By:  Truan                                           S.C.R. No. 154
                             SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
    1-1        WHEREAS, A long-term drought in northern Mexico has reduced
    1-2  the flow of the Rio Conchos which supplies the majority of the
    1-3  water available in the lower Rio Grande; and
    1-4        WHEREAS, The Mexican allocation of water from the lower Rio
    1-5  Grande will be depleted by June of 1995, and the Texas water
    1-6  allocation is sufficient until December of 1995 for both
    1-7  agricultural and municipal uses but thereafter will be sufficient
    1-8  only for municipal uses; and
    1-9        WHEREAS, The Mexican government determined on April 28, 1995,
   1-10  that it would not limit agricultural use of its allocation; and
   1-11        WHEREAS, The population on the Mexican side of the Rio Grande
   1-12  exceeds the population on the Texas side and will be endangered by
   1-13  the acute shortage of water; and
   1-14        WHEREAS, The reduced flow of water in the Rio Grande,
   1-15  combined with untreated waste water, creates a serious public
   1-16  health concern for the residents of both sides of the border, and
   1-17  the shortage of water threatens both agriculture and industry on
   1-18  each side of the border; and
   1-19        WHEREAS, The State of Texas does not have a comprehensive,
   1-20  long-term plan for the management of the water resources of the Rio
   1-21  Grande or for avoiding future water crises; now, therefore, be it
   1-22        RESOLVED, That the 74th Legislature of the State of Texas
   1-23  hereby direct the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission,
    2-1  the Texas Water Development Board, the Texas Department of Health,
    2-2  the Texas Department of Agriculture, and the Texas Parks and
    2-3  Wildlife Department to establish a special task force on the
    2-4  management of the Rio Grande under the direction of the chairman of
    2-5  the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission; and, be it
    2-6  further
    2-7        RESOLVED, That the task force develop plans for the State of
    2-8  Texas to respond to the immediate public health, natural resource,
    2-9  and economic threats created by the current water crisis on the Rio
   2-10  Grande; and, be it further
   2-11        RESOLVED, That the task force develop plans for the long-term
   2-12  management of the water resources of the Rio Grande, including
   2-13  joint management of the water resources of the entire Rio Grande
   2-14  basin; and, be it further
   2-15        RESOLVED, That the 74th Legislature of the State of Texas
   2-16  hereby request the lieutenant governor and the speaker of the house
   2-17  of representatives to establish a joint interim committee to
   2-18  monitor the task force on the management of the Rio Grande and that
   2-19  the committee make a full report of its activities and
   2-20  recommendations to the 75th Legislature when it convenes in
   2-21  January, 1997; and, be it further
   2-22        RESOLVED, That the committee's proceedings and operations be
   2-23  governed by such general rules and policies for joint interim
   2-24  committees as the 74th Legislature may adopt and that such rules
   2-25  and policies supersede the provisions of this resolution to the
    3-1  extent of any conflict.