Texas Water Development Board and the State Water Implementation Fund for Texas (SWIFT) Doug Shaw

1. Texas Water Development Board and the State Water Implementation Fund for Texas (SWIFT) Doug Shaw Agriculture and Rural Texas Ombudsman

2. My role as the new Agriculture and Rural Texas Ombudsman • Outreach in the Rural parts of the State • Ensuring that the concerns of the Ag industry and Rural Texas reach our Board members • Point of Contact • Help to engage Rural entities in the Planning process.

3. OUTLINE • History of TWDB • SWIFT • What’s in the Legislation • How the TWDB is supporting SWIFT • What Will SWIFT fund • Regional Water Planning Process • Project Prioritization • Groundwater in Texas • What the TWDB can do now

4. History of TWDB: Legislative Response to Drought • Early 1950s: Drought of Record • 1957: Creation of TWDB • $200 million Water Development Fund • 6 State Water Plans, 1961-1997 • Late 1990s: Potential New Drought of Record • ~$6 billion economic losses in ‘96 (mostly agriculture) • ~300 entities with threat to water supplies • 1997 & 2001: Implementation of SB 1 & 2 which created & refined regional water planning • 3 State Water Plans, 2002-2012 • 2013: Current Drought • SWIFT

6. The SWIFT was created and funded by House Bill 4 Senate Joint Resolution 1 House Bill 1025

7. House Bill 4 • Provided TWDB governance changes • Created Advisory Committee • Created SWIFT and SWIRFT • Defined how funds can be used • Defined prioritization processes • Outlined technical aspects of legislation

8. House Bill 1025 Appropriated $2 billion from the Rainy Day Fund to SWIFT upon SJR 1 approval

9. Senate Joint Resolution 1 • Provided for constitutional amendment submitted to voters on November 5, 2013 • Discusses SWIFT, SWIRFT and funding for the state water plan • Provided basic framework • Passage of proposition allowed $2 billion to be transferred from the Rainy Day Fund to SWIFT

10. Undertake to use: At least 20 percent of SWIFT to support water conservation and reuse projects. At least 10 percent of SWIFT to support projects serving rural communities and Texas farmers.

12. Agency Changes • Reorganized into six planning and development teams • Organized by geographic areas • Provides for better customer service

14. Agency Changes • Reorganized into six planning and development teams • Organized by geographic areas • Provides for better customer service • Provide more emphasis on outreach, including a new Agriculture and Rural Texas Ombudsman • Create a public rulemaking process

15. Timeline Work Sessions: February 11 – Conroe, TX February 24 – Lubbock, TX March 24 – Harlingen, TX May 29 – El Paso, TX Stakeholder meetings: Austin, TX January 31 February 19 March 6 Summer 2014 – TWDB to Propose Draft Rules December 2014 – TWDB to adopt Final Rules Submit Written Comments www.twdb.texas.gov/swift/

17. The SWIFT was exclusively created to support projects in the state water plan.

18. SWIFT and SWIRFT will fund projects in the 2012 State Water Plan.

19. State Water Planning

20. Regional Water Planning

21. Regional Water PlanningStatutory Representation: • Public • Counties • Municipalities • Industries • Agriculture • Environment • Small businesses • Electric-generating utilities • River authorities • Water districts • Water utilities • Groundwater management areas

22. Regional Water Planning • Project future population and water demand • Quantify existing and future water supplies • Identify surpluses and needs • Evaluate and recommend water management strategies • Make policy recommendations

23. Water Management Strategies How will future water Needs, identified through the Planning, Process be met? • WMS are the projects or actions recommended to meet water needs • Examples: conservation; wastewater reuse; desalination of surface or ground water • New infrastructure to access existing supplies (Example: new pipeline to a distant reservoir) • New surface water diversions or impoundments in reservoirs (on/off-channel) • New groundwater

24. Impact Analysis Strategies are analyzed for potential effects on: • Water quality • Existing water rights • In-stream flows • Bay and estuary freshwater inflows • Sustainable aquifer yield • Agricultural water resources • Threatened and endangered species • Wildlife habitat • Public lands • Recreation

25. Why do we Plan? • Water right permits from TCEQ for a new project must be consistent with regional & state water plans • Financial assistance from TWDB for a project only if it is consistent with regional & state water plans. For some loan programs project must be recommended in plan to meet needs • Waiver of this requirement by agency governing body can be granted

26. Benefits of Regional Planning • Public and planning group member education • Development of regional partnerships • Better data on water supplies • Adaptive process

27. Regional Water Planning Statutory Representation • Public • Counties • Municipalities • Industries • Agriculture • Environment • Small businesses • Electric-generating utilities • River authorities • Water districts • Water utilities • Groundwater management areas

28. Region G • Requests for Input • 1st Survey – Spring 2013 • Draft Population, water demands, sources, contracts • 235 entities surveyed • 74 reviewed data • 31 agreed with data • 27 requested changes • Also surveyed counties and COGs • 2nd Survey – Fall 2013 • Draft shortages based on supplies/demand • Identify potential water management strategies • Other info needed for Plan.

29. Region G Next Steps • Summer 2014– Evaluate Strategies • Do you have alternative ideas? • Does your project need to be in the plan? • Fall/Winter 2014 – Develop Draft 2016 Plan • Spring/Summer 2015 – Public comment • November 2015 – Final Plan to TWDB • January 2016 – TWDB to adopt RWPs • 2016 – TWDB to develop 2017 State Water Plan

30. Region G Contact Info www.brazosgwater.org David Dunn, PE David.Dunn@hdrinc.com

32. Prioritization by regional water planning groups Minimum criteria considered by the stakeholders committee

33. Prioritization by TWDB Highest consideration

34. Groundwater and Texas • 60 percent of the 16.6 million acre-feet of water used in 1999 • 81 percent of groundwater is used for irrigation • Groundwater provides 39 percent of water to cities

35. Major aquifers

36. Groundwater Management Areas …were created “in order to provide for the conservation, preservation, protection, recharging, and prevention of waste of the groundwater” in Texas. Made up of Representatives from Groundwater Conservation Districts within each GMA Charged with adopting Desired Future Conditions (DFCs) Which are used to develop Modeled Available Groundwater (MAGs)

38. Trinity Aquifer is a major aquifer

39. Trinity Aquifer gets thicker and deeper toward the east Gatesville

41. Financial Assistance • What can the TWDB do now? • Provide financial assistance for the state’s water and wastewater infrastructure through a variety of loan and grant programs.

42. Financial Assistance • Historically, the TWDB has committed over $15 billion to date for water and wastewater projects in Texas. • In the past two fiscal years, the TWDB committed over $1 billion for water and wastewater projects in Texas.

43. Financial Assistance Funding Programs • Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) • Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) • Texas Water Development Fund (DFund) • Rural Water Assistance Program (RWAF) • Economically Distressed Areas Program (EDAP)

44. Questions and Comments Doug Shaw Office: (512) 463-1711 Cell: (512) 217-3254 doug.shaw@twdb.texas.gov www.twdb.texas.gov