Evaluating Basins for Possible Watermaster Programs

Nine stakeholder meetings are being held in June as part of the evaluation process.

A list of draft options is available for each area being considered.

Under this legislation, we must:

• Evaluate each river basin or coastal basin that does not have a watermaster
• Assess whether or not there is a need to appoint a watermaster in that basin
• Report our findings to the Legislature
• At least once every five years, repeat this assessment in each basin

Basins being evaluated

To comply with this law we are evaluating these four basins this year:

• Brazos River Basin
• Brazos-Colorado Coastal Basin
• Colorado River Basin
• Colorado-Lavaca Coastal Basin

As we evaluate each basin, we will consider these questions:

• Has there been a court order to create a watermaster?
• Have we received a petition requesting a watermaster?

• Have senior water rights been threatened in that basin, based on any factors such as:

• senior calls made,
• water shortages, or
• water-right complaints received?

Preliminary Evaluation Results

In response to our request for written input, several stakeholders in these basins made comments. With those comments in mind, we prepared these preliminary evaluations:

• Colorado Area - including the Colorado River Basin and the Colorado-Lavaca Coastal Basin
• Brazos Area - including the Brazos River Basin and the Brazos-Colorado Coastal Basin

Each preliminary evaluation lists options we have prepared for each basin.

In June, we will be holding meetings to get more input from the stakeholders in each basin.

Stakeholder meetings

We are holding nine public stakeholder meetings within the basins being evaluated.

TCEQ staff mailed a letter to water right holders, county judges and extension agents, and other interested parties with information on the meetings.

During each meeting we welcome your input, and request written comments after the stakeholder meetings.  We request your written comments by July 6, 2012.

• 6:00 p.m. – June 4, 2012 (Rosenberg)

Fort Bend County Fair Ground, Building B
4310 Highway 36 South
Rosenberg, Texas 77471

• 6:00 p.m. – June 6, 2012 (College Station)

TEEX Emergency Service Training Institute
Building No. 25 (H.D. Smith), Room 122A
1595 Nuclear Science Road
College Station, Texas 77843

• 6:00 p.m. – June 7, 2012 (San Saba)

San Saba High School Cafeteria
104 South 8th Street
San Saba, Texas 76877

• 6:00 p.m. – June 12, 2012 (Lubbock)

First Christian Church of Lubbock
2323 Broadway
Lubbock, Texas 79401

• 6:00 p.m. – June 13, 2012 (Big Spring)

Dora Roberts Community Center
100 Whipkey Drive
Big Spring, Texas 79720

• 6:00 p.m. – June 14, 2012 (San Angelo)

C.J. Davidson Conference Center
Angelo State University
2601 West Avenue N
San Angelo, Texas 76904

• 6:00 p.m. – June 15, 2012 (Wharton)

Wharton Civic Center
1924 North Fulton Street
Wharton, Texas 77488

• 6:00 p.m. – June 18, 2012 (Waco)

Texas Farm Bureau Conference & Training Center
J.W. Hammond Auditorium
7410 Fish Pond Road
Waco, Texas 76710

• 6:00 p.m. – June 21, 2012 (Fredericksburg)

Pioneer Pavilion
Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park
164 Recreation Loop
Fredericksburg, Texas 78624

How can I participate?

Review the options for watermaster programs that staff developed, and attend a stakeholder meeting.  Please make sure that we receive your written comments no later than July 6, 2012.

We are asking for input from:

• water-right holders
• D&L (domestic and livestock) users
• river authorities
• agricultural, industrial and environmental organizations
• other interested parties

If you know of other people or organizations that might want to participate, let them know or have them contact our watermaster program liaisons.

By Letter

If you want to comment by letter, address it to:

Manager, Watermaster Section (MC-160)
PO Box 13087
Austin TX 78711-3087

By E-mail

We will also accept written comment by e-mail to:

waterm12@tceq.texas.gov

You may put your comment in the body of the e-mail or include it as an attachment. Let us know which basin your comments are for.

How will you use my input?

Staff considered the written comments we received during the initial outreach effort to develop the preliminary options.  We will use input resulting from the stakeholder meetings to prepare our evaluation.

What is the timeline for these evaluations?

We plan to follow this general schedule for the rest of the evaluation process:

• June — Hold stakeholder meetings and receive input
• July — Complete basin evaluations
• August - present findings and recommendations to TCEQ Commissioners
• September — Submit evaluation and findings for inclusion in biennial report
• January — Submit biennial report (or annual update) to the Legislature

How can I stay informed?

Sign up for e-mail updates through GovDelivery. It's easy and fast!

More questions? Contact us!

If you have any questions on this process, please e-mail or call our watermaster program liaisons:

• Michael Redda at 512-239-4631
• Cindy Hooper at 210-403-4080