TheThe EdwardsEdwards AquiferAquifer andand thethe GuadalupeGuadalupe RiverRiver
WhatWhat’’ss onon TapTap forfor SouthSouth CentralCentral Texas?Texas? ----AA WaterWater forfor PeoplePeople && thethe EnvironmentEnvironment ConferenceConference SeptemberSeptember 9,9, 2006666620066666
---- ToddTodd VottelerVotteler
(800)(800) 413413--41304130 www.gbra.orgwww.gbra.org TexasTexas WaterWater LawLaw
EdwardsEdwards AquiferAquifer--AssociatedAssociated RiversRivers ••BeginsBegins asas StateState surfacesurface waterwater –– rechargerecharge alongalong streambedsstreambeds ••BecomesBecomes privateprivate groundwatergroundwater pumpedpumped byby wellswells ••BecomesBecomes StateState surfacesurface waterwater againagain –– atat springssprings ••EdwardsEdwards AquiferAquifer waterwater goesgoes fromfrom StateState waterwater toto regulatedregulated byby TCEQTCEQ toto groundwatergroundwater regulatedregulated byby thethe EAAEAA toto StateState waterwater asas itit travelstravels ••TexasTexas groundwatergroundwater law,law, thethe RuleRule ofof CaptureCapture -- pumpingpumping cancan drydry upup springssprings –– nono remedyremedy AllAll ofof thethe LargestLargest SpringsSprings inin TexasTexas OriginateOriginate fromfrom thethe EdwardsEdwards AquiferAquifer…… San Felipe San Marcos San Marcos Del Rio
Comal Fountain darter New Braunfels
Texas Wild Rice
Las Moras Springs Brackettville
Most Have 3 Endangered Species ComalComal SpringsSprings –– NewNew Braunfels,Braunfels, TexasTexas ••MostMost prolificprolific sprinspringg systesystemm WestWest ofof MississippiMississippi RiverRiver ••AveraAveraggee dischardischarggee 300300 cfscfs, equalsequals 217,200217,200 acft/yracft/yr ••HomeHome ofof thethe endangeredendangered fountainfountain darterdarter && otherother listedlisted speciesspecies ••UntilUntil now,now, nono criticalcritical habitathabitat designateddesignated forfor ComalComal SpringsSprings 4 WhyWhy areare thethe SpringsSprings ImportantImportant toto thethe GuadalupeGuadalupe Basin?Basin?
•• SpringflowsSpringflows formform ComalComal && SanSan MarcosMarcos RiversRivers -- majormajor tributariestributaries toto GuadalupeGuadalupe RiverRiver •• AverageAverage flowsflows atat ComalComal && SanSan MarcosMarcos SpringsSprings contributecontribute toto thethe GuadalupeGuadalupe RiverRiver twicetwice whatwhat SanSan AntonioAntonio pumpspumps annuallyannually •• SummerSummer 19961996 DroughtDrought –– SpringsSprings providedprovided majoritymajority ofof GuadalupeGuadalupe flowflow atat VictoriaVictoria && almostalmost halfhalf ofof SanSan AntonioAntonio BayBay’’ss freshwaterfreshwater •• SpringsSprings are critical to waterwater supplysupply for communities from San Marcos, New Braunfels to Victoria •• EndangeredEndangered SpeciesSpecies ActAct protects species & habitats at Comal & San Marcos Springs 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 The Guadalupe River is the Primary Source of Freshwater Inflows to San Antonio Bay…
BrownBrown ShrimpShrimp
Guadalupe River BlueBlue CrabCrab
T 3 2.9 2.8 2.7 o TxEMP ni 2.6 MODEL to 2.5 SOLUTIONS An 2.4 n (MILLIONS LBS) 2.3 Sa FISHERIES HARVES 2.2 ay 3 .1 5 7 .2 5 3 1.0 1 1 1.15 B .2 WhoopingWhooping 1.1 1.1 1 1. INFLOW (MILLIONS CraneCrane ACRE-FEET) MAF 12 EdwardsEdwards AquiferAquifer CharacteristicsCharacteristics
Record Edwards Aquifer Pumping - 1989 542,500 acft/yr Average Edwards Irrigation: 1993-2003 121,500 acft/yr Average Edwards M/I Use: 1993-2003 288,000 acft/yr Average Comal/San Marcos Spring 436,600 Discharge - 1993-2003 acft/yr Record High Edwards Recharge - 1992 2.49 M acft Edwards Recharge - 2004 2.2 M acft Record Low Recharge - 1956 43,700 acft TheThe EvolutionEvolution ofof PumpingPumping LimitsLimits
YEARYEAR EVENTEVENT 19561956 DroughtDrought ofof Record:Record: ComalComal SpringsSprings CeasesCeases toto FlowFlow 19611961 StateState WaterWater PlanPlan RecommendsRecommends UnspecifiedUnspecified LimitLimit onon EdwardsEdwards AquiferAquifer 19671967 FirstFirst EdwardsEdwards AquiferAquifer SpeciesSpecies AddedAdded toto ListList ofof EndangeredEndangered SpeciesSpecies 19681968 TexasTexas WaterWater PlanPlan RecommendsRecommends 400,000400,000 acft/yracft/yr LimitLimit onon EdwardsEdwards AquiferAquifer PumpingPumping 19731973 EndangeredEndangered SpeciesSpecies ActAct BecomesBecomes LawLaw14 TheThe EvolutionEvolution ofof PumpingPumping LimitationsLimitations YEARYEAR EVENTEVENT 1984 WaterWater forfor TexasTexas RecommendsRecommends 425,000425,000 1990 acftacft LimitLimit onon EdwardsEdwards AquiferAquifer PumpingPumping 1992 19921992 USFWSUSFWS RecommendsRecommends 450,000450,000 acftacft LimitLimit FollowedFollowed byby 400,000400,000 acftacft LimitLimit 19931993 JudgeJudge BuntonBunton RulesRules inin FavorFavor ofof AquiferAquifer RegulationRegulation inin SierraSierra ClubClub v.v. BabbittBabbitt ESAESA LitigationLitigation 19931993 EdwardsEdwards AquiferAquifer AuthorityAuthority createdcreated byby SenateSenate BillBill 14771477
15 InIn 19931993 thethe TexasTexas LegislatureLegislature replacesreplaces thethe EdwardsEdwards UnderUnder-- GroundGround WaterWater DistrictDistrict withwith thethe EdwardsEdwards AquiferAquifer AuthorityAuthority
TheThe ActAct requiresrequires EAAEAA to:to: ••IssueIssue permitspermits && regulateregulate pumpingpumping ••PermitsPermits basedbased onon historicalhistorical useuse ••PermitPermit capcap @@ 450,000450,000 acft/yracft/yr ••20082008 capcap isis 400,000400,000 acft/yracft/yr ••RequiresRequires continuouscontinuous minimumminimum springflowsspringflows preservepreserve endangeredendangered speciesspecies The habitatshabitats WorldThe 16 World “Catfish Farm ••AdoptAdopt pumpingpumping droughtdrought rulesrules ’s Largest Artesian Well byby 20122012 toto ” EdwardsEdwards AquiferAquifer IssuesIssues
•• 450,000450,000 acft/yracft/yr untiluntil 2007;2007; 400,000400,000 acft/yracft/yr inin 20082008 –– yetyet permitspermits currentlycurrently totaltotal 549,000549,000 acft/yr,acft/yr, somesome 99,00099,000 acft/yracft/yr overover thethe limitlimit •• CapsCaps onon AnnualAnnual AquiferAquifer PumpingPumping –– Issue:Issue: WhatWhat toto dodo aboutabout excessexcess permitpermit rightsrights aboveabove 450,000450,000 acftacft/yr?/yr? ProportionallyProportionally reducereduce allall permits,permits, buybuy--downdown excessexcess rights?rights? –– StateState legislationlegislation inin 20052005 toto increaseincrease capcap toto ““sumsum ofof allall permitspermits”” diddid notnot passpass •• EAAEAA solutionsolution isis toto makemake thethe portionportion ofof permitspermits aboveabove capcap ““JuniorJunior”” rightsrights –– cancan bebe accruedaccrued whenwhen aquiferaquifer isis aboveabove certaincertain levelslevels 17 JuniorJunior--SeniorSenior RightsRights
