Presentation by Tomas Rodriguez, Chair of the Rio Grande Regional Water Planning Group (Region M), at the 2016 SWIFT Funding Workshop in Weslaco, Texas.

1. Major Metropolitan Areas of Region M
1

2. MAJOR METROPOLITAN AREAS
• THE RIO GRANDE REGIONAL WATER
PLANNING AREA (REGION M) CONSISTS OF
THE EIGHT COUNTIES ALONG THE MIDDLE
AND LOWER RIO GRANDE NEAREST THE
RIVER’“ MOUTH AT THE GULF OF MEXICO.
THE AMOUNT OF RAINFALL VARIES ACROSS
THE LOWER RIO GRANDE REGION FROM AN
AVERAGE OF 28 INCHES AT THE COAST TO 18
INCHES IN THE NORTHWESTERN PORTION OF
THE REGION.
2

3. 0
500.000
1.000.000
1.500.000
2.000.000
2.500.000
3.000.000
3.500.000
4.000.000
4.500.000
1900 1920 1940 1960 1980 2000 2020 2040 2060
Population
Decade
Region M Historical and Projected Population
Zapata
Willacy
Webb
Starr
Maverick
Jim Hogg
Hidalgo
Cameron
3

4. HISTORICAL & PROJECTED
POPULATION
• REGION M’“ POPULATION I“ CONCENTRATED
IN CAMERON, HIDALGO, MAVERICK AND
WEBB COUNTIES. THE US CENSUS BUREAU
ESTIMATED TOTAL POPULATION OF REGION
M IN AT . MILLION. THE REGION
IS EXPECTED TO GROW TO OVER FOUR
MILLION BY 2070.
4

5. Region M Land Use Map
5

6. LAND USE MAP
• THERE IS A SHIFT TOWARD URBANIZATION
AND DIVERSIFICATION OF THE ECONOMY,
BUT AGRICULTURE STILL PLAYS A MAJOR
ROLE IN THE REGION.
6

7. River Basins in Region M
7

8. RIVER BASINS
• REGION M HAS THE RIO GRANDE AND NUECES
RIVER. THE VAST MAJORITY OF ITS WATER
COMES FROM THE RIO GRANDE, VIA THE
AMISTAD-FALCON RESERVOIR SYSTEM, WHICH IS
SHARED WITH MEXICO. THE WATERS OF THE
RIO GRANDE ARE MANAGED BY THE
INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARY WATERS
COMMISSION (IBWC) AND TCEQ’“ RIO GRANDE
WATERMASTER. THE MAJORITY OF THE
INFLOWS IN THIS SECTION OF THE RIVER ARE
FROM THE MEXICAN WATERSHED
8

9. RIVER BASINS
• TWO MAJOR AGREEMENTS BETWEEN
MEXICO AND U.S. (1906 AND 1944)
ESTABLISH HOW THESE WATERS ARE SHARED.
ADDITIONALLY MEXICO IS TO DELIVER
350,000 ACRE FEET PER YEAR TO THE UNITED
STATES ON AN AVERAGE OVER A FIVE YEAR
CYCLE, EXCEPT FOR YEARS OF
EXTRAORDINARY DROUGHT, WHEN THE
WATERSHED IN MEXICO CANNOT PROVIDE
SUFFICIENT RUNOFF WATER
9

10. RIVER BASINS
• THE TCEQ WATERMASTER COORDINATES
RELEASES FROM AMISTAD AND FALCON
DAMS. THE SYSTEM OF WATER RIGHTS IS
UNIQUE TO THE RIO GRANDE: THERE IS A
TIERED SYSTEM THAT PRIORTIZES DOMESTIC,
MUNICIPAL AND INDUSTRIAL (DMI) WATER
RIGHT“, AND E“TABLI“HE“ TWO CLA““E“ A
AND B OF MINING AND IRRIGATION WATER
RIGHTS
10

11. RIVER BASINS
• THE DMI WATER RIGHT“ ARE REPLENI“HED
EVERY MONTH TO ENSURE THAT THOSE
WATER RIGHTS CAN BE DELIVERED IN FULL.
CLA““ A AND B MINING AND IRRIGATION
WATER RIGHTS ARE AFFECTED. THE FIRM
YIELD OF WATER RIGHTS OF THE FALCON-
AMISTAD RESERVOIRS RANGE FROM
1,061,000 TO 1,054,000 ACRE FEET FROM
2020 TO 2070 RESPECTIVELY.
11

