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Houston-area groundwater conditions approved at GMA 14meeting MONTGOMERY COUNTY Lone Star Ground- water Conservation District Groundwater control districts in Groundwater Management Area 14 formally approved desired future conditions, or DFCs, for the next ve years at a Jan. 5 meeting for the Gulf Coast Aquifer System, which provides groundwater resources to the Greater Houston area. The new DFCs include a subsidence metric—which measures ground sinkage due to groundwater pumping—for the rst time but includes language that makes the metric optional. The DFC language was proposed at GMA 14’s previous meeting in the form of a nonbinding reso- lution. Representatives from the ve groundwater control districts in GMA 14 unanimously voted to approve the DFC language. BY JISHNU NAIR
was mandatory in previous drafted language, and proposed the amendment that made the metric optional. LSGCD President Harry Hardman previously told Community Impact Newspaper he believed the number was “arbitrary” and that groundwater control districts should not have to be “saddled” with it. Samantha Reiter, general manager of LSGCD, said the district was “very excited” about the DFCs becoming o cial. “This is exactly what everyone wants: to have GMA 14 and all the districts sit down and come up with this,” Reiter said. “It allows the [conservation districts] to do what they want in their counties how they see t, based on the best available science.” The LSGCD is conducting a four-part study on Montgomery County’s subsidence. According to Reiter, the study is in its second phase. GMA 14 had 60 days from Jan. 5 to put together an explanatory report for the Texas Water Devel- opment Board detailing the new DFC language, according to Chapter 36 of the Texas Water Code.
“In each county in Groundwater Management Area 14, no less than 70% median available draw- down remaining in 2080 or no more than an aver- age of 1.0 additional foot of subsidence between 2009 and 2080,” the approved text states. According to Michael Turco of the Harris-Galves- ton Subsidence District, the 70% median drawdown would mean water levels in wells would not decline more than 30% until 2080. Counties should not record more than 1 foot of ground sinkage, or
Groundwater goals established Language agreed upon at a Jan. 5 meeting established a goal for the amount of groundwater that should be remaining in regional aquifers in 2080. Desired future conditions:
in place for 5 years
70% median aquifer drawdown remaining no more than an average of 1 additional foot of subsidence from 2009-80
Groundwater goals for 2080:
subsidence, from 2009-2080. Montgomery County input
Optional subsidence metric:
The Lone Star Groundwater Conservation District, representing Montgomery County, initially opposed the subsidence metric, which
SOURCE: HARRIS GALVESTON SUBSIDENCE DISTRICT COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
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COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER • COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
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