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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the duty of the Texas Water Development Board to conduct |
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studies of and prepare and submit reports on aquifer storage and |
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recovery and aquifer recharge projects. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 11.155, Water Code, is amended to read as |
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follows: |
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Sec. 11.155. AQUIFER STORAGE AND RECOVERY AND AQUIFER |
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RECHARGE REPORTS. (a) In this section: |
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(1) "Aquifer recharge project" means a project |
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involving the intentional recharge of an aquifer by means of an |
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injection well authorized under Chapter 27 or other means of |
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infiltration, including actions designed to: |
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(A) reduce declines in the water level of the |
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aquifer; |
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(B) supplement the quantity of groundwater |
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available; |
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(C) improve water quality in an aquifer; |
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(D) improve spring flows and other interactions |
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between groundwater and surface water; or |
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(E) mitigate subsidence. |
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(2) "Aquifer storage and recovery project" has the |
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meaning assigned by Section 27.151. |
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(b) The board shall make studies, investigations, and |
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surveys of the aquifers in the state [as it considers necessary] to |
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determine the occurrence, quantity, quality, and availability of |
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aquifers in which aquifer storage and recovery projects or aquifer |
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recharge projects are feasible [water may be stored and
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subsequently retrieved for beneficial use]. |
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(c) The board, working with appropriate interested persons, |
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including river authorities and major water providers and water |
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utilities, regional water planning groups, groundwater |
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conservation districts, and potential public sponsors of aquifer |
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storage and recovery projects or aquifer recharge projects, shall: |
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(1) conduct studies of aquifer storage and recovery |
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projects and aquifer recharge projects identified in the state |
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water plan or by interested persons; and |
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(2) report the results of each study conducted under |
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Subdivision (1) to regional water planning groups and interested |
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persons. |
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(d) This subsection expires January 1, 2021. The board |
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shall: |
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(1) conduct a statewide survey to identify the |
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relative suitability of various major and minor aquifers for use in |
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aquifer storage and recovery projects or aquifer recharge projects |
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based on consideration of: |
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(A) hydrogeological characteristics, with a |
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focus on: |
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(i) storage potential; |
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(ii) transmissivity; |
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(iii) infiltration characteristics; |
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(iv) storativity; |
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(v) recoverability; and |
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(vi) water quality; |
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(B) the frequency, volume, and distance from |
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excess water available for potential storage; and |
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(C) the current and future water supply needs |
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identified in the state water plan; |
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(2) prepare a report that includes an overview of the |
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survey conducted under Subdivision (1); and |
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(3) not later than December 15, 2020, submit the |
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report described by Subdivision (2) to the governor, lieutenant |
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governor, and speaker of the house of representatives [The board
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shall undertake the studies, investigations, and surveys in the
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following order of priority:
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[(1)
areas designated by the commission as "priority
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groundwater management areas" under Section 35.008; and
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[(2)
other areas of the state in a priority to be
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determined by the board's ranking of where the greatest need
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exists]. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |