1 PUBLIC HEARING SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS REGIONAL WATER PLANNING GROUP Tuesday, September 26, 2000 7:00 P.M. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * APPEARANCES: MOORHOUSE ASSOCIATES, INC. MAGGIE MOORHOUSE SCOTT ELIFF PUBLIC: EVELYN BONAVITA (League of Women Voters) COUNTIES: JUDGE CHARLES JOHNSON (Dimmit County) COMMISSIONER JOHN KIGHT (Kendall County) ELECTRIC GENERATING UTILITIES: MIKE FIELDS (AEP/CPL Coleto Plant) INDUSTRIES: HUGH CHARLTON (DuPont) MUNICIPALITIES: PEDRO G. NIETO (City of Uvalde) RIVER AUTHORITIES: CON MIMS (Nueces River Authority) FRED PFEIFFER (San Antonio River Authority) SMALL BUSINESS: DARRELL BROWNLOW DOUG MILLER WATER DISTRICTS: GREG ELLIS (Edwards Aquifer Authority) MIKE MAHONEY (Evergreen UWCD) SECRETARY: MARIBEL BERMUDEZ COURT REPORTER: GENE L. STEELE INTERESTED CITIZENS FROM SOUTH CENTRAL TEXAS REGION GENE L. STEELE - CSR - RPR UVALDE COUNTY COURTHOUSE, UVALDE, TEXAS 78801 (830) 278-3918 OR (830) 278-2184 2 INDEX SPEAKERS: PAGE HONORABLE WILLIAM R. MITCHELL ................... 6 DAVID ARCHER .................................... 9 ANNE KLECKNER ................................... 13 JOHN HALISCAK ................................... 15 MAYOR TONY MALIK ................................ 16 RAFAEL PINEDA ................................... 19 HERB DIRKSEN .................................... 22 MONICA FLORES ................................... 25 GAYLON CLICK .................................... 28 DIANE SAVAGE .................................... 30 JIM MARMION ..................................... 32 NICK FOHN ....................................... 34 PAUL EDWARDS .................................... 37 EDWARD JARZONBEK ................................ 39 ALLAN BLOXSOM ................................... 41 MARK GALVAN ..................................... 43 REPORTER'S CERTIFICATE ............................... 46 GENE L. STEELE - CSR - RPR UVALDE COUNTY COURTHOUSE, UVALDE, TEXAS 78801 (830) 278-3918 OR (830) 278-2184 3 1 MS. BONAVITA: I have a letter here from Tracy 2 King, and he could not be here tonight. He asked to read 3 this into the record. 4 MS. MOORHOUSE: Do you want to do it? 5 MS. BONAVITA: I'll do it. I was asked to do 6 it by the person that was asked to do it but won't do it. 7 I'll do it right now. This is official, so this is an 8 official comment. 9 "Dear South Central Texas Regional Water 10 Planning Group: First of all, I want to thank you for coming 11 to the 43rd District for one of the public input meetings. 12 The task that you have been assigned is not an easy one and 13 will require some very difficult decisions to be made. 14 Unfortunately, I am unable to join you due to a schedule 15 conflict, but I hope that you have a successful meeting. 16 "Obviously people have been struggling with 17 water supply issues since the beginning of time, and your 18 charge has shown the difficulties of long-term water 19 planning. As a legislature representing a rural district I 20 encourage you to provide adequate resources for future growth 21 in the rural counties and not jeopardize their futures or 22 their lifestyles to foster the uncontrolled growth of some 23 large metropolitan areas. 24 "We all realize that the majority of the water 25 planning in Texas is to benefit the five or six most populous GENE L. STEELE - CSR - RPR UVALDE COUNTY COURTHOUSE, UVALDE, TEXAS 78801 (830) 278-3918 OR (830) 278-2184 4 1 counties, and that is where the water needs will be the most 2 acute. However, we must be mindful of the needs of the less 3 populous counties surrounding the large metropolitan areas. 4 I'm sure that you will do that, and I look forward to 5 reviewing the finished product during the next legislative 6 session. Tracy O. King." 7 MS. MOORHOUSE: Thank you. 8 (Applause.) 9 MS. MOORHOUSE: Scott will be calling your 10 names and, again, it's three minutes. We are asking that you 11 not yield your time to anybody else. If they want to speak, 12 that's great; or, if you want to make further comments, just 13 give them to us in writing. I think that covers everything. 14 Just call or raise your hand if you don't have a green card 15 and you want one and I'll bring it to you. If you have that 16 you want to turn in, just give it to me and I'll pass it to 17 Scott and we will go ahead and start. 18 What the plan is, is Scott will call the 19 speaker's name, and then there is a chair behind him, and 20 that's the speaker-in-waiting. We will keep it moving in a 21 timely pace that way and get everybody home to see the 22 Olympics. 23 MR. ELIFF: Okay. So I'm going to go ahead 24 and call up the first two people, and Speaker Number 1 can 25 come up here to the podium and Speaker Number 2 can sit in GENE L. STEELE - CSR - RPR UVALDE COUNTY COURTHOUSE, UVALDE, TEXAS 78801 (830) 278-3918 OR (830) 278-2184 5 1 the seat that's here, and then you will move up next. 2 Speaker Number 1 is Judge William R. Mitchell 3 from Uvalde County, and Speaker Number 2 is David Archer. 4 As you come up, for the benefit of the person 5 who is making a record of this tonight, if you would state 6 your name at the beginning of your comments, and if you have 7 any written comments that you want to turn in, then just turn 8 them in here at the table when you have concluded. 9 10 11 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 GENE L. STEELE - CSR - RPR UVALDE COUNTY COURTHOUSE, UVALDE, TEXAS 78801 (830) 278-3918 OR (830) 278-2184 6 1 HONORABLE WILLIAM R. MITCHELL: Good evening. 2 I'm Bill Mitchell, Uvalde County Judge. Allow me to first 3 thank you for conducting this meeting in Uvalde and for 4 allowing each of us the opportunity to visit and to address 5 you. While the mission of this group is to present a water 6 plan to serve the twenty-one counties of South Central Texas 7 for the next fifty years, we all know the true goal is to 8 provide a plan that will reach far beyond that fifty year 9 period. 10 Perhaps the largest of the obstacles facing 11 you as members of the planning group is to devise a plan that 12 will meet the need of these twenty-one county areas of Texas 13 which is composed of many vastly different interest groups. 14 Certainly the differences are great when you start comparing 15 the needs of the agriculture counties to the needs of the 16 urban counties, to the needs of the downstream users. It is 17 important for all of us to consider the needs of each and 18 every one of those interest groups. Each special interest 19 group is important to that group's particular community, city 20 and county. Each community, city and county is vitally 21 important to the economic well-being of the entire State of 22 Texas. 