m - City of New Braunfels

City of New Braunfels City Council
Edwards Aquifer Recovery Implementation Program (EARIP) Briefing
I. EARIP Summary
Due to competing uses, there has always been concern that the Edwards Aquifer may potentially be pumped
to the point that the Comal and San Marcos Springs cease to flow. The Edwards Aquifer Recovery
Implementation Program (EARJP) is a collaborative stakeholder process, working to develop a plan to
protect the federally-listed endangered species potentially affected by the management of the Edwards
Aquifer and other related activities. The EARIP was created by the Texas Legislature in Senate Bill 3
(2007) and is overseen by a legislative appointed Steering Committee whose members include water
utilities, cities, groundwater conservation districts, agricultural users, industrial users, environmental
organizations, individuals, river authorities, downstream and coastal communities, and state and federal
agencies. The goals of the plan include contributing to the recovery of these endangered species and
producing a Habitat Conservation Plan that ensures the species continued survival. The fmal product of the
EARJP will be in the form of a Habitat Conservation Plan, that must be approved by the United States Fish
and Wildlife Service and submitted to the Texas Legislature by 2012. Additional information regarding the
EARlP can be found at: http://earip. tamu.edu/.
New Braunfels Representation (below entities have attended regular meetings or served on committees):
• New Braunfels Utilities
- Roger Biggers, Steering Committee Member
• City ofNew Braunfels
- Nathan Pence, Subcommittee Chair and Workgroup Member
• Chamber of Commerce
• Comal County
• Preserve Lake Dunlap Association
• Schlitterbahn
II. Details and Outline of Draft Habitat Conservation Plan
1. Phased Approach to the Implementation of the Habitat Conservation Plan is being considered:
a. Fifteen-to-25 year permit term
b. The permit term would be divided into three phases
1. Implementation of non-engineered solutions (year 0-7)
a. mitigation and restoration (Attachment 1)
b. Adaptive Management
c. Environmental Restoration and Protection Areas in Landa Park (Attachment 2)
d. Update mod-flow model
n. Engineered Solution (year 1 0-15)
1. Possible Aquifer Storage and Recovery
2. others as needed
111. Adaptive Management (entire duration of permit)
1. continued monitoring and changes based on observed results
2. determination of specific minimum flows
III. Tentative Minimum Flows to be used for Further Analysis
1. Stakeholders would determine specific minimum flows during the initial Adaptive Management
period.
2. Stakeholders would agree to implement engineered actions needed to attain the "final"
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