sources. The irrigation conveyance improvements are likely to be funded 10% from local sources and 90% from outside sources.

Further action is needed before the improvements suggested by the Planning Group can be implemented. Issues and strategies must face additional in-depth evaluation by planners and engineers. Local buy-in and action for implementation are key to success, as the costs of the improvements are likely to be borne largely by local ratepayers. Finally, funding will need to be secured. This funding will come from both local ratepayers and governmental sources. The Planning Group recommends new public funding sources be developed for the purposes of irrigation conservation programs, as these programs have long-term benefits for the whole region.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Many of the issues and needs of the region arise from the fact that the Rio Grande is an international river whose waters are shared by the U.S. and Mexico. No other regional water planning area faces this reality. Consequently, the recommendations made by the Rio Grande RWPG for action to address regional water needs are divided into two categories: some recommendations fall within the authority of the State of Texas; others must be addressed through the auspices of the International Boundary and Water Commission and/or other international and federal agencies. Summaries of recommendations are presented below.

State Issues

  • The State of Texas should consider factors other than merely population in funding the planning process in Region M because of the unique circumstances affecting water supply in the area.
  • The State should continue financing brackish groundwater projects and the demonstration seawater desalination project as means to increase water supply alternatives in the region.
  • The State should authorize the Rio Grande Watermaster to manage the Rio Grande WAM and should fully appropriate to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality fees paid by Rio Grande water right holders.
  • The State should assist in finding new technical and financial resources to help the region combat aquatic weeds and salt cedar and thus protect its water supplies.
  • The State should continue providing technical and financial resources to fully develop the regional GAM.
  • The State should amend the planning process to allow for treating each irrigation district with the region as a WUG, rather than as part of “County-Other,” in order to allow for development of individual water management strategies for the districts.
  • The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality should provide assistance to the Rio Grande RWPG as it reviews rules on converting water rights from one use to another and considers appropriate rule amendments, if necessary.
  • Entities within the region are encouraged to cooperate to resolve water issues through such means as regional water and wastewater utilities.
  • The formation of groundwater conservation districts is encouraged as a means to protect groundwater supplies.
  • The State should appropriate sufficient funds to the Texas Railroad Commission to allow for capping abandoned oil and gas wells that threatened groundwater supplies.
  • The Texas Legislature should provide technical and financial assistance to implement water management strategies identified in the regional water plans.
  • The Texas Legislature should appropriate funds to continue the regional water planning process.
  • The Texas Legislature should appropriate funds to the Texas Water Development Board to implement and provide assistance to water user groups in developing and implementing appropriate Advanced Water Conservation measure, including a statewide public outreach and education program.

National and International Issues

  • The International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC) should renew efforts to ensure that Mexico complies with Minute 309 and set in place means to achieve full compliance with the 1944 Treaty.
  • The United States and Mexico should reinforce the powers and duties of both Sections of the IBWC.
  • The Minute 309 conservation projects funded by the North American Development Bank and other projects funded by national and international agencies to modernize and improve the facilities of irrigation districts in the Rio Grande Basin should be supported and given priority.
  • The conservation irrigation projects currently underway through the Bureau of Reclamation for improvement to the irrigation systems of irrigation districts in the Rio Grande Basin in the United States should be supported and implemented.
  • For purposes of clarity, the IBWC should approve a Minute setting out the definition of “extraordinary drought.”
  • Accounting of water between the United States and Mexico pursuant to the 1944 Treaty should be consistent with the 1906 Convention.
  • For better water management in the Lower Reach of the Rio Grande, downstream of Anzalduas Dam, both countries should reaffirm operational policies that Mexico continue to take its share of waters through the Anzalduas canal diversion.
  • IBWC should convene a binational meeting of water planners and water use stakeholders in both countries within six months following completion of the annual water accounting in which an annual deficit in flows from the named Mexican tributaries in the 1944 Treaty occurs.
  • IBWC should restore the Rio Grande below Fort Quitman, Texas.
  • The IBWC should assume all local and regional financial responsibility for upkeep and maintenance of El Morillo Drain.
  • IBWC should coordinate bilateral efforts to review and evaluate existing sources of data regarding groundwater development in both countries in the Rio Grande Basin below Fort Quitman to the Gulf of Mexico.
  • Regional watershed planning should be encouraged on both sides of the Rio Grande throughout the basin.
  • Interstate compacts between affected states in Mexico should be encouraged.

ORDERING INFORMATION

A compact disc containing the complete 2006 Water Plan can be purchased for $10 from LRGVDC:

Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council
311 N. 15th Street
McAllen, Texas - 78501-4705
voice: 956.682.3481 fax: 956.631.4670
info@lrgvdc.org

Payments must accompany all orders. Checks, cashier's checks and/or money orders are acceptable. Make payable to LRGVDC, and please allow up to ten (10) working days for delivery. All prices include postage and handling.

Additionally, the complete plan may be viewed at the Texas Water Development Board's Regional Water Plans web page.