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3 A proposed 52-mile, five-foot diameter pipeline project, called the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority Simsboro project, has been submitted to the Texas Water Development board as a “recommended strategy” by the Texas Regional Water Planning Group, Region L.
The project, which developers hope will pump 50,000 acre-feet of water to burgeoning development in the San Marcos area along the I-35 corridor, is raising red flags for the local water conservation district and water supply corporations.
Lost Pines Groundwater Conservation District general manager Joe Cooper said the district is very concerned with how the project is being labeled and packaged.
“It’s coming in as a recommended strategy instead of an alternative strategy and that’s what’s bothering us,” Cooper said. “It will allow the TWDB to finance the project and once its financed, there’s a good possibility it’s going to happen. “
The project is estimated to cost $330,782,000 and would be financed in part by bonds issued by the TWDB.
Cooper said if the pipeline is completed there is a good chance that the area would run short on water according to the state water plan as it stands right now.
“If the state is behind them on this, then they are putting more value on their economic growth (Region L) than ours,” Cooper said. “We have economic growth to take care of here and we’re trying to make sure we have the resources to do that – but it does not look like the state sees things the same way we do.”
Pipeline threatens local supplies
Aqua Water Supply Corporation supplies water to more than 50,000 residents of Bastrop and Lee Counties from the same aquifer that is being targeted by the GBRA Simsboro pipeline.
Last week, AWSC issued a press release in strong opposition to the proposed pipeline.
According to the press release, the currently proposed state water plan shows 28,000 acre-feet per year is available in Bastrop County – already exceeding existing permits. The GBRA Simsboro project proposes that an additional 30,000 acre-feet per year be pumped from Bastrop County.
“For Bastrop and Lee counties it’s very simple,” said Bill Loven, general manager of AWSC. “If you add up all the numbers, the pipeline would take virtually all the water that’s currently permitted – leaving everyone high and dry.”
Aqua Water believes the GBRA Simsboro project will significantly impact their Camp Swift water well field, which supplies almost 40 percent of Aqua Water’s 17,400 connections. Aqua Water also claims that, were the project to proceed, there would be no water available for XS Ranch, a future development that is expected to have 7,400 homes.
“We have no axe to grind with the GBRA,” Loven said. “But frankly, the existing water rights of all users would be affected – homeowners, ranchers and farmers – the pumping will leave nothing left for the community stakeholders.”
In blunt terms in their press release, AWSC says the pipeline project will stop economic growth and development in Bastrop and Lee Counties.
Your water frst
The state water plan shows that drawdowns for aquifers in Region L are much less than those for Region K, the area that would provide water for the pipeline.
“Region L is not drawing down their aquifers, they are expecting us to – to accommodate them,” Cooper said. “They are wanting to milk our cow before they milk their own.”
Cooper said there are alternatives to the pipeline.
“We think Region L should consider other options before they come to us for water. We would like them to look at those before they look for water here,” Cooper said. “At 55,000 acre-feet, our drawdowns are a lot worse than we ever anticipated or desired.”
Cooper said that Bastrop, Lee, Burleson and Milam Counties are the “water meccas” for Texas, or at least that’s the perception.
“You have to really look out for your own growth and your own needs before you can categorically start permitting water for export.” Cooper said.
Aqua Water has scheduled the Central Texas Water Forum for Sept. 21 at 6 p.m. in Bastrop to solicit community input. The final location has yet to be announced. Interested parties are asked to contact Frances Langhorne at flanghorne@aquawsc.com or (512) 581-0705.
The GBRA Simsboro project plan can be read at www.regionltexas.org/2011_RegWaterPlan/2011_vol2/Section4C.21.pdf.
Many people who fought the Trans-Texas Corridor (TTC) might remember that water pipeline was part of the plan. Now that the grand scheme of the TTC has been defeated, we’re going to have to keep killing the tentacles one at a time. We all need to show up at Aqua Water’s meeting on the 21st.
Thanks for covering this – please keep us all informed.
To Whom It May Concern,
We will not be able to attend this meeting as first planned, however, as members of the Aqua Water co-op we feel we should all have a vote on where OUR water is going. Let south central Tx find their water elsewhere and DO NOT sell out!! We can’t afford to give up our water to supply them. The money to be made will not supply us with more water after ours is depleted. STOP THE TRANS TEXAS WATER WAY!!!!
Thank You,
Carol and Floyd Gilmore
I was unable to attend the meeting on September 21. The following day the first thing I asked a friend who did attend was, “What did they say we can do to stop this?” I was told the meeting consisted primarily of the history of our water, groundwater, that in Texas and other states. There was concern expressed by speakers over this project but nothing was said about what we as citizens or as members of Aqua Water Co-op can do. Please let us know.