23 We may think that fifty years hence as being 24 "long-range" planning. In reality, fifty years will pass 25 about as fast as it takes for the ink to dry on the final GENE L. STEELE - CSR - RPR UVALDE COUNTY COURTHOUSE, UVALDE, TEXAS 78801 (830) 278-3918 OR (830) 278-2184 7 1 draft of this proposed water plan. 2 You have, or you will hear, considerable 3 amounts of testimony, much of which is very emotional, about 4 a particular region's involvement and reliability on water 5 use. No doubt you know or have known about how the County of 6 Uvalde is on the western edge of the Edwards Aquifer, and how 7 the water goes from Uvalde to San Antonio and then up to San 8 Marcos. Although Uvalde is setting on the same aquifer as 9 San Antonio, the water level in San Antonio drops at a much 10 faster rate than that in the western counties. I call your 11 attention to this fact simply because I do not want you to 12 overlook or forget about one very important matter. 13 Since the last major drought in Uvalde County, 14 during the 1950's, Uvalde County has taken strong measures to 15 assist the recharge of the aquifer. Since the 1950's many 16 manmade recharge structures have been placed on locations to, 17 during the time of rainfall, to channel millions of gallons 18 and thousands of acrefeet of water into the Edwards Aquifer. 19 More recently, Uvalde County has constructed 20 three flood dams just north of the city of Uvalde to act as 21 retardant structures, slowing the runoff of water and 22 allowing it a better opportunity to get into the aquifer. 23 The point of outlining these facts is to 24 demonstrate to you that Uvalde County is not just a user of 25 the aquifer but we have also taken great strides, in fact we GENE L. STEELE - CSR - RPR UVALDE COUNTY COURTHOUSE, UVALDE, TEXAS 78801 (830) 278-3918 OR (830) 278-2184 8 1 have been leaders, to assist Mother Nature in recharging the 2 aquifer. 3 In order for us to have a successful water 4 plan in our region, we must work together to ensure no one is 5 destroyed and recognize the accomplishments of the past while 6 working towards the future. Thank you. 7 (Applause.) 8 MR. ELIFF: Following Mr. Archer, Anne 9 Kleckner. 10 11 12 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 GENE L. STEELE - CSR - RPR UVALDE COUNTY COURTHOUSE, UVALDE, TEXAS 78801 (830) 278-3918 OR (830) 278-2184 9 1 MR. DAVID ARCHER: Thank you. I'm David 2 Archer from Del Monte Foods, located in Crystal City. The 3 first thing I want to do is to kind of thank some of those 4 people because we had some concerns that we didn't feel like 5 were being met by the regional or the EAA, and because of 6 that I wrote a letter to Susan Combs, and I was immediately 7 called to Austin to express those concerns to her. She set 8 up the meetings and we went through meetings with Susan 9 Combs, with Pete Laney's office, and with David Combs. 10 There was probably a lot of letters from those 11 of you who are here in the audience, and we want to tell you 12 that we appreciate those letters of support. What came from 13 that, and beginning with each one of y'all, it was detailed 14 out what I learned as to what was told to me by those 15 individuals that we met with. We also met with Ross Janell a 16 little bit. I wanted to tell you that first off. 17 The second thing that I've got, since I tend 18 to get wordy and talk a little bit long, I have just got a 19 letter that was written, and I would like to have a copy of 20 that distributed to all of the members of the regional 21 planning group, and I've got copies. I've got about twenty- 22 five copies of that, which I think is enough for that. 23 With that, I'll try to read, and hopefully get 24 through the letter in completion. A lot of this went to 25 Susan Combs also, and then Counts and Pete Laney and all of GENE L. STEELE - CSR - RPR UVALDE COUNTY COURTHOUSE, UVALDE, TEXAS 78801 (830) 278-3918 OR (830) 278-2184 10 1 those individuals also. It's kind of what generated interest 2 from that group. 3 It says, "I feel it's time for me to write and 4 express the concerns of Del Monte Foods, local growers, 5 communities and what the other processors have regarding the 6 water use plan being developed by the Edwards Aquifer 7 Authority and the regional planning groups. It appears that 8 the groups do not have a good understanding of all of the 9 consequences to their plans, and to this point they have not 10 been totally receptive to suggestions made at public 11 hearings. 12 "I fully realize that these groups have a very 13 difficult task in trying to satisfy all of the stakeholders, 14 but we feel under the current boards there is too much 15 consideration being given to the metropolitan areas and not 16 enough to our agricultural communities. 17 "I make these comments not only as a manager 18 of the Del Monte Foods operation in Crystal City, but also as 19 a board member of the Texas Food Processors Association, who 20 are in full support with the Texas Vegetable Association." 21 Now I want to give you a quick brief history 22 of Del Monte for those of y'all who don't know. The plant is 23 located in Crystal City, Zavala County, and it was built in 24 1944 to satisfy the needs for canned spinach and to 25 complement other vegetables being processed and sold by Del GENE L. STEELE - CSR - RPR UVALDE COUNTY COURTHOUSE, UVALDE, TEXAS 78801 (830) 278-3918 OR (830) 278-2184 11 1 Monte Foods. It was soon apparent that the facility was not 2 economically sound and that other vegetables should share in 3 the cost of this operation. Therefore, green beans, carrots, 4 beets and potatoes were added to this product line. 5 The plant continued to pack all of these items 6 until mid 1994, at which time the plant in Crystal City was 7 on the verge of being closed as it was a high-cost producer 8 for several of the vegetables that we processed. 9 The decision was made to keep the plant open 10 based on the ability to provide products at an opposite time 11 of the year as a lower cost producing facility. This 12 provided stability to offset production shortfalls, permit 13 production adjustments due to changes in sales and to reduce 14 inventory carrying costs. All of this can only be offset by 15 a small degree, the cost being the high-cost producer. 16 If current plans that are being proposed by 17 the Edwards Aquifer Authority, the EAA, and to a lesser 18 extent, the South Central Texas Regional Planning Group, if 19 they are put into action it could well put us, Del Monte, 20 back in the same position and jeopardize its employment of a 21 hundred and twenty full-time and five hundred to six hundred 22 seasonal employees in that area (timer bell rings), so that 23 other processors, growers and the local economies would 24 likewise be impacted. 25 The facility has an annual budget of some GENE L. STEELE - CSR - RPR UVALDE COUNTY COURTHOUSE, UVALDE, TEXAS 78801 (830) 278-3918 OR (830) 278-2184 12 1 thirty-two millions dollars, of which approximately sixty 2 thousand or sixty percent is spent within the five counties 3 listed in alphabetical order, that being, Dimmit, Frio, 4 Medina, Uvalde and Zavala. (Timer bell rings.) Over seven 5 million, two hundred thousand of that is actual payroll. 6 MS. BONAVITA: Sir, your time is up. 7 MR. ARCHER: Thank you. I'm sorry. 