Region C Water Plan ___________ January 2001 ______________________ Thomas C. Gooch, P.E. Prepared for Region C Water Planning Group _____________________ Alan H. Plummer, Jr., P.E. Freese and Nichols, Inc. Alan Plummer Associates, Inc. Chiang, Patel and Yerby, Inc. ____________________ Cooksey Communications, Larry D. Rivers, P.E Inc. Freese and Nichols, Inc. Region C Alan Plummer Associates, Inc. Water Planning Group Chiang, Patel and Yerby, Inc. Cooksey Communications, Inc. Region C Water Plan January 2001 Prepared for Region C Water Planning Group Terrace Stewart, Chair Dale Fisseler James Parks, Vice Chair Paul Phillips Roy J. Eaton, Secretary Irvin M. Rice Judge Tom Vandergriff Mary E. Vogelson Paul Zweiacker Danny Vance Elaine Petrus Brad Barnes Robert O. Scott Jerry W. Chapman A. Leroy Burch George Shannon Howard Martin Jim McCarter Connie Standridge NTD98535 REGION C WATER PLAN TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Executive Summary ES-1 ES-1 Description of Region C ES-1 Economic Activity in Region C ES-1 Water-Related Physical Features in Region C ES-2 Current Water Uses and Demand Centers in Region C ES-2 Current Sources of Water Supply ES-3 Water Providers in Region C ES-3 Agricultural and Natural Resources in Region C ES-3 Summary of Threats and Constraints to Water Supply in Region C ES-5 Water-Related Threats to Agricultural and Natural Resources in Region C ES-6 ES-2 Population and Water Demand Projections ES-6 Methodology for Projections of Population and Water Demand ES-6 Population Projections ES-7 Water Demand Projections ES-7 ES-3 Analysis of Water Supply Currently Available to Region C ES-10 ES-4 Comparison of Current Water Supply and Projected Water Demand ES-11 Comparison of Supply and Demand ES-11 Socio-Economic Impacts of Not Meeting Projected Water Needs ES-12 ES-5 Evaluation and Selection of Water Management Strategies ES-12 Goals of the Planning Process ES-13 Types of Water Management Strategies Considered ES-13 Methodology for Evaluating Water Management Strategies ES-14 Recommended Water Management Strategies for Major Water Providers ES-15 Recommended Water Management Strategies by County ES-18 Livestock Demands ES-23 Consistency with the Regional Water Plan ES-24 ES-6 Regulatory, Administrative, Legislative, and Other Recommendations ES-25 ES-7 Plan Approval Process and Public Participation ES-26 Regional Water Planning Group ES-26 Outreach to Water Suppliers and Regional Planning Groups ES-26 Outreach to the Public ES-27 Public Meetings and Public Hearings ES-27 Implementation Strategies ES-27 Table of Contents, Continued Page Introduction I-1 1. Description of Region C 1.1 1.1 Economic Activity in Region C 1.1 1.2 Water-Related Physical Features in Region C 1.5 1.3 Current Water Uses and Demand Centers in Region C 1.6 1.4 Current Sources of Water Supply 1.12 Surface Water Sources 1.14 Groundwater Sources 1.18 Water Reclamation 1.20 Springs in Region C 1.21 1.5 Water Providers in Region C 1.21 Regional Wholesale Water Suppliers 1.22 Retail Water Suppliers 1.28 Major Water Providers 1.28 1.6 Pre-Existing Plans for Water Supply Development 1.33 Previous Water Supply Planning in Region C 1.33 Most Recent State Water Plan 1.34 Conservation Planning in Region C 1.35 Preliminary Assessment of Current Preparations for Drought in Region C 1.35 Other Water-Related Programs 1.36 1.7 Agricultural and Natural Resources in Region C 1.37 Wetlands 1.37 Endangered or Threatened Species 1.38 Stream Segments with Significant Natural Resources 1.38 Agriculture and Prime Farmland 1.42 State and Federal Natural Resource Holdings 1.44 Oil and Gas Resources 1.44 Lignite Coal Fields 1.45 1.8 Summary of Threats and Constraints to Water Supply in Region C 1.45 Need to Develop Additional Supplies 1.45 Surface Water Quality Concerns 1.46 Groundwater Drawdown 1.51 Groundwater Quality 1.51 Table of Contents, Continued Page 1.9 Water-Related Threats to Agricultural and Natural Resources in Region C 1.52 Changes to Natural Flow Conditions 1.52 Water Quality Concerns 1.53 Inundation Due to Reservoir Development 1.53 2. Population and Water Demand Projections 2.1 2.1 Previous Texas Water Development Board Projections 2.1 2.2 Region C Population and Water Use Patterns 2.1 2.3 Methodology for Projections of Population and Water Demand 2.4 Revisions to Population Projections 2.5 Revisions to Water Demand Projections 2.6 Review of Initial Recommendations for Population and Water Use Projections 2.6 2.4 Population Projections 2.7 2.5 Water Demand Projections 2.12 3. Analysis of Water Supply Currently Available to Region C 3.1 3.1 Overall Water Supply Availability 3.1 3.2 Water Availability by Water User Group 3.5 3.3 Water Availability by Major Water Provider 3.6 Dallas Water Utilities 3.6 Tarrant Regional Water District 3.8 North Texas Municipal Water District 3.8 City of Fort Worth 3.8 Trinity River Authority 3.9 3.4 Impact of Recent Droughts in Region C 3.9 3.5 Summary of Current Water Supply in Region C 3.10 4. Comparison of Current Water Supply and Projected Water Demand 4.1 4.1 Regional Comparison of Supply and Demand 4.2 Table of Contents, Continued Page 4.2 Comparison of Connected Supply and Demand by Water User Group 4.2 4.3 Comparison of Supply and Demand by Major Water Provider 4.5 Dallas Water Utilities 4.6 Tarrant Regional Water District 4.7 North Texas Municipal Water District 4.7 City of Fort Worth 4.7 Trinity River Authority 4.8 4.4 Socio-Economic Impacts of Not Meeting Projected Water Needs 4.8 4.5 Summary of Comparison of Supply and Demand for Region C 4.10 5. Evaluation and Selection of Water Management Strategies 5.1 5.1 Previous Plans for Water Supply in Region C 5.2 Most Recent State Water Plan 5.3 5.2 Goals, Issues and Concerns in the Planning Process 5.4 Goals of the Planning Process 5.4 Water Supply Issues and Concerns 5.4 Environmental Issues and Concerns 5.5 Water Quality Issues and Concerns 5.5 Regulatory Issues and Concerns 5.6 5.3 Types of Water Management Strategies Considered 5.6 Water Conservation 5.7 Emergency Management and Drought Response 5.9 Reuse of Wastewater 5.10 Reservoir System Operation 5.14 Connecting Existing Sources 5.14 Reallocation of Reservoir Storage 5.16 Voluntary Transfer of Water Rights 5.16 Voluntary Subordination of Water Rights 5.17 Enhancement of Yields of Existing Sources 5.17 Control of Naturally Occurring Chlorides 5.18 Interbasin Transfers 5.18 Development of New Supplies 5.19 Brush Control 5.23 Precipitation Enhancement 5.23 Desalination 5.24 Water Right Cancellation 5.24 Aquifer Storage and Recovery 5.25 Other Measures – Renewal of Contracts 5.25 Other Measures – Temporary Overdrafting 5.26 Table of Contents, Continued Page Other Measures – Groundwater Management Districts 5.26 Other Measures – Assumed Reallocation of Groundwater 5.27 Other Measures – Wellhead Management 5.28 5.4 Methodology for Evaluating Water Management Strategies 5.28 Factors Considered in Evaluation 5.29 Environmental Evaluation 5.30 Costs of Water Management Strategies 5.30 Recommended Water Management Strategies 5.30 5.5 Recommended Water Management Strategies for Major Water Providers 5.31 Regional Supplies – Marvin Nichols I Reservoir 5.31 Water Management Strategies for Dallas Water Utilities 5.35 Water Management Strategies for Tarrant Regional Water District 5.37 Water Management Strategies for North Texas Municipal Water District 5.40 Water Management Strategies for Fort Worth 5.44 Water Management Strategies for Trinity River Authority 5.45 5.6 Discussion of Management Strategies by County 5.45 Collin County 5.46 Cooke County 5.49 Dallas County 5.51 Denton County 5.55 Ellis County 5.56 Fannin County 5.64 Freestone County 5.65 Grayson County 5.67 Henderson County 5.71 Jack County 5.72 Kaufman County 5.74 Navarro County 5.74 Parker County 5.78 Rockwall County 5.81 Tarrant County 5.82 Wise County 5.85 5.7 Expanded Discussion of Livestock Demands 5.86 Overdrafting Aquifers 5.89 Brush Control 5.89 Funding for Maintaining Existing Stock Ponds and Adding New Stock Ponds 5.89 Improving and Maintaining Existing NRCS Dams 5.90 Survey on Agricultural Water Use 5.90 Table of Contents, Continued Page 5.8 Consistency with the Regional Water Plan 5.91 5.9 Effect of the Plan on Navigation 5.92 6. Regulatory, Administrative, Legislative, and Other Recommendations 6.1 6.1 Summary of Recommendations 6.1 6.2 Recommendations Related to the Senate Bill One Planning Process 6.3 Alternative Strategies for Near and Long Term Needs 6.3 Requirement that a Project Must Be Consistent with the Regional Water Plan to Receive Funding from the TWDB 6.4 Requirement that a Project Must Be Consistent with the Regional Water Plan to Receive a Water Right Permit from TNRCC 6.5 TWDB Regulations Regarding the Treatment of Contract Expiration in Senate Bill One Planning 6.6 Clarification of Impacts of Designating a Stream Segment as a Unique Stream Segment 6.6 6.3 Recommendations Related to TNRCC Policy and Water Rights 6.7 Cancellation of Water Rights for Non-Use 6.7 Policies Limiting Indirect Reuse of Treated Wastewater 6.8 Requirements for Interbasin Transfers Introduced in Senate Bill One 6.9 6.4 Recommendations for State and Federal Programs to Address Water Supply Issues 6.10 Increased State Funding for Texas Water Development Board Loans and State Participation Program 6.10 Studies of Groundwater Availability 6.10 Increased State Participation in Water Conservation Efforts 6.11 Development of a Program to Educate Board Members of Water Supply Entities 6.12 Increased State Participation in Watershed Protection 6.12 Funding for NRCS Structures 6.13 Maintenance and Construction of Stock Ponds 6.14 Survey on Agricultural Water Use 6.14 6.5 Recommendations for Ecologically Unique River and Stream Segments 6.15 6.6 Recommendations for Unique Sites for Reservoir Construction 6.15 Marvin Nichols I 6.18 Lower Bois d’Arc Creek (New Bonham) 6.20 Muenster 6.22 Tehuacana 6.23 Table of Contents, Continued Page 7.