The Lower Colorado Regional Water Planning Group (LCRWPG) represents the diverse and often competing interests for water supply in the 14 counties, from Mills County downstream to Matagorda County, that comprise the Lower Colorado Region (Region K).
Senate Bill 1
Region K is one of 16 regions created by the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) in 1998 to carry out the "bottom up" statewide water supply planning effort required by Senate Bill 1 (SB1). After years of unsuccessful attempts to adopt statewide planning, the 77th Legislature passed SB1 in recognition of Texas' limited water supplies, vulnerability to drought and rapid population growth. The state's population is expected to increase from 19 million to more than 39 million people by 2050.
From 1998 through 2000, each of the 16 regional planning groups developed 50-year water plans that TWDB compiled and adopted as the State Water Plan in 2001. LCRWPG included the interregional water development effort, the LCRA-SAWS Water Project, as part of its 50-year water supply plan.
Senate Bill 2
Senate Bill 2 requires the regional groups to update their 2001 plans over the next 3 1/2 years and make a final report to the TWDB in January 2006. The groups will use new population and water demand projections and water supply availability estimations to refine the 2001 plans for meeting future water needs in an economical and environmentally sound manner. The regional plans also must include water conservation and drought management measures.
Members
Individuals in the LCRWPG represent the interests of the public, counties, municipalities, industries, agriculture, the environment, small business, electric generating utilities, LCRA, water districts, water utilities and recreation. The chair is John Burke, general manager of Aqua Water Supply Corporation in Bastrop. The Region K Web site lists other members and contacts.
LCRA's role
In addition to voting membership, LCRA acts as the group's administrative agency to manage records and as the political subdivision eligible to apply for state grants.