8 HON. CHARLES JOHNSON: I would ask -- I was 9 intending to speak. I would like to give my three minutes to 10 him. 11 MS. BONAVITA: Judge, we are not allowing you 12 to yield your time. 13 HON. JOHNSON: Okay, that's fine. 14 MS. MOORHOUSE: I believe he has written 15 copies. 16 MR. ARCHER: I have written copies of this, 17 and it also goes into detail, some of what we talked about to 18 those people up there. 19 MS. BONAVITA: Thank you. 20 MR. ELIFF: The next speaker is Anne Kleckner, 21 and she will be followed by John Haliscak. 22 23 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 24 25 GENE L. STEELE - CSR - RPR UVALDE COUNTY COURTHOUSE, UVALDE, TEXAS 78801 (830) 278-3918 OR (830) 278-2184 13 1 MRS. ANNE KLECKNER: My name is Anne Kleckner 2 and I was born in Dimmit County, and now we live in Nueces or 3 the Upper Nueces Canyon, where my grandparents and my great- 4 grandparents lived. 5 I have lived in Northern Mexico, and I have 6 lived in West Texas, and I have lived in Iran and seen the 7 Dasht-i-Kavir. I have lived in Libya and seen the desert. I 8 have lived in West Australia and seen the desert. None of us 9 here ever want to see anything like that here. 10 Therefore, the only thing I can speak to 11 conservation. I have implemented household conservation 12 measures since June. We had our last recorded rainfall in 13 June. It was something like almost an inch. On Sunday we 14 had 3.3 inches of rain, and when I drove up to my house there 15 was a pool of water twelve-by-fifteen feet across, and that 16 deep. My very expensive orthopedic shoes got totally soaked 17 when I waded to the door. The next morning all of that water 18 was gone. I had gone through the limestone. 19 Our creek, there is the Candelaria Creek, 20 which is about a mile long, and it runs just at the edge of 21 our property. On the 4th of July a friend was out here and 22 she was standing in the water of creek. And she said, "Oh, 23 it's so wonderful, it's so cold." 24 On the 25th of August she was back again, and 25 she was standing there and she said, "Look, Anne," she says, GENE L. STEELE - CSR - RPR UVALDE COUNTY COURTHOUSE, UVALDE, TEXAS 78801 (830) 278-3918 OR (830) 278-2184 14 1 "in July the water was up to here." She says, "Today it's 2 down to here." She says, "That's just in six weeks." 3 That creek is well-known as having a very good 4 water supply. In the 1950's, when it didn't rain forever, 5 the Nueces hadn't seen water in God knows when, my cousin 6 tells me that the Candelaria Creek flowed; not a lot, but it 7 flowed. It's still flowing. It's flowing because I have 8 built little dams of rocks and whatnot to prevent or to 9 control erosion, and it worked. Three point three inches 10 didn't wash any of it away. 11 I have been bathing in three inches of water, 12 and I wash my dishes by hand. Okay, I'm the only one who is 13 living there right now so it's no big deal. I have not 14 watered, and I'm not a gardener. I have not watered the 15 flowers, except around the foundation, and a coral reef, 16 which they tell me will not survive a drought. 17 I'm speaking for the efficacy of simple 18 conversation measures that can be implemented in the home. 19 Thank you. 20 MR. ELIFF: Thank you, Mrs. Kleckner. 21 (Applause.) 22 MR. ELIFF: After Mr. Haliscak is Mayor Tony 23 Malik. 24 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 25 GENE L. STEELE - CSR - RPR UVALDE COUNTY COURTHOUSE, UVALDE, TEXAS 78801 (830) 278-3918 OR (830) 278-2184 15 1 MR. JOHN HALISCAK: I'm John Haliscak and I 2 live in southern Medina County. I apologize for not having 3 become familiar with all of the details of the plan. I 4 turned in some written comments to the chair, but I do have 5 one additional question. 6 I noticed on the last slide that was up on the 7 screen that you are protecting water rights. I'm curious as 8 to how that applies to the private landowner with respect to 9 water rights. Obviously you are not giving answers this 10 evening, but I expect to see something in the plan. Maybe 11 the Edwards Aquifer Authority will be the final say there. 12 But as a private property owner of acreage, I'm concerned 13 about that. That's all. That concludes my comments. Thank 14 you. 15 (Applause.) 16 MR. ELIFF: After Mayor Malik, Rafael Pineda. 17 18 19 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 20 21 22 23 24 25 GENE L. STEELE - CSR - RPR UVALDE COUNTY COURTHOUSE, UVALDE, TEXAS 78801 (830) 278-3918 OR (830) 278-2184 16 1 MAYOR TONY MALIK: Good evening. I'm Tony 2 Malik, mayor of Stockdale in Wilson County. Those of you who 3 were in Victoria last night have heard these comments. 4 Public awareness and public acceptance are 5 vital elements to the success of any regional water plan. 6 The residents of Wilson County became actively involved in 7 the planning process by organizing and attending planning 8 meetings. We signed petitions. The governing bodies passed 9 resolutions. We contacted our representatives in the 10 legislature and on the planning board. 11 We contacted engineers and geologists who were 12 familiar with the properties of the Carrizo Aquifer. We 13 educated ourselves and prepared for the fight of our lives. 14 It was a very taxing and time-consuming undertaking, and many 15 said that the plan was as good as sealed and that we were 16 wasting our time. But the board did listen. 17 We now have before us a plan that we feel we 18 can live with. It maintains availability of water in Wilson 19 County for future growth and economic development. We 20 realize that conservation and reuse are key elements to the 21 success of this plan. We trust that everyone will 22 participate. 23 As this plan moves on to the Water Development 24 Board and to the legislature, we would ask that the lawmakers 25 look at the local government code and give the county GENE L. STEELE - CSR - RPR UVALDE COUNTY COURTHOUSE, UVALDE, TEXAS 78801 (830) 278-3918 OR (830) 278-2184 17 1 governments the power to regulate growth and manage their 2 resources to maintain balance. 3 Many rural areas north of San Antonio are 4 experiencing uncontrolled development, which threatens the 5 very things that people went to that region for. Water is 6 in short supply. The scenic beauty and serenity is 7 threatened. 8 If any state plan is going to be a success, 9 local governments need to have the ability to impact planning 10 and develop growth strategies and limitations. 11 We also request that the unwanted reservoirs 12 be permanently removed from the plan so that we can get on 13 with our lives. As long as these reservoirs remain in the 14 background the marketability of property is threatened. 15 Economic development in those areas are stifled. Who wants 16 to invest in land that would possibly be flooded in a few 17 years. 18 On behalf of the city of Stockdale I wish to 19 thank Chairperson Evelyn Bonavita and all members of the 20 South Central Texas Regional Planning Board. I'm sure 21 keeping peace and order over such a large and diverse group 22 of planners and concerned public was quite a feat. 23 Most of the concerns that were voiced were 24 heard and we now have a workable, comprehensive plan. I'm 25 sure that without our input your job would have been so much GENE L. STEELE - CSR - RPR UVALDE COUNTY COURTHOUSE, UVALDE, TEXAS 78801 (830) 278-3918 OR (830) 278-2184 18 1 simpler. Thank you. 2 (Applause.) 