Scientific Review Panel for the LCRA-SAWS Water Project

The Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) in Region K and San Antonio Water System (SAWS) in Region L are studying the feasibility of a plan to help meet future water needs in both regions by capturing stored or unused Colorado River flows in an off-channel storage facility and conveying that water to San Antonio.  The project is also looking at reducing agricultural irrigation demands for water with conservation practices and measures, such as laser-leveling fields, improving canals and growing more water-efficient rice. In addition the project is looking at using a limited amount of groundwater for agriculture when surface water isn’t available.  

LCRA and SAWS are in the fourth year of a six-year study period to find out if the project makes sense.  The studies will provide important data about the basin’s water supplies and environmental needs, the river’s socioeconomic value, and the project’s impact. The studies also will identify options to mitigate, or offset, adverse impacts from constructing, operating and maintaining the project. This could include impacts to the environment, groundwater supplies and property tax revenues.

The purpose of the panel is to:

• Review and comment on scientific validity of study approaches and results.
• Recommend actions to enhance technical quality and credibility of analyses
• Provide input to project team to help balance cost and benefit of proposed actions

More information on the science review panel: http://www.lcra.org/lswp/oversight.html

More information on the Water Project: http://www.lcra.org/lswp/index.html

PEDERNALES RIVER PROJECT

Beginning in May 2007, The River Systems Institute (PI: Andrew Sansom and Co-PIs: Tim Bonner, Vince Lopes, Joanna Curran, Al Groeger) in collaboration with the Nature Conservancy of Texas are developing a conservation plan for the Pedernales River.  This project will provide an integrated assessment of the watershed, analysis of the spatial and temporal pattern of the drainage fish assemblage, determine the hydraulic geometry, and study the water chemistry and quality of the river.
 
Background

For more than 100 miles the Pedernales River winds its ancient Hill Country course, cutting through deep, mossy canyons and towering, limestone cliffs before joining the Colorado River at Lake Travis west of Austin. The Pedernales is one of Texas’ most pristine and beautiful rivers - vast stretches of the river are lined by privately owned ranches and remain largely free of development, making the Pedernales a top priority conservation area.

Objectives

The Nature Conservancy is collaborating with the River Systems Institute to implement a multi-disciplinary research program to address the most glaring information needs in the watershed and to evaluate the impacts of current land and water management and develop strategies for integrated watershed management, including groundwater and surface water management.
 
Historical land uses in the Pedernales River watershed have affected the current ecology and condition of the river, and effects are likely to worsen as the watershed continues to urbanize and water demand increases.  This project will investigate the current watershed status and evaluate the likely effects of future land and water use change on water quality and quantity and instream habitat quality to inform development patterns and land and livestock management in the watershed.
 
This study will also provide information for water management decisions in the Pedernales River watershed.  The Texas Instream Flows Program (TIFP) is developing a multi-disciplinary framework to determine the instream flow needs of a river.  The TIFP framework will form a new foundation for the way all Texas state agencies inform current policies, allocation, use, and water management processes (e.g., water rights review, regional water planning, watershed protection planning, etc).

 This research will also relate explicitly to groundwater management efforts affecting the Pedernales River watershed (e.g., the relevant groundwater conservation districts and Groundwater Management Area) and will build upon previous water management models and analysis by the Lower Colorado River Authority and other entities in the Pedernales River.