Visualization: The Most Expensive Projects in the Texas Water Plan

Cities, counties and rural water user groups across Texas submitted thousands of project ideas for the 2012 State Water Plan. Combined, the projects on their wish lists would cost about $53 billion.

In November, voters will decide whether to give the Texas Water Development Board $2 billion to loan out for state water plan projects. If that is approved, local entities could apply to the board for money to complete projects on their wish lists.

In the visualization below, explore the most expensive projects on each Texas regions' wish list. Some of proposals are pie-in-the-sky or hotly debated, and others are already underway.

Region A (Panhandle)

Water Region A
No. of Projects
79
Combined Capital Costs
$739,043,420
Most expensive projects
Sponsor Strategy Capital Cost
Amarillo Roberts County well field - Amarillo $287,377,200
Amarillo Potter County well field $128,511,300
Palo Duro River Authority Palo Duro Reservoir $114,730,000
Canadian River Municipal Water Authority CRMWA acquisition of water rights $88,200,000
Canadian River Municipal Water Authority CRMWA Roberts County well field $21,824,000

Region B

Water Region B
No. of Projects
31
Combined Capital Costs
$499,168,169
Most expensive projects
Sponsor Strategy Capital Cost
Wichita Falls Construct Lake Ringgold $382,900,000
Regional Water Provider-Wichita Basin Chloride Control Project Wichita Basin chloride control project $95,450,000
Irrigation, Wichita Enclose canal laterals in pipe $7,658,469
Irrigation, Wichita Wichita River diversion $5,380,000
County-Other, Wilbarger Purchase water from local provider $1,658,700

Region C

Water Region C
No. of Projects
802
Combined Capital Costs
$21,481,952,189
Most expensive projects
Sponsor Strategy Capital Cost
Tarrant Regional WD Marvin Nichols Reservoir $2,371,116,000
North Texas MWD Facility improvements $2,295,829,800
Dallas Fastrill replacement (Region C component) $1,980,278,000
Dallas Water treatment plant - expansion $1,068,033,000
Tarrant Regional WD Toledo Bend project (Region I entities responsible for 20 percent of cost) $1,000,766,000

Region D (North East Texas)

Water Region D
No. of Projects
47
Combined Capital Costs
$38,508,104
Most expensive projects
Sponsor Strategy Capital Cost
Hickory Creek SUD Drill new well $7,831,144
County-Other, Van Zandt Drill new well $5,886,954
Wolfe City New surface water contract $2,910,914
County-Other, Harrison Drill new well $2,451,846
West Gregg WSC Drill new well $2,325,906

Region E (Far West Texas)

Water Region E
No. of Projects
27
Combined Capital Costs
$842,099,633
Most expensive projects
Sponsor Strategy Capital Cost
El Paso Integrated water management strategy - import from Diablo Farms $245,506,000
El Paso Integrated water management strategy - import from Dell Valley $214,113,000
Irrigation, El Paso Water district delivery systems $147,635,869
El Paso Integrated water management strategy - conjunctive use with additional surface water $140,238,000
Horizon Regional MUD Additional wells and desalination plant expansions $34,344,000

Region F

Water Region F
No. of Projects
92
Combined Capital Costs
$914,554,558
Most expensive projects
Sponsor Strategy Capital Cost
San Angelo Develop Hickory Aquifer supplies $173,307,000
Midland Develop Cenozoic Aquifer supplies $168,507,000
Colorado River MWD Desalination $131,603,990
Colorado River MWD Reuse $128,748,000
Colorado River MWD Develop Cenozoic Aquifer supplies $76,268,000

Region G

Water Region G
No. of Projects
202
Combined Capital Costs
$3,186,357,303
Most expensive projects
Sponsor Strategy Capital Cost
Brazos River Authority Groundwater/ surface water conjunctive use (Lake Granger Augmentation) $643,928,000
Abilene Cedar Ridge Reservoir $285,214,000
Round Rock Groundwater/ surface water conjunctive use (Lake Granger Augmentation) $229,822,000
Leander Regional surface waters supply to Williamson County from Lake Travis $169,147,000
Brazos River Authority Stonewall, Kent, and Garza chloride control project $163,226,000

Region H

Water Region H
No. of Projects
834
Combined Capital Costs
$12,019,061,335
Most expensive projects
Sponsor Strategy Capital Cost
Houston City of Houston treatment expansion $2,045,672,161
San Jacinto River Authority SJRA Water Resources Assessment Plan $900,000,000
West Harris County Regional Water Authority WHCRWA internal distribution $552,472,000
North Harris County Regional Water Authority NHCRWA internal 2020 distribution $345,292,192
Houston Wastewater reuse for industry $332,051,761

