No Statewide news this month.
Region E – The city of El Paso is buying a large property in the outlying community of Dell Valley, along with its underlying water rights. The purchase of the 18,000-acre CLM Ranch is the second large land acquisition this year; the purchase of the 26,000-acre Chambers Lynch Ranch in July was a story in that month's Water News. The $66-million deal for the CLM Ranch was approved on November 15th, and is intended to secure future water sources while the market is favorable, using money from the State Water Implementation Fund, or SWIFT. Both the CLM and Chambers Lynch Ranch overlie the Bone Springs-Victorio Peak Aquifer, and while the aquifer may not be tapped for decades, the city says the acquisitions will protect the aquifer from water speculation in the future. You can read more on the story here.
Region L – A special report by KRIS-TV in Corpus Christi highlights the plight of Nueces county residents living in colonias. Arsenic contamination of water supplies in communities like Cindy Park and Banquete, a short distance from Corpus Christi, have left these communities without access to clean drinking water. Grant money from Nueces County has paid for a filtration system on one of the affected wells, but colonia residents and advocates like the South Texas Colonia Initiative are asking county commissioners for assistance. As one Cindy Park resident put it, “If we... want clean water, then we need to take the initiative.” You can read more on the story here.
Region O – The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) has approved a $35 million loan to the city of Lubbock. The money will be used to construct a stormwater sewer network to drain playa lakes into local reservoirs, which will simultaneously reduce flood risk and shore up the city's water supply. You can read more on the story here.
Upcoming Planning Meetings
Monday, December 12, 2016: Changed- 12:00pm | Lavaca Navidad River Authority Headquarters, 4631 FM 3131, Edna, Texas. |