12. Major and Minor Aquifers in Region M
12

13. MAJOR AND MINOR AQUIFERS
• THE MAJOR AQUIFERS IN THE REGION ARE
THE CARRIZO-WILCOX AND THE GULF COAST.
THE MINOR AQUIFERS ARE THE YEGUA
JACKSON, SPARTA, AND QUEEN CITY.
13

14. -
200.000
400.000
600.000
800.000
1.000.000
1.200.000
1.400.000
1.600.000
1.800.000
2020 2030 2040 2050 2060 2070
Acre-FeetofWater
Projected Water Demands by WUG (Acre-ft./year)
Manufacturing Demands
Livestock Demands
Mining Demands
Steam Electric Power
Demands
Municipal Demands
Irrigation Demands
Water demand projections for each water user
group type in Region M (Acre-feet/year)
14

15. PROJECTED WATER DEMAND BY
WATER USER GROUPS
• THERE IS AN INCREASE FROM 1.5 TO 1.6
MILLION AC FT
15

16. Water District Distribution Network, Lower Rio Grande Valley
16

17. WATER DISTRICT DISTRIBUTION
NETWORK IN LOWER RIO GRANDE
• REGION M HA“ TWO GENERAL TYPE“ OF
WHOLESALE WATER PROVIDERS (WWP):
• THERE ARE 27 IRRIGATION DISTRICTS THAT
PROVIDE RAW WATER TO IRRIGATORS,
CITIES, INDUSTRIAL AND LIVESTOCK USERS.
17

18. WATER DISTRICT DISTRIBUTION
NETWORK
• THE OTHER PROVIDERS ARE THOSE WHO
SELL RETAIL AND/OR WHOLESALE TREATED
WATER TO MUNICIPAL AND INDUSTRIAL
USERS.
18

19. 0
100.000
200.000
300.000
400.000
500.000
600.000
700.000
2020 2030 2040 2050 2060 2070
Acre-feet/year Municipal Needs Compared with Demands (Acre-feet/year)
Municipal Supplies Municipal Needs
Municipal Supplies Shown relative to
Municipal Demands (Acre-feet /year)
19

20. MUNICIPAL SUPPLIES RELATIVE TO
DEMANDS
• MUNICIPAL DEMANDS ARE GOING TO
INCREASE FROM 312,000 TO 612,000 AC FT
FROM 2020 TO 2070 RESPECTIVELY.
20

21. 0
200.000
400.000
600.000
800.000
1.000.000
1.200.000
1.400.000
2020 2030 2040 2050 2060 2070
Acre-feet/year
Irrigation Needs compared with Demands (Acre-feet/year)
Irrigation Supplies Irrigation Needs
Irrigation Supplies as a Portion of Irrigation
Demands (Acre-feet /year)
21

22. IRRIGATION SUPPLIES AS FUNCTION
TO DEMAND
• THE IRRIGATION REQUIREMENTS WILL BE
DECREASING FROM OVER 1 MILLION TO
APPROXIMATELY 900,000
22

23. 0
2.000
4.000
6.000
8.000
10.000
12.000
14.000
16.000
18.000
2020 2030 2040 2050 2060 2070
Acre-feet/year
Mining Needs Compared with Demands (Acre-feet/year)
Mining Supplies Mining Needs
Mining Supplies as a Portion of Mining
Demands (Acre-feet /year)
23

24. MINING SUPPLIES RELATIVE TO
DEMAND
• MINING DEMANDS ARE EXPECTED TO
DECREASE FROM 17,000 TO 10,000 ACRE
FEET
24

25. 0
5.000
10.000
15.000
20.000
25.000
30.000
35.000
40.000
45.000
2020 2030 2040 2050 2060 2070
Acre-feet/year
Steam-Electric Needs Compared with Demands (Acre-
feet/year)
Steam-Electric Supplies Steam Electric Power Needs
Steam Electric Water as a Portion of Steam
Electric Demands (Acre-feet /year)
25

26. STEAM ELECTRIC SUPPLIES AND
DEMAND
• STEAM-ELECTRIC DEMANDS ARE ESTIMATED
TO INCREASE FROM 15,000 TO 39,000 ACRE
FEET
26

27. 0
1.000
2.000
3.000
4.000
5.000
6.000
2020 2030 2040 2050 2060 2070
Acre-feet/year
Livestock Supplies and Demands
(Acre-feet/year)
Livestock Supplies Livestock Needs
Livestock Water as a Portion of Livestock
Demands (Acre-feet /year)
27