Region I (East Texas)

Water Region I
No. of Projects
130
Combined Capital Costs
$884,829,743
Most expensive projects
Sponsor Strategy Capital Cost
Angelina & Neches River Authority New source - Lake Columbia $231,865,000
Tyler Lake Palestine infrastructure $79,389,250
Lufkin Lake Kurth Regional System $56,488,600
Lufkin Angelina County Regional Project $53,164,000
Lower Neches Valley Authority Purchase water from provider (2) $39,168,200

Region J (Plateau)

Water Region J
No. of Projects
18
Combined Capital Costs
$54,792,390
Most expensive projects
Sponsor Strategy Capital Cost
Bandera Surface water acquisition, treatment and aquifer storage and recovery $19,654,900
County-Other, Kerr Surface water acquisition, treatment and aquifer storage and recovery $17,005,100
County-Other, Kerr Surface water storage $7,050,000
Kerrville Increased water treatment and aquifer storage and recovery capacity $6,650,000
County-Other, Kerr Conservation: brush management $3,937,790

Region K (Lower Colorado)

Water Region K
No. of Projects
147
Combined Capital Costs
$907,239,116
Most expensive projects
Sponsor Strategy Capital Cost
Austin City of Austin direct reuse (municipal and manufacturing) $302,250,510
Austin City of Austin direct reuse (steam-electric) $302,250,510
Lower Colorado River Authority Aquifer storage and recovery $168,711,000
Elgin New LCRA contracts $17,556,000
County-Other, Hays Development of saline zone of Edwards-Balcones Fault Zone Aquifer $16,693,491

Region L (South Central Texas)

Water Region L
No. of Projects
329
Combined Capital Costs
$7,622,886,271
Most expensive projects
Sponsor Strategy Capital Cost
San Antonio Water System Firm-up- run-of-river with off-channel reservoir - LCRA/SAWS project $1,986,684,000
San Antonio Water System Seawater desalination $1,293,827,000
Guadalupe Blanco River Authority GBRA mid basin (surface water) $546,941,000
San Antonio Water System Edwards Aquifer recharge - Type 2 projects $527,643,000
Guadalupe Blanco River Authority GBRA Simsboro project (overdraft) $330,782,000

Region M (Rio Grande)

Water Region M
No. of Projects
238
Combined Capital Costs
$2,194,663,908
Most expensive projects
Sponsor Strategy Capital Cost
Laredo Laredo low water weir $294,400,000
Laredo Acquisition of water rights through purchase $208,068,312
Brownsville Seawater desalination $165,021,993
Irrigation, Hidalgo On-farm water conservation $115,491,102
Brownsville Brownsville weir and reservoir $98,411,077

Region N (Coastal Bend)

Water Region N
No. of Projects
33
Combined Capital Costs
$656,110,917
Most expensive projects
Sponsor Strategy Capital Cost
Corpus Christi Off-channel reservoir near Lake Corpus Christi $300,577,000
Corpus Christi Construction of Lavaca River off-channel reservoir diversion project (Region N component) $138,753,917
Corpus Christi Garwood Pipeline $112,798,000
San Patricio MWD Gulf Coast Aquifer Supplies (regional) $59,245,000
Corpus Christi O.N. Stevens Water Treatment Plant improvements $31,324,000

Region O (Llano Estacado)

Water Region O
No. of Projects
78
Combined Capital Costs
$1,108,391,955
Most expensive projects
Sponsor Strategy Capital Cost
Lubbock Lake Alan Henry Pipeline for the City of Lubbock $294,329,000
Lubbock Lubbock North Fork diversion operation (A) $153,040,000
Lubbock Post Reservoir - Delivered to Lake Alan Henry Pipeline $110,307,000
Lubbock Lubbock Jim Bertram Lake 7 $68,288,400
Canadian River Municipal Water Authority CRMWA Region O local groundwater development $56,574,000

Region P (Lavaca)

Water Region P
No. of Projects
2
Combined Capital Costs
$0
Most expensive projects
Sponsor Strategy Capital Cost
Irrigation, Jackson Conjunctive use of groundwater (temporary overdraft) - Jackson County $0
Irrigation, Wharton Conjunctive use of groundwater (temporary overdraft) - Wharton County $0

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