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Houston-area groundwater conditions approved 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 pro- vides groundwater resources to the Greater Houston area. The new DFCs include a subsid- BY JISHNU NAIR DESIGNING DESIRED FUTURE CONDITIONS Groundwater Management Area 14 approved desired future conditions for the Gulf Coast Aquifer System, which speci es groundwater use for the next ve years. In each county in Groundwater Management Area 14, no less than 70%median This means the water level in an aquifer will not decline more than 30% until 2080.
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Conroe facilities taking shape Construction began in October for the city of Conroe’s $98 million A Hyatt Regency Conroe and Convention Center, which is projected to open in the second quarter of 2023. Additionally, a new building to house the B Oscar Johnson Jr. Community Center received funding approval in December. According to city information, the new 87,000-square- foot center will be advertised for bids in February. Lastly, the city’s new C performing arts center is projected to enter the design phase this spring. Downtown Manager Frank Robinson said Houston- based architect Pete Garrett of Studio Red is expected to present the concept to council before the end of March. Contested races on the ballot Early voting will begin Feb. 14 for the March 1 primary election. The winners for each party in March will be on the ballot in the November general election. In Conroe and Montgomery, notable races include the Republican primary for county judge, in which incumbent Mark Keough, Sara Countryman and Billy Gra are running, and the 8th Congressional District following the retirement announcement by Rep. Kevin Brady, R-The Woodlands, who has served the district since 1996. Local elections will also be held May 7, which may include bond packages for Willis and Montgomery ISDs as well as city council and board of trustee races.
ence metric—which measures ground sinkage due to groundwater pump- ing—for the rst time, but includes language that makes it optional. The DFC language was proposed at GMA 14’s previous meeting in the form of a nonbinding resolution. Rep- resentatives from the ve ground- water control districts in GMA 14, including Lone Star, which services Montgomery County, unanimously voted to approve the DFC language. “In each county in Groundwater Management Area 14, no less than 70% median available drawdown remaining in 2080 or no more than an average of 1 additional foot of subsidence between 2009 and 2080,” the approved text states. According to Michael Turco, gen- eral manager of the Harris-Galveston 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 subsidence, from 2009-2080. Montgomery County input The Lone Star Groundwater
available drawdown remaining in 2080 or no more than an average of 1 additional foot of subsidence between 2009 and 2080
This refers to the gradual sinking of earth due to excessive groundwater usage. An amendment was approved in Oct. 2021 that makes enforcing the subsidence metric optional.
SOURCES: GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT AREA 14, LONE STAR GROUNDWATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT, HARRIS GALVESTON SUBSIDENCE DISTRICT COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
Conservation District, representing Montgomery County, initially opposed the subsidence metric, which was mandatory in previous drafted language, and proposed the amendment that made the metric optional. Samantha Reiter, who voted on behalf of the LSGCD, said district o cials were “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 subsidence. According to Reiter, the study is in its second phase. Turco stressed the importance of diversifying water sources. “It’s a good rst step for us to begin the conversation about sub- sidence, but there’s still some areas [where] more needs to be done because subsidence is a real issue and will continue without diversi - cation of water use,” he said. GMA 14 has 60 days from the approval to put together an explana- tory report for the Texas Water Devel- opment Board detailing the new DFC language, according to Chapter 36 of the Texas Water Code.
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