The Ridgerunner

CITIZEN’S PETITION
FOR A SUSTAINABLE GROUNDWATER SUPPLY FROM THE
TRINITY AQUIFER WITHIN HAYS COUNTY
The western side of Hays County is blessed with an underground reservoir of pure groundwater called
the Trinity Aquifer. The aquifer is recharged from rainfall, sometimes frequent, but usually sporadic. The
Trinity Aquifer supplies potable water to major water supply companies in Dripping Springs, Woodcreek,
and Wimberley along with 34 other smaller water supply wells/companies. Additionally the aquifer
supplies water to over 6000 privately owned wells and to many ranches and farms in Hays County. The
Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation District (HTGCD) was established in 2001 by state law to
manage, fairly allocate, and conserve our limited groundwater. The District is operated by five directors
elected from single member districts within western Hays County.

A recent decision by the HTGCD, along with eight other Hill Country groundwater conservation districts,
called for a major increase in aquifer pumping that will lower the aquifer by an average thirty feet,
called “mining” the aquifer, and cause a steady degradation of the groundwater resource. This aquifer
decline will cause extensive and widespread failure of local wells, probable elimination of spring flows at
Jacob’s Well, Blue Hole, Cypress Creek, and the Blanco River. The first wells to go dry will likely be in
western and northern Hays County with well failures slowly progressing to the south.

This decision to “mine” the Trinity Aquifer can be reversed by a simple majority vote of the HTGCD
Directors. Please sign this petition and join with your fellow citizens of western Hays County in calling
for a reversal of the earlier decision and a vote for a pumping rate that will allow a decline of no more
than five feet within the fifty year planning period. Our future water supply depends on a pumping
rate that does not exceed the rate at which the aquifer is recharged.
Return signed petitions by October 1st to:
Citizens Alliance for Responsible Development, PO Box 2905, Wimberley, TX 78676

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Enthusiastic gardeners take note. The planning/design group for the Jacob’s Well (Organic) Community Garden will be meeting every Tuesday afternoon in August at 2 pm for a period of two hours each at the WPOA office. There will be additional meetings with David Baker of the WVWA on Saturdays, August 14 and 28. These meetings are meant to formalize how the Jacob’s Well Community Garden will be managed. The land to be used is owned by WVWA and is to be located on the abandoned tennis courts at the end of Logan’s Run in Woodcreek North. There is a hope for the garden to be functioning by Spring 2011. It is anticipated that plots will be available for lease. There is also a dream of growing enough for the gardeners and for a surplus to be donated to the Crisis Breadbasket food pantry in Wimberley. More information will be available in the WPOA Community Newsletters or can be had by contacting Donna Hathway, WPOA New Visions or Sue at the WPOA office (847-9889).

Groundwater is the primary source of water used in Texas. As contrasted with surface water, which is state owned and managed, groundwater is privately owned. Groundwater ownership and allocation is governed by the common law rule of capture and its use is determined by the same rule and by rules of groundwater conservation districts.

During the Republic years of 1836 to 1845, and when the population in 1843 was estimated to be 37,500, it was not unreasonable to follow the English common law in matters of groundwater. It was also still reasonable as a rule when the law was upheld in court in 1890. At that time our state was overwhelmingly rural and agriculture was its main occupation. The estimated population was just over 600,000. It was still a reasonable in 1940 when the population had grown to over 6,000,000 and the state was still considered to be largely rural. By the time of the last census in 2000, the population of Texas was 24,782,302, and we were no longer a rural state. The figure established by the census of 2010 is not yet in but no one doubts that growth has continued.

In 2009, it was estimated that Bexar, Comal, Hays and Travis Counties had a combined population of approaching three million. With the exception of water from Canyon Lake for some towns in Comal and Bexar Counties and from the lakes above and around Travis County, much of this population is entirely dependent upon groundwater.

Bluntly put, we have a water problem. Bluntly put, we also have a problem locally with new members of the Hays Trinity Groundwater District who, working as a bloc appear to intend to loosen, if not to undo the powers of the District to maintain reasonable methods to protect and maintain availability of water.

WHAT’S AT STAKE?

What is at stake is simple and serious for all of us who own homes in and around these counties. For some time now there has been concern that overbuilding has raised and will only continue to heighten the possibility that, without sensible control of the water usage and conservation, there could come a time when properties here might become useless and unsalable.

