NEXT MEETING:  Thursday, October 23, 2008 at 10 a.m.     High Plains Underground Water Conservation District Office, 2930 Avenue Q, Lubbock TX

Llano Estacado Regional Water Planning Group

For The Southern High Plains of Texas

LLANO ESTACADO REGIONAL WATER PLANNING GROUP

PUBLIC HEARING TO RECEIVE COMMENTS CONCERNING
THE DRAFT INITIALLY PREPARED 2006 WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN

August 11, 2005

7:00 p.m.

Texas Tech University International Cultural Center Auditorium

Lubbock, Texas
 

Call To Order and Welcome 

Llano Estacado Regional Water Planning Group (LERWPG) Chairman H.P. Brown Jr. called the public hearing to order at 7:00 p.m. with about 40 persons in attendance. 

He then introduced the following planning group members:  Bruce Blalack, Vice-President Ches Carthel, Secretary-Treasurer Jim Conkwright, Harvey Everheart, Doug Hutcheson, Richard Leonard, Gene Montgomery, Dr. Ken Rainwater, Kent Satterwhite, and Jim Steiert.  Non-voting members in attendance included Dr. Herb Grubb of HDR Engineering, Inc., Ernest Rebuck of the Texas Water Development Board, and Joan Glass with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.  A quorum of the planning group members was not necessary to convene this public hearing. 

Notice of Public Hearing 

Notice of this hearing was filed in accordance with the Texas Open Meetings Act.  In addition, legal notices were published in the July 7 editions of the Amarillo Globe-News and the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal; information and agendas were posted to the High Plains Underground Water Conservation District, Llano Estacado Regional Water Planning Group, and Senator Robert Duncan’s web sites; and notice of the hearing was mailed to mayors, city managers, county judges, retail public utilities, and water rights holders in the region. 

Guidelines For Public Hearing 

Chairman Brown asked Jim Conkwright to discuss the guidelines for the public hearing. Conkwright stated that tonight’s meeting is not intended to be a question and answer session, but rather to receive public comments regarding the content of the draft initially prepared Llano Estacado Regional Water Plan.  The public may offer oral comments at tonight’s hearing or may provide written comments until 5 p.m., October 10, 2005.  Persons wishing to offer oral comments need to complete a card at the registration desk and should limit their remarks to three (3) minutes.        

Overview Of Draft Initially Prepared LERWPG Plan 

Chairman Brown then asked Dr. Herb Grubb to provide a summary of the plan’s contents and the procedures used to develop the plan. 

Dr. Grubb stated that the purposes and objectives of Texas Water Planning are to provide for the orderly development, management, and conservation of Texas’ water resources.  Also, state water planning is designed to help meet the needs of all water users during drought. 

Senate Bill 1 (1997) established the regional water planning process.  Under Senate Bill 1, the Texas Water Development Board in Austin (TWDB) was authorized to divide the state into sixteen (16) water planning regions.  In addition, a water planning group was appointed by the TWDB for each region with members representing 11 stakeholder interests.  These stakeholders included:  the public, counties, municipalities, industries, agriculture, the environment, small business, electric power generation, river authorities, water districts, and water utilities.  These regional water plans are to be updated every five (5) years. 

Dr. Grubb said the regional water planning process includes: 

·        Population and water demand projections;

·        Assessment of current water supplies;

·        Calculations of water shortages (needs) (Supply minus Projected Demand).

·        Identification of Potential Water Management Strategies To Meet Projected Water Needs (Shortages);

·        Technical Evaluation Of Water Management Strategies, including the quantity of water, cost of water at retail distribution point; environmental effects of implementation of water management strategy; and identification of implementation issues. 

Dr. Grubb then provided a brief overview of the regional water management strategies included in the plan.  They are: 

·        Brush Control;

·        Desalination of brackish ground water;

·        Construction of the Post Reservoir;

·        Research and development of drought tolerant crops;

·        Reuse of municipal effluent;

·        Capturing and using storm water runoff;

·        Use of agricultural water conservation practices on farms;

·        Public education about water conservation;

·        Use of Precipitation enhancement techniques. 

Dr. Grubb then showed attendees a map locating cities within the region identified to have expected water needs during the planning period. The towns and cities include: 

·        Dimmitt        (Castro)

·        Hart              (Castro)

·        Morton          (Cochran)

·        Lorenzo         (Crosby)

·        Ralls             (Crosby)

·        Lockney         (Floyd)

·        Seagraves     (Gaines)

·        Lake Alan Henry WSD (Garza)

·        Abernathy      (Hale)

·        Hale Center    (Hale)

·        Petersburg     (Hale)

·        Anton            (Hockley)

·        Sundown       (Hockley)

·        Ropesville     (Hockley)

·        Smyer           (Hockley)

·        Amherst        (Lamb)

·        Earth            (Lamb)

·        Olton            (Lamb)

·        Sudan           (Lamb)

·        Idalou           (Lubbock)

·        New Deal      (Lubbock)

·        Shallowater   (Lubbock)

·        Wolfforth      (Lubbock)

·        Wilson          (Lynn)

·        Bovina          (Parmer)

·        Farwell          (Parmer)

·        Friona           (Parmer)

·        Kress            (Swisher)

·        Brownfield     (Terry)

·        Denver City   (Yoakum)

·        Plains           (Yoakum)

The capital costs of the regional plan include $32.8 million for the water management strategies (wells and pipelines) needed to meet the projected needs of the 32 cities; $244 million for the City of Lubbock; and $30 million for the White River Municipal Water District. 

Dr. Grubb concluded his presentation by stating October 10, 2005 is the deadline to submit public comments regarding the draft initially prepared plan to either Chairman Brown or the High Plains Underground Water Conservation District No. 1.  He also noted that January 5, 2006 is the deadline to deliver the completed plan to the Texas Water Development Board at Austin.  All oral and written comments about the draft initially prepared plan will be included in the plan.  The LERWPG members will meet in October to review the comments and address each one.

 Public Comment About The Draft Initially Prepared Plan

 ·        Thomas Adams, deputy city manager for the City of Lubbock, provided written comments regarding population and water demand figures for Lubbock used in the plan.

·        Jerry Patton with the City of Silverton stated that Lake MacKenzie is at a low level. Because of this, the city is experiencing both water quality and quantity problems that Mr. Patton believes should be addressed in the final version of the regional water plan.   He also stated that their best well produces 90 gallons of water per minute.  They are only able to pump the well five (5) hours a day every other day. Dr. Grubb said he would visit with Mr. Patton about the City of Silverton’s concerns immediately following the public hearing.

·        Thomas Musser indicated on his comment card that he wanted to “wait and see” before offering comments.  He did not wish to comment.

·        Dr. David Haukos, an adjunct professor in wildlife ecology at Texas Tech University, thanked the regional water planning group members for including increased conservation of playas and other wetlands in the draft regional water plan.  He said playa wetlands are unique to the region and wildlife habitat would be much different without them.

Chairman Brown then called for any additional oral or written comments regarding the draft initially prepared plan.  No additional comments were received.

Adjourn

Chairman Brown thanked the audience for their participation and adjourned the public hearing at 7:39 p.m.