•• BifurcatedBifurcated ((““JuniorJunior--SeniorSenior””)) permitpermit rulesrules allowallow thethe portionportion ofof permitspermits aboveabove capcap -- ““juniorjunior”” rightsrights toto bebe accumulatedaccumulated whenwhen JJ--1717 isis aboveabove 665665 ftmslftmsl andand usedused whenwhen aquiferaquifer isis belowbelow 665,665, butbut 650650 isis wherewhere StageStage II ofof thethe CriticalCritical PeriodPeriod ManagementManagement PlanPlan isis triggeredtriggered •• JuniorJunior rightsrights cancan bebe soldsold apartapart fromfrom seniorsenior rightsrights
18 TCEQTCEQ ResolutionResolution onon Junior/SeniorJunior/Senior WaterWater RightsRights ,, EssentiallyEssentially aa RecommendationRecommendation ...... •• ““[T]he[T]he EAAEAA’’ss Junior/SeniorJunior/Senior permitpermit rulesrules willwill havehave aa measurablemeasurable effecteffect onon downstreamdownstream waterwater interests,interests, particularlyparticularly surfacesurface waterwater rightright holders.holders.”” PermitsPermits fromfrom KerrvilleKerrville toto VictoriaVictoria areare impacted;impacted; andand •• ““[T]he[T]he EAAEAA’’ss Junior/SeniorJunior/Senior permitpermit rulesrules areare contrarycontrary toto thethe [TCEQ[TCEQ’’s]s] actionsactions affectingaffecting downstreamdownstream interestsinterests becausebecause theythey couldcould measurablymeasurably deprivedeprive downstreamdownstream waterwater rightright holdersholders ofof aa portionportion ofof riverriver flowsflows ...... underunder permitspermits andand certificatescertificates ofof adjudicationadjudication ...... andand alsoalso couldcould otherwiseotherwise measurablymeasurably deprivedeprive flowsflows forfor instreaminstream uses.uses.”” 19 JuniorJunior--SeniorSenior RightsRights •• JuniorJunior rightsrights werewere availableavailable fromfrom JanuaryJanuary 1st1st toto AprilApril 15th15th thisthis year.year. •• TheThe aquiferaquifer plummetedplummeted duringduring thatthat time.time. •• IsIs 20062006 thethe kindkind ofof yearyear inin whichwhich moremore waterwater shouldshould bebe pumpedpumped outout ofof thethe EdwardsEdwards AquiferAquifer thanthan isis allowedallowed underunder thethe 450,000450,000 acftacft cap?cap?
20 PreviousPrevious AttemptsAttempts toto ProvideProvide SanSan AntonioAntonio withwith aa SignificantSignificant SurfaceSurface WaterWater AlternativeAlternative •• 1960s,1960s, SanSan AntonioAntonio withdrawswithdraws fromfrom efforteffort withwith GBRAGBRA toto buildbuild CueroCuero II && IIII ReservoirsReservoirs •• 1976,1976, SanSan AntonioAntonio CityCity CouncilCouncil rejectsrejects purchasepurchase ofof 30,00030,000 acftacft/yr/yr fromfrom CanyonCanyon ReservoirReservoir withwith optionoption forfor 50,00050,000 acftacft/yr/yr •• 19911991 && 1994,1994, citycity electionelection inin SanSan AntonioAntonio rejectsrejects ApplewhiteApplewhite ReservoirReservoir •• 2005,2005, SAWSSAWS withdrawswithdraws fromfrom LowerLower GuadalupeGuadalupe WaterWater SupplySupply ProjectProject
21 CriticalCritical HabitatHabitat DesignationDesignation • The Comal Springs riffle beetle, Comal Springs dryopid beetle & Peck’s cave amphipod were listed as endangered on December 18, 1997. Critical habitat was not designated.
• The Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) sued the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service under the Endangered Species Act in 2003 to force the designation for these species as well as many others. USFWS settled with the CBD.