In Hays County attempts have been made to manage the number of wells pumping from the aquifer by increasing the acreage required to support a well. Any such requirements have been vehemently opposed landowners and developers.

There are citizens who are deeply concerned that one of the new members of the Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation Distirct’s Board of Directors currently has a suit targeting Hays County development regulations, that another allegedly has indicated a belief that drawing down the aquifer causing local springs to stop flowing is a viable method of conservation, and that another was admonished for allegedly using information available through HTGCD to contact prospective customers.

Concerned citizens should make it a point to attend meetings of the HTGCD and to make their concerns known there as well as to our members of the state legislature when the new session convenes in 2011.

Co-op members to receive a rate cut this summer due to lower natural gas prices

Pedernales Electric Cooperative members will get a rate cut this summer. Last month PEC’s Board of Directors heard from management that lower natural gas prices will save PEC members $5 per 1,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity used. The Lower Colorado River Authority, PEC’s primary wholesale power provider, charged less for power due to the lower fuel prices, allowing the Cooperative to adjust its rate. The 0.5 cent per kWh adjustment will be reflected on members’ bills rendered on or after June 1.

This is the second rate reduction in less than six months. In December, the Board approved a rate adjustment that saved PEC members $2 per 1,000 kWh used. This power cost adjustment is the result of a new rate structure PEC adopted in 2009, which enables the Cooperative to separate the actual cost of power from costs associated with delivering electricity.

There was more good financial news for PEC members Monday. The Board approved a resolution deferring a $25 million advance on a line of credit issued by the National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation. PEC Chief Financial Officer Mike Vollmer said the need to borrow is starting to decline due to a recently adopted capital improvement plan and the implementation of prudent financial controls. The Board was able to defer the May draw until November, avoiding more than $400,000 in interest costs.

“It’s all part of a positive trend as far as new borrowed funds go,” Vollmer said.

Earlier distributions to members expected

The Board also took a step toward distributing more than $14 million in patronage capital to PEC members earlier than expected. Under the terms of a settlement agreement reached in 2008, PEC was to distribute $23 million in payments to current members only between 2008 and 2012. During the past two years the Board has distributed about $8.7 million, leaving a balance of about $14.3 million.

WPOA board member Donna Hathway had an idea and went right to work on it. The result was our first community picnic and get together on the grounds of the new WPOA office on Woodacre Drive. “I want to have more events like this so that we can get to know each other better and begin to develop a true sense of community. There are so many things we can do. We have already received several good suggestions for future gatherings”.

Young and not so young folks gathered to visit discuss and enjoy lemonade, tea and hotdogs in the breezy, but pleasant weather.

Suggestions for future events include an Easter egg roll, a Fourth of July celebration perhaps with fireworks brought by residents, a play day for kids, a games night for card players and perhaps with other games as well, and a walk-run race.

Donna would like to hear from everyone with suggestions for more events as well as from those who are interested in being part of the planned community garden on the grounds.
Call the WPOA office 847-9889 with your ideas.

Representatives from the cities of Wimberley, Woodcreek, Dripping Springs, Kyle, and Buda, Texas State University, LCRA, the Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation District, and Emergency Services Districts from Wimberley, Buda, Kyle and South Hays met in Wimberley on April 16 to participate in drafting a strategic plan for Hays County.

The plan is in final draft form. County Judge Liz Sumter launched the project over a year ago, and expects to place it on the commissioners’ court agenda for dis-cussion and possible adoption in May.

The plan’s two underlying purposes are to improve co-ordination of the functions of all governmental bodies in the county and to reduce redundancy and expenditures. Standardizing software, centralizing
9-1-1 calls/dispatch and centralizing purchasing, collections and compliance are some of the recommendations in the plan. Rainwater collection incentives, working with cities to focus development in existing urban areas, seeking additional county authority to regulate land use, and a push for Scenic Road designations for county roads to minimize billboards are others.

There are more than 70 recommendations in the plan listed under five major components: Internal (city/countygovernment) objectives, water and wastewater, transportation, growth management, economic development and quality of life.

“As elected officials come and go,” Sumter said, “it’s important we have a plan (that can) survive politics and politicians.”