3 MR. ELIFF: Following Mr. Pineda, Vic 4 Hildebran. 5 6 7 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 GENE L. STEELE - CSR - RPR UVALDE COUNTY COURTHOUSE, UVALDE, TEXAS 78801 (830) 278-3918 OR (830) 278-2184 19 1 MR. RAFAEL PINEDA: My name is Rafael Pineda. 2 I'm speaking on my behalf only, and I feel that we are 3 turning the wrong way. I feel the pivot system is a very 4 wasteful system. As you can see, we banned the sprinkler 5 system throughout the region, and we are not conserving 6 water. 7 It's nice to push a button and watch TV and be 8 irrigating. It's beautiful. Don't get me wrong. But you 9 are not conserving water at all, and this is the main 10 objective of the whole plan, period. While we are using the 11 pivot system we are wasting huge amounts of water. 12 I would like to think those in the future, I 13 mean in the past, that were willing to look a little bit into 14 the future and build something that was rightfully beneficial 15 to mankind. I feel very strongly that we all need to look at 16 our ownself. Those that don't need to come to the water 17 meter don't drink water. I feel very strongly that we are 18 going wrong in a lot of ways, and we need to straighten up 19 our ownselves, especially with the pivot system. It fills 20 the pockets full of green stuff, but it didn't help one bit 21 in the water system, as far as saving water. We are not 22 saving water with this system. 23 Water has a magic way of turning into 24 molecules, and that's what we are doing. It's helping us, 25 the air, the air that we are breathing, but it's not helping GENE L. STEELE - CSR - RPR UVALDE COUNTY COURTHOUSE, UVALDE, TEXAS 78801 (830) 278-3918 OR (830) 278-2184 20 1 one bit as far as conserving our water. 2 I witnessed myself on the east side out here 3 on Highway 90 there on one side, a drip system. The drip 4 system does conserve water. It's a lot of labor. It can be 5 put into mechanical use and it does save some of the labor, 6 but it does save a tremendous amount of water. This is the 7 route that we need to turn ourselves, whether we like it or 8 not. 9 There is only so much water in the aquifer. 10 Don Astacious left Puerto Vieto because of the drought. The 11 Amayas left those beautiful pyramids in the Yucatan Peninsula 12 in East Guatemala, and they left those because of no water. 13 There is a triangular form, as far as for life necessities, 14 which is land, air and water, which was there at the Yucatan 15 Peninsula, and it was there at Puerto Vieto, but water is the 16 key resource for everything. That gives us life. If we 17 waste it, once we waste it, there is no way of getting it 18 back, unless it turns back into molecules and comes back as 19 rain. Thank you for listening. 20 (Applause.) 21 MR. ELIFF: After Mr. Hildebran, Mr. Herb 22 Dirksen. 23 24 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 25 GENE L. STEELE - CSR - RPR UVALDE COUNTY COURTHOUSE, UVALDE, TEXAS 78801 (830) 278-3918 OR (830) 278-2184 21 1 MR. VIC HILDEBRAN: For the record, my name is 2 Vic Hildebran and I'm a resident of Uvalde County. I would 3 like to start by thanking the members of the board of the 4 panel for their time that they have donated to this. But I 5 have some questions in the yellow handout that came out in 6 the newspaper on your figures for 2010, L10 and L10. Both of 7 them are labeled L10. 8 The dollar figures that you have in there, I 9 realize that these are 1999 figures, but I'm having a hard 10 time figuring how you came up with those amounts. 11 The L15, the eighty dollars an acrefoot, that 12 was the buy-out on the Edwards Aquifer. I can't even fathom 13 where you can get that figure. I mean those figures have got 14 to be erroneous. SAWS can't even get it for those prices 15 right now. I mean they didn't buy them for that last year. 16 The L18 that you have on the map as the 17 recharge structures, and I would allude to the Uvalde County 18 Judge, that there are several recharge structures already in 19 place where you have something going in. I think that maybe 20 you need to go back and reconsider that idea. You may be 21 putting recharge structures on top of recharge structures. 22 Thank you. 23 (Applause.) 24 MR. ELIFF: Following Mr. Dirksen is Rick 25 Hernandez. GENE L. STEELE - CSR - RPR UVALDE COUNTY COURTHOUSE, UVALDE, TEXAS 78801 (830) 278-3918 OR (830) 278-2184 22 1 MR. HERB DIRKSEN: My name is Herb Dirksen and 2 I'm a retired farmer, but I did irrigate about twenty-eight 3 years. I've had a lot of experience in irrigation and 4 farming. 5 It comes to mind that they have some things 6 here that they don't consider Mother Nature and common sense. 7 Like here it was brought up that an irrigated farmer that 8 doesn't use his prescribed footage, what he signed for, in a 9 ten year period, if he doesn't use it in one year, then he 10 will lose the whole allotment. I don't think that's fair, 11 because we don't know how much it's going to rain. 12 I have farmed out there and I didn't hardly 13 have to irrigate at all one year. So how are we going to 14 compensate for that? Just lose all the water just because we 15 don't use it one year? That's because Mother Nature has to 16 be figured in. 17 I thought farmers had the right to capture the 18 water under their own farms. I would like to have this 19 cleared up once and for all, because I just don't see it. It 20 doesn't seem right that when you buy a farm, an irrigated 21 farm, then you should have the right to capture what's under 22 it. 23 Why trigger the water conservation when the 24 local well is high? It did not qualify for the recent 25 restriction on sprinklers because our local well, our test GENE L. STEELE - CSR - RPR UVALDE COUNTY COURTHOUSE, UVALDE, TEXAS 78801 (830) 278-3918 OR (830) 278-2184 23 1 well was in good shape. So why do that? 2 Why protect water species when we are not 3 allowed to cut the cedar? I understand that we are trying, 4 and I would go with that, to try, in brush control, to save 5 water. And, so, we have these things. We are saving the 6 cedars for some bird. 7 And so the thing is, the requirements run 8 together. They contradict each other. I myself have angora 9 goats, and I was put out of business because they did away 10 with the incentive payment. 11 The angoras was the best brush controllers 12 that we had, but now they are gone. So why don't we be 13 sensible and look at some of these things? 14 Now, it was encouraging. You are talking 15 about saving rainwater. Where I was born and raised we had 16 spouting on the houses and the rainwater went into a cistern 17 and provided soft water for the household, and also for the 18 livestock at the barn. 19 I see that there is no allowance for more 20 lakes. I suppose if it were at this time we wouldn't have 21 the Tennessee Valley Authority, which was a God-sinned for 22 hydroelectric power. But would we build the Hoover Dam in 23 the Tennessee Valley? We wouldn't do that because of the 24 Sierra Club and the endangered species. 