• Critical habitat would be established at Comal & Hueco Springs in Comal County, and Fern Bank & San Marcos Springs in Hays County. Critical habitat already exists at San Marcos Springs.88 22 RegionRegion LL && SAWSSAWS 20052005 WaterWater PlanPlan UpdateUpdate
AreaArea MonthlyMonthly WaterWater RatesRates –– 10,00010,000 gallonsgallons residentialresidential use:use: $19$19 SAWS;SAWS; $30$30 NBU;NBU; $30$30 Victoria;Victoria; $54$54 SanSan MarcosMarcos SAWSSAWS –– 20052005 WaterWater PlanPlan UpdateUpdate •• AbandonsAbandons somesome EdwardsEdwards AquiferAquifer alternativealternative waterwater projects;projects; delaysdelays othersothers •• IncreasesIncreases useuse ofof EdwardsEdwards AquiferAquifer •• BasesBases EdwardsEdwards supplysupply onon 19841984 drought,drought, notnot DroughtDrought ofof RecordRecord –– increasesincreases riskrisk toto SpringsSprings RegionRegion LL becomesbecomes firstfirst regionregion everever toto missmiss planningplanning deadlinedeadline -- soso TWDBTWDB willwill prepareprepare plan,plan, butbut willwill likelylikely deferdefer toto RegionRegion LL PlanPlan approvedapproved afterafter thethe deadlinedeadline 23 DroughtDrought ofof RecordRecord ConsiderationsConsiderations
•• DroughtDrought ofof RecordRecord is whenwhen naturalnatural hydrologicalhydrological conditionsconditions providedprovided thethe leastleast amountamount ofof waterwater supplysupply •• RegionalRegional waterwater plansplans mustmust bebe basedbased onon thethe DDroughtrought ofof RecordRecord •• SAWSSAWS selectedselected 19841984 asas foundationfoundation ofof 20052005 WaterWater PlanPlan UpdateUpdate insteadinstead ofof DDroughtrought ofof RecordRecord •• HistoricalHistorical rechargerecharge indicatesindicates 19841984 waswas thirdthird mostmost severesevere droughtdrought sincesince DDroughtrought ofof RecordRecord 24 LatestLatest AnalysisAnalysis ofof TreeTree--RingRing ChronologiesChronologies inin EdwardsEdwards Region;Region; 16481648--19951995
TheThe reconstructionsreconstructions confirmconfirm thatthat thethe 1950s1950s droughtdrought waswas veryvery bad,bad, eveneven whenwhen viewedviewed inin aa longlong--termterm context.context. TheThe reconstructionsreconstructions alsoalso indicateindicate thatthat therethere maymay havehave beenbeen periodsperiods whenwhen droughtdrought waswas moremore protractedprotracted andand thethe impactimpact mightmight havehave beenbeen considerablyconsiderably worse.worse. ItIt wouldwould appearappear unwiseunwise forfor civilcivil authoritiesauthorities toto assumeassume thatthat thethe 1950s1950s droughtdrought representsrepresents thethe worstworst casecase scenarioscenario toto bebe usedused forfor planningplanning purposespurposes inin waterwater resourcesresources managementmanagement inin thethe SouthSouth CentralCentral andand EdwardsEdwards PlateauPlateau
climateclimate divisionsdivisions ofof Texas.Texas. 25 ForFor MoreMore InformationInformation
•• CallCall GBRAGBRA atat (800)(800) 413413--4130.4130. •• OnOn thethe InternetInternet gogo toto www.gbra.orgwww.gbra.org.. •• AlsoAlso seesee thethe sectionsection onon EdwardsEdwards AquiferAquifer issuesissues atat www.gbra.orgwww.gbra.org.. •• ToTo learnlearn moremore aboutabout thethe WhoopingWhooping CraneCrane studiesstudies gogo toto http://http://sages.tamu.edusages.tamu.edu/./.
26 Questions?Questions?
27 Guadalupe Estuary: The Numbers Based on TCEQ’s Water Availability Models
Canadian
Red 1.1 Million Acre Feet per Sulphur Year to sustain Existing Sabine Cypress Brazos Trinity Health and Productivity Neches Colorado
Rio Grande S a n J a c in Gu to S a an A d Neches-Trinity alupe n Lavaca Trinity-San Jacinto Inflow in Drought of Record (1956) tonio San Jacinto-Brazos Nueces Brazos-Colorado Colorado-Lavaca Lavaca-Guadal upe If All Water Rights Exercised: San Antonio-Nueces 64,394 acre feet Nueces-Rio Grande
Median Annual Inflow, All Water Rights Exercised: 1.57 Million Acre Feet
If Freshwater Inflows Necessary to Conserve Health and Productivity of San Antonio Estuary Reserved, Water Available for Other Uses: 0.54 Million Acre Feet 28