david smith

what is surface water?

a. lakes (reservoirs), streams, rivers, ponds

b. owned by the state of texas

• first in time, first in right

• dow chemical company largest surface water right holder in texas

what is groundwater?

aquifers!

describe aquifers

potable and brackish

how many major aquifers are there?

9

what is an acre-foot?

a unit of water volume used in the u.s. to reference large scale water resources such as reservoirs, agricultural irrigation, and surface water allotment

• equivalent to 325,852 gallons

• think football field

what is biggest aquifer and what is it used for?

• ogalla aquifer

• used for agricultural irrigation

who owns groundwater?

owned by property owners (NOT the state)

• rule of capture

• law of biggest pump

• water rights can be sold just like mineral rights (oil and gas)

• considered a property right

what are texas’s water challenges?

• reduced water supply

• population rise

• land conversion and fragmentation

• aging infrastructure and workforce

• drought and flooding

• private property infringement

• water resources distant from population centers

what is the hydro-illogic cycle - apathy?

apathy - lack of interest or concern, drought, awareness, concern,  panic, rain —>

what does interbasin stand for?

sale and transport of water from a water-rich basin to another river basin where water is scarce or where demand is high

what is the interbasin transfer called heart’s bluff?

brings surface water to the city - proposed marvin nichols resevior

what is the interbasin transfer called vista ridge?

142 mile pipeline project to transfer 50,000+ acre feet of water per year beneath Burleson and Milan Counties to San Antonio for over 3 billion dollars

describe texas’s water supply:

• surface water 43% (47% municipal use)

• groundwater 53% (73% agricultural irrigation

• reuse 4%

what is the longest river within texas?

brazos river - 840 miles long

what is the only natural texas lake?

caddo lake

what is the purpose of reseviors?

a. flood control

b. hydroelectric power

c.water supply

what are the limits to the rule of capture?

• malicious taking of water for the sole purpose of injuring his or her neighbor

• willingly or wantonly wasting groundwater

• negligently drilling or pumping from a well in a manner that causes subsidence

• pumping from a contaminated well

• trespassing in order to pump groundwater