Considerable effort indeed has gone into the proposed strategic plan. The planning process over many months has included several community workshops across the county, a countywide survey of citizens and input from more two-dozen elected officials and public servants.

County commissioners should see the wisdom in adopting a well thought out strategic road map to future development. Commissioners often act independently inside their own precincts without considering the full effects of their actions on other jurisdictions and taxpayers. It’s time commissioners started viewing their offices and actions as part of the whole. They should follow the lead of several city leaders present at last week’s meeting who said they would enthusiastically endorse the strategic planning document and its goals. The draft strategic plan will be up soon for all to read on the Hays County web site.

Hays County Courthouse, San Marcos, TX
Hays County is gearing up for the 2010 U.S. Census – a critical undertaking that will help determine its share of some $400 billion per year in federal funding for education, hospitals and social programs, as well as the number of seats Texas will have in the U.S. House of Representatives and how redistricting lines will be redrawn.

The census, required by the U.S. Constitution, counts every person in every household every 10 years to reach a population figure that will be used officially for the next 10 years. Census questionnaires will be delivered in mid March, and should be returned by April 1. Failure to do so will cause an added government expense and inconvenience by requiring a Census worker to call and/or visit to ensure the household is properly counted.

This year’s census form has only 10 questions. To take a look at the form in advance, go to http://2010.census.gov/2010census/how/interactive-form.php and choose English or Spanish.

“The information that the census collects is not shared with any other government agency or private business,” said Sophia Azoubel, one of the Census Bureau’s representatives for Hays County. “Population Information is needed for programs that ultimately benefit the people of Hays County. An accurate count would help ensure that federal funds are allocated equitably to Hays County.”

The Census Bureau is currently hiring temporary part-time and full-time workers to assist with the Census. Hays County residents can call 1-866-861-2010 for information about available jobs, qualifications and how to apply.

Legislators set goal of finding “consensus” for an area groundwater policy. “As legislators representing Western Hays County, we have witnessed stark divisions within the District’s constituency about what amount of regulation is needed to protect our quality of life in the Hill Country. But we believe that these divisions are surmountable, and are committed to working with the District and the stakeholder group to build consensus.” Our legislative representatives met with the District’s leadership during the summer and those meetings resulted in two initiatives. The District’s leadership will meet with Chambers of Commerce, Lions Clubs, Rotary Clubs and other civic and business groups. Andrew Sansom, Executive Director of the River Systems Institute at TSU will be the guide for discussions among identified community stakeholders with a view to establishing a consensus position on legislation that will support the District’s and the community’s long-term groundwater needs before the legislature meets in 2011.

“We are pleased with the commitment from our State Legislators to invest their time and leadership to help guide the District to a policy that is supported by a cross section of our constituency,” said Doug Wierman, President of the Hays Trinity Groundwater District’s board. “Coupled with the District’s community outreach, we have a clear path toward putting policies in place that support our long-term plans.

“Few issues are as personal as water. The stakes for our area are high and I am excited to have the opportunity to work on how to build consensus on how best to support the District’s mission and shape legislative proposals,” added Andrew Sansom.

The stakeholder group is said to include local mayors, Chambers of Commerce, conservation groups, Real Estate organizations, water companies, property owners associations, and elected Hays County officials. When contacted, some listed as part of the stakeholder group indicated that they had not been consulted about participation.

The process that Rose and sidekick Andrew Sansom have launched at the eleventh hour remains sketchy at best, but the list of special interests is clear. Here, for example, are some of the players who showed up on their list:

San Marcos and Austin Boards of Realtors,
Wimberley and Dripping Springs Chambers of Commerce,
Hays County Builders Association,
Texas Farm Bureau
Real Estate Council of Austin

The “stakeholder driven process,” might give Rose something to talk about when he comes under attack from critics, but he may find that his eleventh hour solution is perceived as just another effort to fool voters. For years, Rose would tell people that there are some “players he still had to bring to the table.” It was his standard response when constituents asked why he wouldn’t help the groundwater district. When pressed to identify who the “players” were, Rose would simply say that he couldn’t reveal the names. Now the list is out.

Stayed tuned. Rose’s eleventh hour launch of the Stakeholder Driven Process for Legislative Change may turn out to be the story of the year. At a minimum it’s the story of a man desperate to be re-elected.
-Charles O’Dell