25 So I think that really the Sierra Club -- I'm GENE L. STEELE - CSR - RPR UVALDE COUNTY COURTHOUSE, UVALDE, TEXAS 78801 (830) 278-3918 OR (830) 278-2184 24 1 a conservationist myself, and I was a conservation farmer in 2 my county, in Zavala County. But you have to use common 3 sense. Which came first, man or the species? I think we 4 need to look at man first. Otherwise, should man move out 5 and just let the species have it? It seems that way. Thank 6 you. 7 (Applause.) 8 MR. ELIFF: Is Rick Hernandez still here? 9 (No answer.) 10 MR. ELIFF: Mr. Hernandez? 11 (No answer.) 12 MR. ELIFF: The next speaker than will be 13 Monica Flores, followed by Gaylon Click. 14 15 16 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 GENE L. STEELE - CSR - RPR UVALDE COUNTY COURTHOUSE, UVALDE, TEXAS 78801 (830) 278-3918 OR (830) 278-2184 25 1 MS. MONICA FLORES: Good evening. I'm Monica 2 Flores and I'm a member of the Wilson County Water Action 3 Project. Thank you for the opportunity to speak tonight. 4 Some of you have heard this from last night's presentation 5 but it's important enough to repeat most of it again. 6 Reflections for the future. It isn't a wonder 7 I'm here today to make a point to have my say, to bring to 8 your attention an awesome request, to dismiss the Cibolo 9 reservoir as we may suggest. 10 The purpose of the regional planning efforts 11 of Senate Bill 1 are to provide the following, and as 12 effectively as can be done: Development, management and 13 conservation of water resources and preparation and response 14 to when the drought takes its courses. This is to be done 15 for sufficient water to be available, to ensure public 16 health, safety and welfare that is reasonable; for future 17 economic development and protection of our land and the 18 natural resources of the region that we find to be so grand. 19 We are asking without a doubt for positive 20 regional implications to take us into the future without any 21 reservation, to certainly provide us with continued growth 22 and prosperity that will take us to new heights filled with 23 integrity. 24 So there are many concerns as you go forward 25 to completion, inaccurate numbers being used as our aquifer GENE L. STEELE - CSR - RPR UVALDE COUNTY COURTHOUSE, UVALDE, TEXAS 78801 (830) 278-3918 OR (830) 278-2184 26 1 falls to depletion; lack of concern for the many households 2 being disrupted, and in a day age of technology our lives 3 shouldn't be interrupted. The Cibolo is ours to protect and 4 to save. It isn't an option or one you can crave. Look to 5 other avenues that may suit your valuable needs, and leave 6 the Cibolo out of the water plan, that's your very grand 7 deed. 8 We ask that you research and plan with more 9 aggressive examination and to options that may be possible 10 and available as in the salamation. Give careful review and 11 proper dissemination of information, with detailed numbers of 12 projections that will support the future generation. 13 Bexar County needs to look for water supply 14 beyond our counties. Don't look upon our land as your own 15 personal bounty. There is a constant jeopardizing of a 16 stewardship trust that we hold so dear by perpetual threats 17 of well fields and reservoirs being so near. We ask that you 18 take us off of the water plan once and for all, and let the 19 people rest without their back door knock and call. 20 We want the excessive pumping in reservoirs to 21 come to eternal rest. This would be in our greatest interest 22 and ultimately for the best. 23 I come before you this evening to request 24 another time to see our desire to live peacefully as not a 25 threat or a crime, but instead to honor the Carrizo and the GENE L. STEELE - CSR - RPR UVALDE COUNTY COURTHOUSE, UVALDE, TEXAS 78801 (830) 278-3918 OR (830) 278-2184 27 1 common good for all, so that in the future we may all stand 2 proud and tall. Thank you. 3 (Applause.) 4 MR. ELIFF: After Mr. Click, Diane Savage. 5 6 7 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 GENE L. STEELE - CSR - RPR UVALDE COUNTY COURTHOUSE, UVALDE, TEXAS 78801 (830) 278-3918 OR (830) 278-2184 28 1 MR. GAYLON CLICK: Good evening. I'm Gaylon 2 Click, and also with the Wilson County Water Action Project. 3 We have been very concerned about the inaccuracies of the 4 base numbers that were adopted for Regional L to use in their 5 planning. We also were very disturbed to learn that these 6 numbers could not be changed. Funding was not available for 7 the technical consultants to perform field studies needed to 8 be done to correct this data. These errors could result in 9 aquifer damage and in the planning of insufficient water to 10 meet the future needs of the counties. 11 We would challenge the accuracy of two very 12 significant numbers affecting Wilson County, one being the 13 projected rate of population growth and the availability from 14 the Carrizo Aquifer. The projected rate of population growth 15 is much lower than the rate of enrollment increase in our 16 schools. 17 The numbers that were used to project the 18 availability of water in Wilson County show that the Carrizo 19 Aquifer recharge rate would be twenty-one thousand acrefeet 20 per year, more than what is projected to meet the Wilson 21 County needs in the year 2050. Many artesian wells in the 22 Carrizo Aquifer have stopped flowing over the past several 23 years. Data taken from monitored wells in the Carrizo show 24 that the aquifer level has been dropping for a number of 25 years. The data taken for measuring the actual levels of GENE L. STEELE - CSR - RPR UVALDE COUNTY COURTHOUSE, UVALDE, TEXAS 78801 (830) 278-3918 OR (830) 278-2184 29 1 water in the aquifer showed that instead of having a surplus 2 there is already a slow draw-down of the Carrizo in Wilson 3 County. 4 The water plan is to be an ongoing process, 5 with full review every five years. Accurate information is 6 needed both by the water planning group and by the underwater 7 water conservation districts in order to do their job. To 8 obtain these data, we strongly support the proposal for a 9 full funding of a federal, state and local program to make 10 extensive field studies. 11 We recommend that the local people be 12 carefully selected, based on their experience and knowledge 13 of the local area, which is needed to recognize data of 14 questionable accuracy. 15 Thank you for the way that you have listened 16 to our concerns and addressed these. We now stand ready to 17 help you in any way we can. I close with a message: That we 18 are very pleased that you have not included a huge reservoir 19 in Wilson County, and I thank you. 20 (Applause.) 21 MR. ELIFF: Following Mrs. Savage is Jim 22 Marmion. 