May 2006Texas Commission on Environmental Quality

Texas Water Resources and Issues

Physical and Socioeconomic Profile

• Area and geographic boundaries– 261,797 square miles– 254 counties; 1210 cities and towns– 23 major river basins– Borders

• South: Mexican states of Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas

• North: Oklahoma • West New Mexico • East Arkansas and Louisiana

– Ranges from Mountainous to Subtropical desert or tropical areas

• Population– 20,851,820 million (2000)– 2,125,464 million inhabitants along the border region– McAllen-Edinburg-Mission 4th fastest growing metro

statistical area in the country – Border city growth expanded near 50% in ten years

(Mexican Side)

• Socioeconomic conditions– Principal activities: agriculture, ranching, oil and gas

production, trade and commerce, industry and tourism– Of the 35 poorest US counties (per capita income) 13 are

in the Texas portion of the border area

Physical and Socioeconomic Profile

Legal Framework

• In Texas, surface water and ground water are property rights.– Surface water belongs to the state

• Permits to appropriate surface waters are granted by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).

– Ground water is an individual property right, established by case law.

• However, state law empowers local or regional groundwater management authorities and states that Groundwater Conservation Districts are the preferred method of

groundwater management.

Institutional Framework

• Federal Law– Clean Water Act:

• Primary legal Protection for the nation’s water

• Federal Agencies– U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

• Federal oversight of surface water and drinking water quality programs

• Oversight of state efforts to regulate solid waste landfills and hazardous waste sites

– U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service• Conservation and improvement of natural resource use on private lands

• Manages and mitigates agricultural non-point source pollution

– U.S. Geological Survey of the Dept of the Interior• Water quality monitoring and assessment

• Data collection and analysis

Institutional Framework

• Principal State Agencies– Texas Commission on Environmental Quality

• Establishes water quality standards on a triennial basis, subject to EPA approval.

• Water quality standards are set on a segment by segment basis

– Texas Water Development Board– International Boundary and Water Commission, U.S.

Section – Special districts

• include water control and irrigation districts and groundwater conservation districts

– Nonprofit water supply corporations

Institutional Framework

• Mexican Water Quality Institutions– Comisión Nacional del Agua

• Manages Mexico’s water resources including quality monitoring and protection

• International Institutions– International Boundary and Water Commission

• Entity with U.S. and Mexico sections that oversees 1944 Water Treaty

– Border Environment Cooperation Commission and North American Development Bank

• Assist communities with environmental infrastructure for border region

Regional Programs—Rio Grande and South Texas

• Watermaster Programs– Ensure compliance with

water rights by monitoring stream flows, reservoir levels, and water use.

– Coordinate diversions in the basins managed by their programs.

– Regulate reservoirs as needed to prevent the wasting of water or its being used in quantities beyond a user's right.

Regional Conditions

• Climate– Characteristics: desert with less arid and more

tropical climate as the Rio Grande flows toward the Gulf of Mexico.

– Average annual rainfall ranges from 9.43 inches in El Paso to 60.57 inches in Jasper County

– Border region is generally warm and windy.– Border has experienced prolonged drought

Surface Water: Major Groundwater Basins

Average Statewide Texas Monthly Precipitation and Temperature (2005)

00.5

11.5

22.5

33.5

44.5

pre

cip

( i

nch

es)

0102030405060708090

tem

p (

F)

Precip Temp

Surface Water Supply

Groundwater

• In West Texas, the amount of water being recharged is minimal

• Arid conditions and growing population increase concerns about water use

• The right to use aquifer waters that cross political boundaries is an issue, especially in the tri-state area

• Several counties in the Rio Grade basin rely on groundwater for more than 55% of their water needs

Regional Challenges: Water Demand

• The population of Texas is expected to nearly double in the next 50 years, from 21 million (2000) to 40 million (2050).

• Total projected demand for water is expected to increase 18% from nearly 17 million acre-feet in 2000 to 20 million acre-feet in 2050

Projected Texas Water Demand

Water Use and Demand Projections

-

2,000,000

4,000,000

6,000,000

8,000,000

10,000,000

12,000,000

1990 2000 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050

(acr

e-fe

et)

Municipal

Manufacturing

Mining

Steam-Electric

Irrigation

Livestock

Regional Challenges: Water Supply

• Water supplies from existing sources are expected to decrease 19% from 17.8 million AFY in 2000 to 14.5 million AFY in 2050.

• Water supplies from existing groundwater sources are expected to decrease 19% from 8.8 million AFY in 2000 to 7.2 million AFY in 2050.

Projected Water Supply From Texas Aquifers 2000-2050

Texas Vision for Hydrological Development

• Water Conservation• Groundwater

Management Strategies• Surface Water

Management Strategies

• Reuse• Desalination• Others

Management Strategies Source of Water to Meet Needs

Surface Water

Conservation

Reuse

Desalination

Other

Grounwater

Texas Water Conservation Strategies

• More water-efficient irrigation practices• Voluntary transfer of surface water rights from

agricultural users to municipal users. • Change crop varieties and types• Utilization of genetic engineering• Voluntarily conversion of irrigated acreage to dry-land

production• Utilization of conservation tillage methods• Installation of efficient irrigation equipment• Lining of irrigation canals• Additional conservation techniques include laser leveling

of fields and automated water delivery control systems.