28. LIVESTOCK SUPPLIES AND DEMAND
• LIVESTOCK DEMANDS ARE NOT EXPECTED TO
CHANGE
28

29. 0
2.000
4.000
6.000
8.000
10.000
12.000
14.000
16.000
2020 2030 2040 2050 2060 2070
Acre-feet/year
Manufacturing Needs Compared with Demands (Acre-
feet/year)
Manufacturing Supplies Manufacturing Needs
Manufacturing Supplies as a Portion of
Manufacturing Demands (Acre-feet /year)
29

30. MANUFACTURING SUPPLIES AND
DEMAND
• MANUFACTURING DEMANDS WILL INCREASE
FROM 10,000 TO 15,000 ACRE FEET
30

31. Population Projections for Region M by County
31

32. POPULATION DEMANDS BY COUNTY
• COUNTY 2020 2070
• CAMERON 478,974 913,000
• HIDALGO 981,890 2,200,000
• JIM HOGG 5,853 8,000
• MAVERICK 63,107 107,000
• STARR 70,803 112,000
• WEBB 318,028 647,000
• WILLACY 25,264 41,000
• ZAPATA 16,819 34,000
32

33. CAMERON; 81.393
HIDALGO; 158.629
JIM HOGG; 692
MAVERICK; 10.273
STARR; 10.597
WEBB; 43.754 WILLACY; 3.257
ZAPATA; 2.996
Region M Municipal Demand by County, 2020 (Acre-
feet/year)
Municipal Demand Distribution among the
Eight Counties of Region M (Acre-feet/year)
33

34. MUNICIPAL DEMAND BY COUNTY
ACRE FEET
2020 2070
• CAMERON 81,393 147,932
• HIDALGO 158,629 335,816
• JIM HOGG 692 871
• MAVERICK 10,273 16,738
• STARR 10,597 15,689
• WEBB 43,754 84,343
• WILLACY 3,257 4,982
• ZAPATA 2,996 5,756
34

35. Gallons per capita per day (GPCD) Municipal Demands
of Major Cities
CITY GPCD
Brownsville 162
Harlingen 168
Port Isabel 211
McAllen 220
Mission 193
Eagle Pass 182
Rio Grande City 223
Laredo 134
Zapata 175
35

36. 84,3%
11,7%
2,2% 0,2% 1,5%
Major Water Resources, Region M (2020)
Amistad-Falcon Reservoir
Gulf Coast Aquifer
Yegua-Jackson Aquifer
Carrizo-Wilcox Aquifer
Reuse
Major Groundwater, Surface Water, and Reuse
Water Source Projections in Region M
36

37. MAJOR WATER RESOURCES
• AMISTAD-FALCON 84.3%
• GULF COAST 11.7%
• YEGUA JACKSON 2.2%
• REUSE 1.5%
• CARRIZO WILCOX 0.2%
• CARRIZO WILCOX HAS NOT BEEN USED MORE
EXTENSIVELY BECAUSE THE RECHARGE RATE HAS
NOT BEEN CONFIRMED. MORE GROUND WATER
STUDIES ARE REQUIRED.
37

38. 0
1.000.000
2.000.000
3.000.000
4.000.000
5.000.000
6.000.000
7.000.000
8.000.000
19.08.1953
19.08.1955
19.08.1957
19.08.1959
19.08.1961
19.08.1963
19.08.1965
19.08.1967
19.08.1969
19.08.1971
19.08.1973
19.08.1975
19.08.1977
19.08.1979
19.08.1981
19.08.1983
19.08.1985
19.08.1987
19.08.1989
19.08.1991
19.08.1993
19.08.1995
19.08.1997
19.08.1999
19.08.2001
19.08.2003
19.08.2005
19.08.2007
19.08.2009
19.08.2011
Amistad and Falcon Reservoir System Combined Historical
Storage (Acre-Feet)
INTERNATIONAL FALCON RESERVOIR STORAGE
INTERNATIONAL AMISTAD RESERVOIR STORAGE
Combined U.S. and Mexican Storage in
Amistad and Falcon Reservoirs, 1953 – 2011
(Acre-feet).
38

39. COMBINED STORAGE IN AMISTAD &
FALCON DAMS
• FALCON DAM WAS COMPLETED IN 1953. THE
RIVER STOPPED FLOWING IN 1953. THE 1954
FLOOD FILLED FALCON. AMISTAD DAM WAS
COMPLETED IN 1968. THE DROUGHT OF
RECORD IS 1993 TO 2000.
39

