AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

Regional water planning is set out in Chapter 16 (Provisions Generally Applicable to Water Development), Water Code.

 

S.B. 1101 allows a regional planning group that does not include a Chapter 36 groundwater conservation district to set its groundwater supply numbers for planning purposes.

 

S.B. 1101 amends current law relating to the authority to determine the supply of groundwater in and potential impacts on public health of certain regional water plans.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1. Amends Section 16.053(e), Water Code, as follows:

 

(e) Requires each regional water planning group to submit to the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) a regional water plan that:

 

(1) and (2) Makes no change to these subdivisions;

 

(2-a) is consistent with the desired future conditions adopted under Section 36.108 (Joint Planning in Management Area) for the relevant aquifers located in the regional water planning area as of the date TWDB most recently adopted a state water plan under Section 16.051 (State Water Plan: Drought, Conservation, Development, and Management; Effect of Plan) or, at the option of the regional water planning group, established subsequent to the adoption of the most recent plan; provided, however, that if no groundwater conservation district exists within the area of the regional water planning group, the regional water planning group is required to determine the supply of groundwater for regional planning purposes; requires TWDB to review and approve, prior to inclusion in the regional water plan, that the groundwater supply for the regional planning group without a groundwater conservation district in its area is physically compatible, using TWDB's groundwater availability models, with the desired future conditions adopted under Section 36.108 for the relevant aquifers in the groundwater management area that are regulated by groundwater conservation districts;

 

(3) and (4) Makes no change to these subdivisions;

 

(5) includes but is not limited to consideration of certain provisions, including any existing water or drought planning efforts addressing all or a portion of the region and potential impacts on public health, safety, or welfare in this state;

 

(6)-(9) Makes no change to these subdivisions.

 

SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2015.