23 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 24 25 GENE L. STEELE - CSR - RPR UVALDE COUNTY COURTHOUSE, UVALDE, TEXAS 78801 (830) 278-3918 OR (830) 278-2184 30 1 MRS. DIANE SAVAGE: I'm Diane Savage with the 2 Wilson County Water Action Project. We are pleased and proud 3 that Wilson County has been such an active force in the 4 public participation process. There are quite a few of us 5 here this evening, and we are represented by several of our 6 elected officials. I know you met Judge Quinney, Mayor 7 Malik, Mayor Ramirez and City Manager Carl Lambeck, and I 8 don't believe you met Mr. Doug Brownlow from our Evergreen 9 Conservation District from Wilson County. We are certainly 10 appreciative of all of their strong support. 11 We are all pleased that the initial regional 12 water plan does not include any new large reservoirs. 13 However, we would be ecstatic if these tremendously 14 unpopular, expensive, inefficient, environmentally 15 unacceptable options were removed from the water planning 16 consideration altogether. X them out. Let people have their 17 lives back without the threat of a large reservoir hanging 18 over their heads. 19 We are pleased as well with the outstanding 20 work being done by our Evergreen Underground Conservation 21 District. The Evergreen is working to protect and to 22 conserve our groundwater, so that water will be available in 23 Wilson County to meet our needs now and in the future, so 24 that the rural areas, as well as San Antonio, will have the 25 opportunity for economic growth and prosperity. GENE L. STEELE - CSR - RPR UVALDE COUNTY COURTHOUSE, UVALDE, TEXAS 78801 (830) 278-3918 OR (830) 278-2184 31 1 We are pleased to note that Region L is at 2 least considering a policy position that addresses the issue 3 of planning growth to match available resources. Well, it's 4 a start. Surely no one wants San Antonio to become Houston. 5 We are also pleased to see that not only 6 conservation but also reuse is an element of the water plan. 7 In the rural areas we consider these practices to be 8 standard, and we hope that the San Antonio media can get 9 beyond the discussion of lawn sprinklers, because 10 conservation and reuse must become a way of life for all of 11 us. 12 As we close in on the Region L plan, which 13 will become part of the state water plan, we urge Region L to 14 begin studying and the implementation of some common sense 15 options, like brush management, small recharge structures, 16 rainwater harvesting, et cetera, in order to provide some 17 mere term relief, while we continue to work towards long term 18 solutions. 19 I have to say it again. Thanks to all of the 20 members of the planning group for all of your hard work on 21 the water plan. Thank you. 22 (Applause.) 23 MR. ELIFF: Following Mr. Marmion, Nick Fohn. 24 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 25 GENE L. STEELE - CSR - RPR UVALDE COUNTY COURTHOUSE, UVALDE, TEXAS 78801 (830) 278-3918 OR (830) 278-2184 32 1 MR. JIM MARMION: My name is Jim Marmion. As 2 a resident of Dimmit County I find it disturbing that the man 3 elected to represent us in the water planning group chose to 4 be nineteen minutes late to the meeting. Judge Johnson, I 5 hope that's the exception and not the rule. And, number 6 two, in your 2050 time chart showing water needs you have 7 livestock -- 8 JUDGE CHARLES JOHNSON: I will appoint you as 9 a special county judge to handle the two juveniles that I 10 just got through managing. 11 MR. MARMION: This couldn't have been done at 12 another time? 13 JUDGE JOHNSON: We've got six hours to handle 14 juveniles, and then they are to be taken into custody. 15 MR. MARMION: My apologies. 16 JUDGE JOHNSON: Accepted. 17 MR. MARMION: Anyway, back to the 2050 time 18 chart, you are showing livestock needs as zero percent. Is 19 the water planning group projecting that our children and 20 grandchildren will be vegetarians? 21 I agree with the earlier speaker tonight about 22 the efficiency of the drip irrigation systems. I would 23 suggest that all golf courses within a thirty mile radius of 24 San Antonio be converted to drip systems. 25 (Applause.) GENE L. STEELE - CSR - RPR UVALDE COUNTY COURTHOUSE, UVALDE, TEXAS 78801 (830) 278-3918 OR (830) 278-2184 33 1 And finally, my last comment is that I was 2 certainly impressed with Representative King's letter to the 3 group tonight. Thank you. 4 (Applause.) 5 MR. ELIFF: After Mr. Fohn, Paul Edwards. 6 7 8 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 GENE L. STEELE - CSR - RPR UVALDE COUNTY COURTHOUSE, UVALDE, TEXAS 78801 (830) 278-3918 OR (830) 278-2184 34 1 MR. NICK FOHN: I thank you very much. My 2 name is Nick Fohn. I'm a resident of Uvalde. 3 I bring a perspective here tonight that I 4 think is not necessarily unique but it's a little bit 5 different. I happen to work for a state regulatory agency 6 covering twenty-eight counties of Southwest Texas, and all 7 the twenty-one counties of this area are part of my region. 8 I have been doing this for about thirty years, and I've had 9 the opportunity to travel extensively there and to work with 10 a lot of different groups of people, city governments and 11 county people and water utility operators and so forth, and 12 just John Q citizens. 13 I think when you look at everybody's interest 14 out here in this situation, I think that what we are all 15 concerned about is that some agency or one of the special 16 interests that are involved in the competition for this water 17 is going to get an upper hand over the rest of us and we are 18 going to be left lacking for that. I think it's this kind of 19 doubt or this kind of mistrust that has to be alleviated if 20 we are going to make any progress on the fifty year plan, and 21 it ought to be addressed by some method or exchange of ideas 22 of people, or whatever, so that we can get a lot of 23 stereotyping behind us and understand each other's needs in 24 the different parts of the region. 25 I have had an opportunity to look at a lot of GENE L. STEELE - CSR - RPR UVALDE COUNTY COURTHOUSE, UVALDE, TEXAS 78801 (830) 278-3918 OR (830) 278-2184 35 1 different aspects of water, water treatment and water 2 distribution, with my professional work. Some of these 3 things are phenomena that I think need to be considered when 4 you start talking about accumulating water and mixing water 5 and using water of different sources to distribute over your 6 region. Number one, one of the main things is that it's very 7 difficult to mix aquifer water and surfacewater, if you are 8 going to try to do this for the water utilities, because of 9 the chemical problems there that have to be met. 10 Number two, the big problem is that our 11 federal government seems to have a penchant for coming up 12 with new rules and regulations and stiffer rules and 13 regulations in terms of water and where we can seek water and 14 how we can treat the water and the quality of water that we 15 produce. 