40. Rio Grande Basin, Showing Tributaries and
Major Reservoirs in Mexico
40

41. RIO GRANDE BASIN IN TEXAS
• THE CONCHOS, PECOS AND DEVILS RIVERS
DISCHARGE INTO AMISTAD DAM. THE RIO
SALADO DISCHARGES INTO FALCON DAM &
SAN JUAN RIVER DISCHARGES BELOW
AMISTAD
41

42. 42

43. WATER DELIVERED FROM MEXICO
• THIS SLIDE INDICATES THE WATER DELIVERED
BY MEXICO FROM OCTOBER 1988 TO
DECEMBER 2013
43

44. 44

45. WATER DELIVERED BY MEXICO 2015
• THIS CHART SHOWS THE AMOUNT OF WATER
THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DELIVERED
VERSUS WHAT WAS DELIVERED. MEXICO
HAS FALLEN SHORT IN MEETING THEIR
OBLIGATIONS.
45

46. 46
Edwards-Trinity Aquifer
Water Budget
Lower
Pecos
River
Devils
River
Nueces
River
Colorado
River-Concho
Colorado
River-Llano
Rio Grande
Amistad
Rio Grande
Falcon
AMISTAD DAM AND PECOS RIVER STUDY

47. AMISTAD DAM- PECOS & DEVILS
RIVERS
• THE CITY OF LAREDO HAS RECEIVED A STUDY
FROM DR. RONALD GREEN OF THE PECOS
RIVER. THIS STUDY HAD THE ENDORSEMENT
OF REGION M . IT AL“O RECEIVED
FINANCIAL HELP FROM THE TEXAS AG
INSURANCE, RIO GRANDE REGIONAL WATER
AUTHORITY, LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEY
WATER DISTRICTS, ZAPATA COUNTY AND THE
CITY OF MCALLEN.
47

48. AMISTAD DAM – PECOS & DEVILS
RIVERS
• VALVERDE COUNTY HAS ALSO RECEIVED A
STUDY FROM DR. GREEN OF DEVILS RIVER.
BOTH STUDIES ARE TO DETERMINE HOW
GROUND WATER PUMPING WOULD AFFECT
THE SURFACE WATERS OF THE DEVILS, PECOS
AND AMISTAD DAM.
48

49. Future Impact of Pumping on Rio Grande Water Budget in Val Verde County (acre-ft)
Based on Proposed Water Export
Lake
Amistad
Devils
River
263,000
-150,000
83,000
Pecos
River
195,000
-49,000
146,000
Rio Grande at Langtry
1,071,000
San Felipe
Creek
65,000
Rio Grande below Amistad Dam
1,659,000 1,460,000
Rio Grande at Del Rio
1,659,000 1,460,000
Cienegas
Creek
8,700
Gauging Station
Goodenough
Spring 103,000
49

50. DELIVERY OF WATER TO AMISTAD
• WE SHOULD GET THE FOLLOWING IN ACRE FEET
• CONCHOS RIVER -------------------------------- 1,071,000
• PECOS RIVER ---------------------------------------- 195,000
• DEVILS RIVER --------------------------------------- 263,000
• GOOD ENOUGH SPRINGS ----------------------- 103,000
• CIENEGAS CREEK ------------------------------------- 8,700
• SAN FELIPE SPRINGS ------------------------------- 65,000
• SUB TOTAL ----------------------------------------- 1,659,000
• LESS FROM PROPOSED EXPORT -------------- 199,000
• TOTAL ------------------------------------------------ 1,460,000
50

51. WATER MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES
AND WATER CONSERVATION
• WERE DERIVED FROM THE FOLLOWING
• THE 2011 PLAN
• RESPONSES FROM WATER PROVIDERS AND
STAKEHOLDERS FOR PROJECT AND STRATEGY
DESCRIPTIONS IN 2013
• LIST OF WMS FOR CONSIDERATION LISTED IN
THE WATER PLANNING GUIDANCE
DOCUMENTS PROVIDED BY TWDB
51

52. IRRIGATION DISTRICTS
IMPROVEMENTS
• IRRIGATION DISTRICTS (ID) CARRY OVER 85%
OF THE WATER USED FROM THE RIO GRANDE
“Y“TEM IN REGION M
• ID SYSTEMS REQUIRE SIGNIFICANT REGULAR
MAINTENANCE
• ID SYSTEMS EXPERIENCE 25-40% LOSSES
ESTIMATED TO BE 300,000 AC FT
52

