State, Austin-area initiatives stressing less usage

The July 21 session of the ongoing Imagine One Austin information series focused on conservation, the environment and recreation initiatives in Austin. Laura Huffman, state director of The Nature Conservancy, led an overview of the top water issues affecting Austin and the rest of the state. Huffman also joined a panel discussion with representatives from the Lower Colorado River Authority, the agency assigned to manage the Highland Lakes—Austin's primary water supply—and Austin Water Utility, the publicly owned water utility. In addition, multiple representatives from the city of Austin were on hand to discuss watershed protection, climate protection, and parks and recreation initiatives.

One of the worst droughts in recorded local history is threatening Austin's water supply, the Highland Lakes, at the same time area population growth is at its peak.

Conservation may be the best solution to solving the city's increasing water woes, a group of concerned citizens and Austin City Council hopefuls learned July 21 during an Imagine One Austin session about conservation and environmental issues.

"Texas is a great testing ground for conservation efforts because we're experiencing all the major factors that threaten our natural resources," said Laura Huffman, state director of environmental advocacy group The Nature Conservancy, in an early July interview.

Texas is experiencing rapid population growth and urbanization, especially around its previously undeveloped coastal region, as well as water scarcity issues. However, no single solution can be applied statewide to address the problem, she said.

"It's important these [City Council] candidates understand the state perspective," Huffman said, explaining how 20 percent of a $2 billion statewide water plan approved by voters last November is dedicated to conservation efforts. "It's also important they understand the state plan is a culmination of regional plans."

Huffman stressed that many of the projects potentially covered by the $2 billion in state money will improve water supplies and treatment methods 20–30 years in the future.

In Central Texas, the Lower Colorado River Authority manages the Highland Lakes, which includes lakes Travis and Buchanan, two reservoirs west of the city that contain the majority of the region's water supply. LCRA's board the past three years has cut off downstream agricultural users from any Highland Lakes water because of prolonged drought conditions.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality in mid-May rejected a proposed LCRA water management plan and instead drafted rules that would potentially make it much more difficult for downstream agriculture users to obtain Highland Lakes water during drought periods.

Huffman called the TCEQ decision an opportunity for LCRA to redefine how much water should be released, and to whom, during drought conditions. She also lauded a $100 million Austin Water Utility contract with LCRA that fixes the cost the city pays for water—so long as city water use does not go beyond a trigger point defined in the contract, Huffman said.

"That trigger serves as a built-in conservation measure," she said.