16 The federal safe-drinking water standards, 17 I've seen them change dramatically in the last twenty years 18 from one level and it just keeps getting more and more 19 expensive to treat drinking water. So when you look at your 20 cost of reservoir, accumulating water, and the cost of that, 21 you also have to look at the distribution cost and the 22 allocation of that water in terms of what it's going to cost 23 you to move it and to supply it and use it. 24 I guess the last thing I want to say is that I 25 think what we are trying to do here is to follow some of the GENE L. STEELE - CSR - RPR UVALDE COUNTY COURTHOUSE, UVALDE, TEXAS 78801 (830) 278-3918 OR (830) 278-2184 36 1 advice of John Nance Garner, our former vice president, who 2 was a resident of Uvalde, who said, "What we have to do as a 3 federal government is to protect those of us who are of 4 lesser influence from those who have a superior 5 inquisitiveness." Now whether that be for water, for power 6 or whatever. Thank you. 7 (Applause.) 8 MR. ELIFF: After Mr. Edwards, Edward 9 Jarzonbek. Now this is the last card that I have. So if you 10 wish to speak would you please bring your green card here or 11 over to Mrs. Walker? It looks like Mrs. Walker is bringing 12 me a card over here. So if you have a card, bring it over 13 here or to Mrs. Walker. 14 15 16 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 GENE L. STEELE - CSR - RPR UVALDE COUNTY COURTHOUSE, UVALDE, TEXAS 78801 (830) 278-3918 OR (830) 278-2184 37 1 MR. PAUL EDWARDS: As indicated, my name is 2 Paul Edwards and I'm a resident of Uvalde County. I'm also a 3 member of the Uvalde County Underground Water District Board, 4 but I'm not here representing that district tonight. I'm 5 here representing myself. 6 I don't have any really prepared remarks, but 7 I have a few thoughts though, some of which occurred to me 8 since I got here. I have been going to these meetings for 9 thirty-five years or so, and I have never heard a poet at one 10 before, and I think that's wonderful. I think we ought to 11 have more poetry, I think, in these kind of dialogues. 12 That's a first. That's a first. Judge Mitchell warned us 13 about emotion but he did not warn us about poetry. 14 Just in general or the one general thought I 15 have about the whole process that I would offer to you, is 16 that at some level I think -- While I believe in bottoms-up 17 planning, I have to say that I've went to too many graduate 18 schools and I'm too old-fashioned of a democrat not to 19 believe in bottoms-up planning, but I also understand there 20 are some limitations with respect to the capacity of a local 21 people to solve their own problems. 22 A lot of the flaw that I see in the system 23 that Senate Bill 1 created statewide, was to basically say, 24 "You guys have got to solve your problems down there. The 25 state is going to wait for you to come up with a solution for GENE L. STEELE - CSR - RPR UVALDE COUNTY COURTHOUSE, UVALDE, TEXAS 78801 (830) 278-3918 OR (830) 278-2184 38 1 us." 2 At some level, you know, coming up with ideas 3 for the state is fine, but we don't have either the 4 jurisdictional or the financial reach at the local level to 5 solve our own water problems. I'm sorry, we don't. Only the 6 State of Texas has the judicial and the financial and the 7 jurisdictional reach to resolve problems that stretch across 8 the whole state, and some solutions probably stretch beyond 9 the boundaries of the state ultimately. 10 And I think that the process needs to, 11 collectively around the state with all of these local 12 regions, to say that to the legislature and say to the state 13 government, "We will do all we can, but ultimately only the 14 state, and maybe multi-state arrangements, have the capacity 15 to give us the capacity to solve our problems." 16 When Uvalde can solve its problems at the 17 expense of La Pryor, then Laredo can solve its problems at 18 the expense of Carrizo Springs; Eagle Pass can solve its 19 problems at the expense of Brackettville. Only the State of 20 Texas has the reach to get far enough to be able to 21 effectively help us resolve all of our problems collectively. 22 Thank you. 23 (Applause.) 24 MR. ELIFF: After Mr. Jarzonbek, Allan 25 Bloxsom. GENE L. STEELE - CSR - RPR UVALDE COUNTY COURTHOUSE, UVALDE, TEXAS 78801 (830) 278-3918 OR (830) 278-2184 39 1 MR. EDWARD JARZONBEK: Good evening. My name 2 is Edward Jarzonbek and I'm with the Wilson County Action 3 Water Group. I am a lifetime resident of Wilson County, a 4 property owner, a rancher, a water purveyor and a water well 5 drilling contractor. 6 We have drilled wells in the Carrizo sands 7 from the depths of a hundred feet to twenty-seven hundred 8 feet, with well sizes from five inch casing to fourteen inch 9 casing, wells that produce water from ten gallons per minute 10 to twenty-seven hundred gallons a minute. I mean thirty 11 thousand gallons a minute. I'm sorry. 12 Being involved in the water well industry for 13 almost forty years, I see three major problems that pretty 14 well go across Wilson County. First of all, all of the 15 shallow well fields located or all of the shallow wells 16 located in the western part of Wilson County would go dry. 17 If the water level is lowered by three hundred feet and four 18 hundred feet, as was first indicated, those wells at four 19 hundred feet would really go dry. 20 I myself own about eight wells in the Carrizo 21 sands that supplies water to three different subdivisions. 22 These wells range from three hundred and fifty foot to four 23 hundred foot. 24 Number two, there are several oil fields 25 located in Wilson County that produce oil from the top of the GENE L. STEELE - CSR - RPR UVALDE COUNTY COURTHOUSE, UVALDE, TEXAS 78801 (830) 278-3918 OR (830) 278-2184 40 1 Carrizo sands, from the depth of four hundred foot, around 2 the Stockdale area, to depths of two thousand foot in the 3 Kosciusko area. 4 If the water level or the pressure is lowered 5 that will give the oil a chance to migrate and pollute our 6 water. We need to protect our Carrizo sands or aquifers. We 7 need this water for future needs and future growth. 8 Number three, the Carrizo just south of Wilson 9 County is already salty. If this water is lowered, that will 10 only give a chance for the salty water to move forward and 11 pollute our water. According to the numbers used by HDR, 12 Wilson County uses about twenty-two thousand acrefeet of 13 water a year. If the annual recharge is forty-three thousand 14 acrefeet, why is it that our water level is constantly 15 dropping, our artesian wells have quit flowing and our pumps 16 are constantly being lowered? We need more scientific study. 17 Thank you. 18 (Applause.) 19 MR. ELIFF: After Mr. Bloxsom, Mark Galvan. 20 21 22 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 23 24 25 GENE L. STEELE - CSR - RPR UVALDE COUNTY COURTHOUSE, UVALDE, TEXAS 78801 (830) 278-3918 OR (830) 278-2184 41 1 MR. ALLAN BLOXSOM: Good evening, ladies and 2 gentlemen. I'm Allan Bloxsom. I'm in the oil and gas 3 business, so I'm not a farmer or I'm not a rancher, and I 4 kind of look at this problem in a different way. 5 I noticed on the board that there is not one 6 geologist or reservoir engineer on this entire board, which 7 is appalling to me, since we are dealing with geology and 8 reservoir engineering of an aquifer. 