85R11355 SLB-F
 
  By: Price H.B. No. 2215
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the adoption of desired future conditions for aquifers
  in groundwater management areas and the consideration of those
  conditions in the regional water planning process.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
  SECTION 1.  Section 16.053(e), Water Code, as amended by
  Chapters 756 (H.B. 2031), 990 (H.B. 30), and 1180 (S.B. 1101), Acts
  of the 84th Legislature, Regular Session, 2015, is reenacted and
  amended to read as follows:
         (e)  Each regional water planning group shall submit to the
  development board a regional water plan that:
               (1)  is consistent with the guidance principles for the
  state water plan adopted by the development board under Section
  16.051(d);
               (2)  provides information based on data provided or
  approved by the development board in a format consistent with the
  guidelines provided by the development board under Subsection (d);
               (2-a)  is consistent with the desired future conditions
  most recently adopted under Section 36.108 for the relevant
  aquifers located in the regional water planning area, [as of the
  date the board most recently adopted a state water plan under
  Section 16.051 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 shall determine the supply
  of groundwater for regional planning purposes; the Texas Water
  Development Board shall 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 the board'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)  identifies:
                     (A)  each source of water supply in the regional
  water planning area, including information supplied by the
  executive administrator on the amount of modeled available
  groundwater in accordance with the guidelines provided by the
  development board under Subsections (d) and (f);
                     (B)  factors specific to each source of water
  supply to be considered in determining whether to initiate a
  drought response;
                     (C)  actions to be taken as part of the response;
  and
                     (D)  existing major water infrastructure
  facilities that may be used for interconnections in the event of an
  emergency shortage of water;
               (4)  has specific provisions for water management
  strategies to be used during a drought of record;
               (5)  includes but is not limited to consideration of
  the following:
                     (A)  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;
                     (B)  approved groundwater conservation district
  management plans and other plans submitted under Section 16.054;
                     (C)  all potentially feasible water management
  strategies, including but not limited to improved conservation,
  reuse, and management of existing water supplies, conjunctive use,
  acquisition of available existing water supplies, and development
  of new water supplies;
                     (D)  protection of existing water rights in the
  region;
                     (E)  opportunities for and the benefits of
  developing regional water supply facilities or providing regional
  management of water supply facilities;
                     (F)  appropriate provision for environmental
  water needs and for the effect of upstream development on the bays,
  estuaries, and arms of the Gulf of Mexico and the effect of plans on
  navigation;
                     (G)  provisions in Section 11.085(k)(1) if
  interbasin transfers are contemplated;
                     (H)  voluntary transfer of water within the region
  using, but not limited to, regional water banks, sales, leases,
  options, subordination agreements, and financing agreements;
                     (I)  emergency transfer of water under Section
  11.139, including information on the part of each permit, certified
  filing, or certificate of adjudication for nonmunicipal use in the
  region that may be transferred without causing unreasonable damage
  to the property of the nonmunicipal water rights holder; and
                     (J)  opportunities for and the benefits of
  developing large-scale desalination facilities for:
                           (i)  marine seawater that serve local or
  regional entities; and
                           (ii)  [(J) opportunities for and the
  benefits of developing large-scale desalination facilities for]
  seawater or brackish groundwater that serve local or regional
  brackish groundwater production zones identified and designated
  under Section 16.060(b)(5);
               (6)  identifies river and stream segments of unique
  ecological value and sites of unique value for the construction of
  reservoirs that the regional water planning group recommends for
  protection under Section 16.051;
               (7)  assesses the impact of the plan on unique river and
  stream segments identified in Subdivision (6) if the regional water
  planning group or the legislature determines that a site of unique
  ecological value exists;
               (8)  describes the impact of proposed water projects on
  water quality; and
               (9)  includes information on:
                     (A)  projected water use and conservation in the
  regional water planning area; and
                     (B)  the implementation of state and regional
  water plan projects, including water conservation strategies,
  necessary to meet the state's projected water demands.
         SECTION 2.  Sections 36.108(d) and (d-3), Water Code, are
  amended to read as follows:
         (d)  The [Not later than September 1, 2010, and every five
  years thereafter, the] districts shall consider groundwater
  availability models and other data or information for the
  management area and shall propose for adoption desired future
  conditions for the relevant aquifers within the management area.  
  Before voting on the proposed desired future conditions of the
  aquifers under Subsection (d-2), the districts shall consider:
               (1)  aquifer uses or conditions within the management
  area, including conditions that differ substantially from one
  geographic area to another;
               (2)  the water supply needs and water management
  strategies included in the state water plan;
               (3)  hydrological conditions, including for each
  aquifer in the management area the total estimated recoverable
  storage as provided by the executive administrator, and the average
  annual recharge, inflows, and discharge;
               (4)  other environmental impacts, including impacts on
  spring flow and other interactions between groundwater and surface
  water;
               (5)  the impact on subsidence;
               (6)  socioeconomic impacts reasonably expected to
  occur;
               (7)  the impact on the interests and rights in private
  property, including ownership and the rights of management area
  landowners and their lessees and assigns in groundwater as
  recognized under Section 36.002;
               (8)  the feasibility of achieving the desired future
  condition; and
               (9)  any other information relevant to the specific
  desired future conditions.
         (d-3)  After the earlier of the date on which all the
  districts have submitted their district summaries or the expiration
  of the public comment period under Subsection (d-2), the district
  representatives shall reconvene to review the reports and [,]
  consider any district's suggested revisions to the proposed desired
  future conditions. Not later than January 5, 2022, the district
  representatives shall [, and] finally adopt the desired future
  conditions for the management area.  Subsequent desired future
  conditions shall be proposed and finally adopted by the district
  representatives before the end of each successive five-year period
  after that date.  The desired future conditions must be adopted as a
  resolution by a two-thirds vote of all the district
  representatives.  The district representatives shall produce a
  desired future conditions explanatory report for the management
  area and submit to the development board and each district in the
  management area proof that notice was posted for the joint planning
  meeting, a copy of the resolution, and a copy of the explanatory
  report.  The report must:
               (1)  identify each desired future condition;
               (2)  provide the policy and technical justifications
  for each desired future condition;
               (3)  include documentation that the factors under
  Subsection (d) were considered by the districts and a discussion of
  how the adopted desired future conditions impact each factor;
               (4)  list other desired future condition options
  considered, if any, and the reasons why those options were not
  adopted; and
               (5)  discuss reasons why recommendations made by
  advisory committees and relevant public comments received by the
  districts were or were not incorporated into the desired future
  conditions.
         SECTION 3.  To the extent of any conflict, this Act prevails
  over another Act of the 85th Legislature, Regular Session, 2017,
  relating to nonsubstantive additions to and corrections in enacted
  codes.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2017.