Tuesday, November 25, 1997
Officials hope to boost area's clout concerning
new plan
By RICHARD HORN Staff Writer
Area leaders are making sure their weapons are loaded for Texas'
looming water wars.
On Monday, Big Country government and business officials met
with directors of the West Central Texas Municipal Water District,
hoping to boost the area's clout as a new state water plan is
brought to life.
State officials are busy drawing new water regions, which will
become crucial in coming years. Cities will have a hard time winning
approval and loans for projects if the projects aren't in the
regions' long-range water plans.
Neither of the proposed maps treat the Big Country particularly
well. In the sketch most likely to be approved, Abilene shares
the elongated Region G with Bryan-College Station, more than 250
miles away along the Brazos River basin.
Region G also would give the district zero direct influence
in the Colorado River basin, even though the district owns 16
percent of the water in Lake Ivie, a long-range water source for
Abilene.
Water district officials urged the creation of an alternative
region, made up of more like-minded counties in west central Texas.
But the request was ignored by the Texas Water Development Board,
which makes the final decision.
"We represent about 1 percent of the state population,"
David Bell, the district's general manager, acknowledged during
Monday's meeting. "We recommended our own independent region
and they just said, 'Thank you.' "
So water district leaders are encouraging alternative movement
on two separate fronts:
n They hope to agree on a slate of area recommendations for
Region G's initial 11-person planning board, so the membership
isn't tilted too heavily in favor of Waco, Bryan and other cities
along the lower Brazos River.
More than 30 local and area representatives spent much of Monday's
Abilene meeting in small groups, brainstorming possible nominees
in various categories, including cities, counties, business and
industry.
If this area is unified in its recommendations, Bell said,
it's more likely those people ultimately will be named to the
key panel.
"It would be lovely if we had just 11 names from up here,"
he said. "Then they'd be hard-pressed not to name three or
four of them."
n Water district directors are also considering a resolution
recommending the creation of distinct sub-regions, so smaller
cities can have more influence. They expect to approve such a
resolution before Dec. 3, the deadline for commenting on the latest
proposed map.
Texas' water needs are expected to outstrip supply by 2030.
As usual, large cities are expected to wield considerable power
in locking down new supplies. The Clear Fork of the Brazos River,
which is central to this area's supply, could become a key targeted
source, Bell noted.
"This is not going to be an easy process over the next
few years," Bell said. "It's very clear the big cities
are working on their 30-year water plans. Once those are built
in, it's going to difficult for us to say, 'No, you don't really
want that water out of the Clear Fork.' "
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Abilene Reporter-News / Texnews / E.W. Scripps Publications
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