Texas Groundwater Management Strategies

• Installation of new wells (most common groundwater management strategy)– New wells would produce about 631,000 AFY by 2050.

• Strategies for additional pumping of existing wells– Additional supply of approximately 122,000 AFY

• Artificial recharge strategies– Additional supply of 26,000 AFY in 2050.

• Groundwater transfers (long distance transfers through pipelines)

Texas Surface Water Strategies

• Expanded use or acquisition of existing supplies• Reallocation of reservoir storage for new uses• Voluntary redistribution of existing water resources• Enhance yields of existing sources• Interbasin transfers• Major reservoir development

Texas Reuse and Desalination

• Reuse– Reuse of wastewater would result in 423,268 AFY of

additional water supplies by 2050.

• Desalination– desalination of brackish groundwater would provide

66,954 AFY in additional supplies– Desalination of coastal waters would provide an

additional 84,012 AFY– Region B included desalination in two recommended

water management strategies for a total of 28,808 AFY.

Other Texas Strategies

• Weather modification

• Brush control

• Aquifer storage/recovery

• Contract renewals– from systems with a mixed supply of

groundwater and surface water

Statewide Comparison of Supply versus Demand (with and without Regional Water Plan Implementation)

U.S.-Mexico Border Profile

• La Paz Agreement provides legal framework for Border 2012 program– Empowers federal environmental authorities in the U.S. and

Mexico to undertake cooperative initiatives

• Border region is home to 11.8 million inhabitants• Projected growth rates exceed anticipated national

average – In some cases by more than 40%– If current trends continue border population is expected to

increase by 7.6 million people by 2020

TCEQ Rio Grande Watermaster

• Allocates, monitors and controls the use of surface water to municipal/domestic, industrial, agricultural and other user storage accounts in the Rio Grande Basin– Allocations are based on the available water in storage in Falcon

and Amistad Reservoirs• Area encompasses 1173 river miles of the Rio Grande,

382 stream miles of U.S. tributaries and approximately 1600 water right accounts.– Area is downstream of Fort Quitman in Hudspeth County to the Gulf of

Mexico.

• Works closely with water rights holders.

Major Aquifers—Border Region

Hueco-Mesilla Bolson

Cenozoic Pecos Alluvium

Edwards-Trinity (Plateau)

Gulf Coast

Carrizo-Wilcox

Combined Capacity in Rio Grande International Reservoirs

Source: International Boundary & Water Commission www.ibwc.state.gov/wad/IMAGES/amfalpct.gif

Available Water Supplies—Rio Grande Water Planning Region (Region M)

Basin Areas—Rio Grande Water Planning Region (Region M)

• Rio Grande Water Planning Region encompasses eight counties and portions of three river or coastal basins

• Water users are located in all three of these basins but practically all rely upon surface water from the Rio Grande or groundwater for their water supplies.

Rio Grande Water Planning Region (Region M): Projected Water Demand

Region M: Total Water Demand Projections 2000 - 2060

0

200,000

400,000

600,000

800,000

1,000,000

1,200,000

1,400,000

2000 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050 2060

(acr

e-fe

et)

Irrigation

Livestock

Manufacturing

Mining

Steam Electric

Series6

Subregion Analysis of Current Conditions: Upper Rio Grande (New Mexico Border to Amistad)

• Water Quantity Issues– Sparse rainfall

– Increasing Water demand

• Water Quality Issues– High salt and nutrient content

lessens optimal quality– Levels of bacteria exceed

standard for contact recreations (after treatment water meets public water supply and irrigation standards)

Subregion Analysis of Current Conditions: Upper Rio Grande

• Current Needs– Long-range, strategic water quality and quantity

planning– Institutional water initiatives, data sharing and

conservation– Wetlands preservation– Watershed approach to environmental

management

Subregion Analysis of Current Conditions: Middle Rio Grande

• Water Quantity– Increasing water

demand

• Water Quality– Nitrate level concern– High salinity

• due to natural geologic salt deposits

• Invasion of the salt cedar

Subregion Current Plans and Programs: Middle Rio Grande

• Pecos River Projects – Addressing the salt cedar problem

• City of Pecos – Addressing the need for water and wastewater infrastructure

• Texas Water Development Board– Fund water and wastewater infrastructure projects

• TEXAS Plan and North American Development Bank– Installation of water and wastewater connections for colonias

Subregion Analysis of Current Conditions: Lower Rio Grande

• Water Quantity– Low flow conditions

• 2005—4th driest year• Concerns remain about

Mexico not providing water under 1944 treaty

• Aquatic weeds

• Water Quality– High bacteria levels

Subregion Current Plans and Programs: Lower Rio Grande

• Optimize supply of water from Rio Grande• Reduce municipal demand through conservation• Diversify water supply sources including reuse

and desalination• Implements conservation practices• Acquire additional Rio Grande water supplies

Contact

Carlos Rubinstein, Water Table Co-Chair

1804 West Jefferson Ave

Harlingen, TX 78550-5247

(956) 425-6010