L'Oreal Stepney, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality

Responding to <strong>Texas</strong>Droughts:TCEQ’s ExperienceL’Oreal <strong>Stepney</strong>, P.E.Deputy Director, Office of Water, TCEQ

Office of Water

Water Availability

Water Availability• TCEQ is charged with managing Statesurface water in <strong>Texas</strong>.• To divert, use, orstore state water oruse the bed andbanks of a watercourserequires authorization.

Water Right Permits• Water right permits have priority dateswhich determine their place in line foravailable water.

Water Right Permits (cont.)• For a new appropriation, the <strong>Texas</strong> WaterCode requires TCEQ to determine whetherwater is available.– Water availability models(WAM)– Environmental flows

2011 Drought• October 4, 2011– 97% of <strong>Texas</strong> in extreme or exceptional drought– Included all or part of all counties in <strong>Texas</strong>• April 20, 2012, 2012– 31% of <strong>Texas</strong> in extreme or exceptional drought– Includes all or part of 99 counties in <strong>Texas</strong>

Senior Calls• TCEQ’s actions are guided by thePriority Doctrine– “First in time, first in right”– Superior rights: domestic & livestock uses• 15 senior calls resulting in over1,200 water right holders suspended

Senior Calls (cont.)• TCEQ stopped issuingtemporary water rightpermits in affected basins• Suspended water rightshave not includedjunior municipal orpower generation uses

Senior Calls: New Issues• Governor’s Drought Proclamation• TCEQ managing new types of calls• Working with entities to manage:– Lake levels/temperatures at power plants– Releases from Lake Whitney– Changes to senior calls• Drinking Water Facilities

Senior Calls: Recent rains– Recent rains have resulted in all senior callsbeing rescinded.– Suspensions were lifted providing junior waterright holders the opportunity to use and storewater.– Suspensions may again be necessary if anotherpriority call is made.

TCEQ Drought Response• TCEQ Drought Team• Weekly DroughtMeetings• Drought Contingency &Water ConservationPlans• State-wide notifications– State leadership– Legislative officials– County judges– County extensionagents– Water right holders– media

Public Water Systems & Drought• Outreach targeted at public water systems.– Approximately 6,000 public water systems in<strong>Texas</strong>.– Drought Information Webpage– State-level emergency assistance

Priority Public Water Systems• TCEQ intensively monitors public watersystems:– High Priority List: unknown or

Public Water Systems - FMT• Financial, Managerial, & Technical (FMT)Assistance– Identifying alternative water sources– Coordination of emergency drinking waterplanning– Identification of possible funding sources foralternative sources of water

PWS Water Use Restrictions• April 13, 2012:– 1,000 public water systems (PWS) with outdoorwater restrictions• 626 mandatory watering schedule• 374 voluntary watering schedule• 45 prohibited all outside watering

Drought Workshops• TCEQ is sponsoring Drought Workshops at 8locations state-wide• Attended by state agency partners– <strong>Texas</strong> Department of Emergency Management– <strong>Texas</strong> Department of Agriculture– <strong>Texas</strong> Water Development Board

State Agency PartnershipsTCEQ partners with severalstate agencies to addressdrought and waterconservation.

Conservation• During times ofdrought, conservationis a critical componentto managing watersupply.

Conservation:Public Water Supplies• Public water systems should be familiar with their watersupply:– Know the capacity of your system – how much water do youhave left?– Surface water intakes: understand water level and otherrequirements.– Groundwater systems: know the level of groundwater andunderstand the mechanics of the pumps.– Maintenance: monitor the maintenance on your intake,treatment plant, and distribution system.

Conservation:Drought Contingency Plans• Strategies for temporary supply and demandmanagement responses to temporary/potentiallyrecurring water supply shortages/water supplyemergencies• Required for:– New or amendment to an existing water right– Wholesale and retail public water suppliers• TCEQ has strongly encouraged implementation of DCPsat the highest appropriate stage.

Conservation:Water Conservation PlansA strategy or combination of strategies for reducingthe volume of water withdrawn from a water supplysource, for reducing the loss or waste of water, formaintaining or improving the efficiency in the use ofwater, for increasing the recycling and reuse ofwater, and for preventing the pollution of water.

Conservation:Water Conservation Plans (cont.)• Required for:– New or amendment to an existing water right– Existing water right holders• ≥1,000 acre/feet per year–Municipal–Industrial–Other non-agricultural• Agricultural ≥10,000 acre/feet per year

Conservation:Wastewater Reuse• Wastewater from domestic or industrialsources can be authorized for reuse• Authorization can be obtained through:– <strong>Texas</strong> Administrative Code §210

Watermasters• <strong>Texas</strong> has watermaster programs in areas ofthe state needing more active managementof water rights.

Watermaster Areas

Watermasters in DroughtWatermasters work closelywith users to meet watersupply needs in times ofshortages.

Watermaster Evaluations• TCEQ’s Sunset Bill (HB 2694) – Section 5.05• Requires the Executive Director to evaluate eachbasin that does not have a watermaster programat least once every 5 years.• The <strong>Commission</strong> is requiredto determine the criteria orrisk factors for evaluation.

Watermaster Evaluations (cont.)• Schedule for Watermaster evaluations:– Year 1: Brazos and Colorado River Basins, Brazos-Colorado and Colorado-Lavaca Coastal Basins– Year 2: Trinity and San Jacinto River Basins, Trinity-SanJacinto and San Jacinto-Brazos Coastal Basins– Year 3: Sabine and Neches River Basins, Neches-TrinityCoastal Basin– Year 4: Canadian and Red River Basins– Year 5: Sulpher and Cypress River Basins

L’Oreal <strong>Stepney</strong>, P.E.Loreal.<strong>Stepney</strong>@tceq.texas.gov512-239-6696