9 The aquifer in this case is a very complex 10 problem. You've got the rules and regulations set up by the 11 Texas Railroad Commission that deals with the exact problem 12 that you are facing. Ninety years of law is on the books 13 right now to protect the landowner. It's being totally 14 ignored by the board and the new state, quote, government 15 created by this agency, which is appalling. 16 (Applause.) 17 San Antonio created their problem. They need 18 to live with it. The way I see for them to live with it is 19 to turn around like we do in the wetlands, if a company needs 20 to expand, they do wetlands credits. They go out and acquire 21 the acreage, acquire the wetlands, and they do a transfer. 22 The same thing here, except that you are trying to steal it 23 from what I see, and I don't have any -- I mean I'm not a 24 farmer or a rancher. I'm just calling it like it is. It's 25 pretty black and white. San Antonio is out to steal private GENE L. STEELE - CSR - RPR UVALDE COUNTY COURTHOUSE, UVALDE, TEXAS 78801 (830) 278-3918 OR (830) 278-2184 42 1 ownership of water, and that's where it needs to stay. 2 (Applause.) 3 Whatever you do here, you are going to end up 4 in federal court, the way see you are heading, because if I 5 was a landowner and I went and bought a piece of property and 6 it didn't have an irrigated well, and I wanted to put a well 7 in and do a little farming, you are not going to issue me a 8 permit; much less the ludicrous statement that if I was a 9 farmer and didn't use my allocation, then I would lose it. 10 That's the biggest nonsense I've heard in my life. 11 The Railroad Commission, like in the East 12 Texas fields, they went in and they set allowables, 13 allowables to let you pump so much oil to keep the reservoir 14 economic and to get the maximum life out of it. This is what 15 you are semi-attempting to do, but you are doing a very poor 16 job of it. If you don't use it, then you shouldn't lose it, 17 and the damn water rights should stay with the surface owner. 18 Thank you. 19 (Applause.) 20 MR. ELIFF: Prior to Mr. Galvan speaking, just 21 for the record, Darrell Brownlow is a member of the planning 22 group and has a Ph.D. in geology. The next speaker is Mark 23 Galvan, and we do not have any cards following that card. 24 Mr. Galvan. 25 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * GENE L. STEELE - CSR - RPR UVALDE COUNTY COURTHOUSE, UVALDE, TEXAS 78801 (830) 278-3918 OR (830) 278-2184 43 1 MR. MARK GALVAN: I don't know where to start, 2 but I am from the Canyon Lake area, the Comal County area. I 3 do also own property here in the Uvalde area. 4 You've talked about people taking your water 5 rights away. About, oh, two months ago there was a petition, 6 which was called the "Bexar County Priority Water Management 7 Area," and this was for owners who had land to have a say-so 8 in protecting their water rights. Well, I was denied that 9 opportunity to be part of that suit. Again, the federal 10 courts will take care of this when the time needs to be, as 11 this gentleman did say. 12 In this suit that I've been following very 13 closely, they talk about the Trinity Groundwater Conservation 14 Committee. Well, just less than a week ago SAWS publicized a 15 news report that they were going to be taking water out of 16 the Trinity. It's about a five point five million dollar 17 project, and it is out off of 281 north of San Antonio. 18 The ironic thing about this is that the 19 persons involved that are doing that, BSR, a group, are 20 represented by an attorney, and that attorney used to be an 21 attorney for Edwards Aquifer and also an attorney for SAWS. 22 A lot of people don't know about this, but I think that 23 Uvalde needs to know what's going on. 24 I don't see how riparian rights will supersede 25 state rights, and the federal government will be involved in GENE L. STEELE - CSR - RPR UVALDE COUNTY COURTHOUSE, UVALDE, TEXAS 78801 (830) 278-3918 OR (830) 278-2184 44 1 this, so people in Uvalde, please, make sure that the people 2 representing you are doing a good job because there are a lot 3 more going on behind the scenes than y'all realize. I'll 4 probably get shot on the way out of here, but what I'm saying 5 is that you need to know. 6 Another thing is, I have property in Comal 7 County. I have wells and I have been paying taxes for over 8 twenty years, thousands of dollars. The state will take my 9 money but they are trying to tell me what I can with my water 10 and what I can't do with my water? I don't think so. 11 I think all of us need to stand together and 12 fight together so this railroad water conservation project 13 that they have put on the board -- I mean it's not even 14 accurate. I'll go one step further. I have a groundwater 15 availability report, and this was done by the Texas 16 Department of Water Resources. It's a very accurate book. 17 It has data back down to the '40's. 18 How can SAWS and Edwards go and take water 19 from the Trinity Aquifer? That's going to damage the Hill 20 Country. But yet, as a water group, y'all look the other 21 way. Because they are SAWS and they are Edwards? Wrong. 22 People, please wake up and see what's 23 happening to your neighborhood, because politics is the name 24 of the game. 25 (Applause.) GENE L. STEELE - CSR - RPR UVALDE COUNTY COURTHOUSE, UVALDE, TEXAS 78801 (830) 278-3918 OR (830) 278-2184 45 1 MR. ELIFF: Are there any additional 2 individuals who wish to speak and would like to complete a 3 green card? 4 (No answer.) 5 MR. ELIFF: Ms. Bonavita, I believe that 6 concludes the public comment. 7 MS. BONAVITA: Thank you, and we are 8 adjourned. 9 (Hearing concluded at approximately 10 8:45 p.m.) 11 12 13 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 GENE L. STEELE - CSR - RPR UVALDE COUNTY COURTHOUSE, UVALDE, TEXAS 78801 (830) 278-3918 OR (830) 278-2184 46 1 THE STATE OF TEXAS () 2 COUNTY OF UVALDE () 3 I, GENE L. STEELE, a Certified 4 Shorthand Reporter and Notary Public in and for the State of 5 Texas, hereby certify that I was employed to and did report 6 in shorthand the Public Hearing of the South Central Texas 7 Regional Water Planning Group, on the 26th day of September, 8 A.D., 2000, and that the foregoing pages of typewriting were 9 prepared under my direction and contain and constitute a 10 full, true and correct transcription of my shorthand notes 11 taken at said time and place and reflect to the best of my 12 skill and ability an accurate record of the subject 13 proceedings. 14 WITNESS my hand and seal of office 15 on this the 4th day of October, A.D., 2000. 16 17 18 19 ____________________________ GENE L. STEELE, C.S.R. 20 Certificate No. 908 Expires: December 31, 2000 21 22 23 24 25 GENE L. STEELE - CSR - RPR UVALDE COUNTY COURTHOUSE, UVALDE, TEXAS 78801 (830) 278-3918 OR (830) 278-2184