The Water Update

Wednesday, April 19

• Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority, Board of Directors Meeting; 905 Nolan St., Seguin (10 a.m.)
• Texas House Natural Resources Committee, regularly scheduled hearing; Texas Capitol, E2.010 (10:30 a.m., or upon adjournment of the House)
• Texas Groundwater Protection Committee; Texas Commission on Environmental Quality Campus, 12100 Park 35 Circle Building F, Room 2210, Austin (1 p.m.)
•  San Antonio River Authority, Board of Directors Meeting; 100 East Guenther St., San Antonio (2 p.m.)

Thursday, April 20 

• Texas Water Development Board, Board of Directors Meeting; Stephen F. Austin Building, Room 170, 1700 N. Congress Ave., Austin (9:30 a.m.)

Monday, April 24 

• Texas Senate Agriculture, Water & Rural Affairs, regularly scheduled hearing; Texas Capitol, E1.012 (2 p.m., or upon adjournment of the Senate)

Wednesday, April 26 

• Region K (Lower Colorado) Regional Planning Group Meeting; 3505 Montopolis Drive, Austin (10 a.m.)
• Texas House Natural Resources Committee, regularly scheduled hearing; Texas Capitol, E2.010 (10:30 a.m., or upon adjournment of the House)

 Thursday, April 27

• Second Stakeholder Advisory Forum for Update of GAM for Central Portion of Carrizo-Wilcox, Queen City, and Sparta Aquifers; 310 East Ave. C (Highway 79), Milano (10 a.m.)
• Groundwater Management Area 10 Joint Planning Meeting; Caucus Room of the Edwards Aquifer Authority, 900 E. Quincy St., San Antonio (11:30 a.m.)
• North Texas Municipal Water District, Work Session and Board Meeting; 501 E. Brown St., Wylie (4 p.m.)
• Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer Conservation District Meeting; 1124 Regal Row, Austin (6 p.m.)

 Monday, May 1

• Texas Senate Agriculture, Water & Rural Affairs, regularly scheduled hearing; Texas Capitol, E1.012 (2 p.m., or upon adjournment of the Senate)

Tuesday, May 2 

• San Antonio Water System Board of Directors; 2800 U.S. Highway 281 North, San Antonio (9 a.m.)

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Appointments: 

Robert L. Joseph, director of the U.S. Geological Survey Texas Water Science Center, is now Director of Planning and Programming for the Water Mission Area.  He is responsible for oversight of the federal appropriations to the USGS Water Mission Area.

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85th Texas Legislature — Water Legislation of Note: 

SB 864 (Perry); relating to the procedure for obtaining a right to use state water if the applicant proposes an alternative source of water. Passed by the Senate and received in the House.

HB 180 (Lucio III); relating to the review of groundwater conservation districts by the state auditor. Reported favorably from House Natural Resources. 

HB 1573 (Price); relating to personnel requirements for water loss auditors. Voted out of House Natural Resources.

HB 1648 (Price); relating to the designation of a water conservation coordinator by a retail public water utility to implement a water conservation plan. Voted out of House Natural Resources.

HB 1920 (Flynn); relating to the Palo Duro River Authority, following recommendations of the Sunset Advisory Commission. Voted out of House Natural Resources.

HB 1921 (Flynn); relating to the functions and territory of the Upper Colorado River Authority, following the recommendations of the Sunset Advisory Commission. Voted out of House Natural Resources. 


HB 2180 (Flynn); relating to the Sulphur River Basin Authority, following recommendations of the Sunset Advisory Committee. Voted out of House Natural Resources.

HB 2215 (Price); relating to the adoption of desired future conditions for aquifers in groundwater management areas and the consideration of those conditions in the regional water planning process. Voted out of House Natural Resources and sent to Calendars Committee.

HB 2377 (Larson); relating to the development of brackish groundwater. Voted out of House Natural Resources.

HB 2378 (Larson) and SB 774 (Perry); relating to extensions of an expired permit for the transfer of groundwater from a groundwater conservation district. Voted out of House Natural Resources and sent to Calendars Committee.

HB 2610 (Guillen); relating to the term for a lease of land owned by certain navigation districts. Voted out of House Natural Resources. 

HB 2802 (Larson); relating to the review of river authorities by the Sunset Advisory Commission. Voted out of House Natural Resources.

HB 2803 (Larson); relating to the nonsubstantive revision of certain local laws concerning water and wastewater special districts, including conforming amendments. Voted out of House Natural Resources. 

HB 3036 (T. King); relating to a restriction on permits authorizing direct discharges of waste or pollutants into water in certain areas of the Edwards Aquifer.  Pending in House Natural Resources Committee.

HB 3618 (T. King); relating to water quality permitting. Voted out of House Natural Resources.