GCUWCD to hold public hearing on proposed district rules
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The Gonzales County Underground Water Conservation District Board of Directors will hold a public hearing on proposed district rules changes at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 13, at the GCUWCD office, 522 Saint Matthew St., Gonzales.
The public hearing is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. immediately before the regular board meeting, which will follow. A copy of the draft rules Version IV can be found on the district’s website at www.gcuwcd.org.
Residents can submit written public comments from now until May 13 at 5 p.m. Members of the public wishing to comment at the meeting must attend the meeting in-person. However, any person may view or listen to the meeting via audio and video conference call. No participation or public comments will be allowed via video or conference call.
Changes to the rules include amending the definition of “domestic use” to mean “use of water by an individual or up to four households utilizing a single well a household to support domestic activity. Domestic use may include water for drinking, washing, or culinary purposes; for irrigation of lawns, or of a family garden or orchard; for watering of domestic animals; and for water recreation, including aquatic and wildlife enjoyment. If the water is diverted, it must be diverted solely through the efforts of the user. Domestic use does not include water used to support activities for which consideration is given or received or for which the product of the activity is sold.”
An amendment regarding the export of water outside the district from annexed water wells that serve public water utility supply wells states they “shall be limited to 5,000 acre-feet of water per year in the aggregate and shall pay a fee to the District in accordance with Section 36.122(e-2), Water Code. The export fee rate will be included in the District’s fee schedule established by Board resolution. Export fees will be assessed monthly based on the amount of groundwater exported from the District in the preceding month. Monthly fees are due in the District office by the 30th day of the following month. If the amount of groundwater produced and exported is not metered during the month reported, or if any meter fails during that month, the fee shall be based on 1/12 of the annual authorized export permit amount.”
The rules state the district’s goal is to “achieve the Desired Future Conditions (DFCs) for each aquifer.” The current DFCs for the Carrizo-Wilcox, Queen City, and Sparta aquifers in Groundwater Management Area 13 is that “75 percent of the saturated thickness in the outcrop at the end of 2012 (January 2013 measurements) remains in 2070 and the average drawdown of 48 feet (+/- 5 feet) for all of GMA 13 calculated from the end of 2012 conditions through the year 2080.”
Regarding the exceedance of drawdown limits, the proposed rules include language which states “After reviewing the annual water level report and the District annual report, the Board will determine if the District is achieving the desired future conditions to determine if production limitations are needed and will consider:
1. the modeled available groundwater determined by the executive administrator;
2. the executive administrator's estimate of the current and projected amount of groundwater produced under exemptions granted by District Rules and Section 36.117, Water Code;
3. the amount of groundwater authorized under permits previously issued by the District;
4. a reasonable estimate of the amount of groundwater that is actually produced under permits issued by the District;
5. yearly precipitation and production patterns; and
6. water level measurements in dedicated observation wells.
“To accomplish the purposes of Texas Water Code Chapter 36, and to achieve the stated purposes and goals of the District, including managing the sustainability of the aquifers and preventing significant, sustained water-level declines within the aquifers, the District shall manage total groundwater production on a long-term basis to achieve the applicable desired future condition. The District may establish production limits on new regular permits or any permit amendments to increase groundwater production. All permits and permit amendments are issued subject to any future production limits adopted by the District.”
To join the public hearing draft rules meeting online from your computer, tablet or smartphone:
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United States: +1 (571) 317-3116
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