HBA-SEP H.C.R. 270 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.C.R. 270 By: Chisum Natural Resources 5/5/2001 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The 75th Legislature passed legislation requiring regional water planning groups throughout the state to prepare regional water plans addressing each region's water needs for the next fifty years, with initial submissions due in January 2001 and subsequent submissions to occur every five years thereafter. The Panhandle Regional Water Planning Group has proposed the Sweetwater Creek Reservoir (reservoir), located in Wheeler County, as a site that could potentially serve as a source of water for the Panhandle region. The reservoir may require further study to determine if and how that potential can be achieved within the parameters of the Red River Compact. House Concurrent Resolution 270 directs the Panhandle Regional Water Planning Group to examine the reservoir site as a potential water management strategy to supply water demands in the region, and to determine the appropriateness of including such reservoir in its regional water plan. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS House Concurrent Resolution 270 directs the Panhandle Regional Water Planning Group (group) to examine the Sweetwater Creek Reservoir (reservoir) site in Wheeler County as a potential water management strategy to supply water demands in the region, and to determine the appropriateness of including such reservoir in its regional water plan to be submitted to the Texas Water Development Board (board) in January 2006. H.C.R. 270 encourages the board, through its funding of the regional water planning process, to make money available to enable the group to study the reservoir as a potential water management strategy.