53. IRRIGATION DISTRICTS PROCEDURES
FOR DELIVERY TO FARMERS
• IN MOST DISTRICTS AGRICULTURAL WATER
DELIVERIES ARE MEASURED IN
IRRIGATION“ WHICH ARE CON“IDERED TO
BE 4 TO 8 INCHES OF WATER OVER EACH
IRRIGATED ACRE, DEPENDING ON THE
DISTRICT
• THI“ PROCE““ I“ MONITORED BY CANAL
RIDER“ WHICH I“ NOT THE MO“T EFFICIENT
53

54. IRRIGATION DISTRICTS
IMPROVEMENTS
• SIXTY FOUR PROJECTS WERE SUBMITTED
• CANAL LINING
• INSTALLATION OR REPLACEMENT OF
PIPELINES
• GENERAL REPAIRS
• INSTALLATION OF NEW METERS
54

55. HARLINGEN IRRIGATION DISTRICT
WATER CONSERVATION PROJECT
• THIS PROJECT CONSISTED OF INSTALLING
METERS AT FARM IRRIGATION DELIVERY SITE
LOCATIONS SERVING 50% OF THE IRRIGATED
ACREAGE IN THE DISTRICT
• THE INSTALLATION OF METERS SAVED AN
ESTIMATED 27% OF WATER PER YEAR
55

56. HARLINGEN IRRIGATION DISTRICT
WATER CONSERVATION PROJECT
• THE INSTALLATION OF METERS AND
TELEMETRY EQUIPMENT PROVIDED FLOW
DATA REQUIRED TO BALANCE THE
DISTRIBUTION OF WATER WITHIN THE
DELIVERY CANALS. THE ESTIMATED SAVINGS
WAS 40%
56

57. IRRIGATION DISTRICTS
IMPROVEMENTS
• THE ESTIMATED SAVINGS IN OPERATION AND
MAINTENANCE ARE THE FOLLOWING:
• 1. CANAL LINING -- $325 PER MILE
• 2. INSTALLATION OF A PIPE - $3,976 PER MILE
57

58. WASTEWATER REUSE
• DIRECT REUSE INVOLVES INTRODUCING
TREATED WASTEWATER DIRECTLY FROM A
WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT TO A
PLACE OF USE – FOR EXAMPLE A GOLF
COURSE
• INDIRECT REUSE INVOLVES DISCHARGEING
TREATED WASTEWATER TO A RIVER, STREAM
OR LAKE
58

59. WASTEWATER REUSE
• NON-POTABLE REUSE
• POTABLE REUSE – PUBLIC ACCEPTANCE OF
WATER REUSE IS A VERY IMPORTANT FACTOR
59

60. DESALINATION OF BRACKISH WATER
• MOST COMMON METHOD IS MEMBRANE
TECHNOLOGY
• TREATMENT OF BRACKISH WATER NOT
EXCEEDING 3,000 MG/L OF TOTAL DISSOLVED
SOLIDS (TDS) REQUIRES 200 PSI AND IS
ESTIMATED TO COST BETWEEN $350 TO $780
PER AC FT OR $1.07 TO $2.39 PER THOUSAND
GALLONS
60

61. DESALINATION OF SEAWATER
• MOST COMMON METHOD IS MEMBRANE
TECHNOLOGY
• SEAWATER HAS AN AVERAGE OF 35,000
MG/L OF TOTAL DISSOLVED SOLIDS,
REQUIRES 1,000 PSI OF PRESSURE AND IS
ESTIMATED TO COST FROM $820 TO $1,300
PER AC FT OR FROM $2.52 TO $3.99 PER
THOUSAND GALLONS
61

62. ADVANACED MUNICIPAL WATER
CONSERVATION
• MUNICIPAL UTILITIES MUST SUBMIT A
DROUGHT CONTINGENCY AND WATER
CON“ERVATION PLAN
• MUNICIPAL UTILITES IMPLEMENTING
ADVANCED CONSERVATION MEASURES WILL
FACE REDUCED REVENUE AS A RESULT OF
DECREASING DEMAND
62

63. ADVANCED MUNICIPAL WATER
CONSERVATION
• METERING OF ALL NEW CONNECTIONS
• RETROFITTING EXISTING CONNECTIONS
• CONDUCT ANNUAL WATER AUDITS
• CONDUCT WATER LOSS CONTROL AUDITS
AND PROJECTS
63

64. REGION M WATER CON“ERVATION
GOAL
• MUNICIPALITIES ARE TO DECREASE CURRENT
CONSUMPTION TO 140 GALLONS PER
PERSON PER DAY
64

65. THANK YOU
65