Bill Text: TX HB3770 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to a pilot project conducted by the Texas Water Development Board regarding the real-time monitoring of the inundation and water quality of certain portions of the Rio Grande.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-03-19 - Referred to Natural Resources [HB3770 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-HB3770-Introduced.html
86R13957 SLB-D | ||
By: Raymond | H.B. No. 3770 |
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relating to a pilot project conducted by the Texas Water | ||
Development Board regarding the real-time monitoring of the | ||
inundation and water quality of certain portions of the Rio Grande. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Title 2, Water Code, is amended by adding | ||
Subtitle G to read as follows: | ||
SUBTITLE G. PILOT PROJECT | ||
CHAPTER 39. RIO GRANDE MONITORING PILOT PROJECT | ||
Sec. 39.0101. PURPOSE. It is the policy of this state and | ||
the purpose of this chapter to: | ||
(1) implement a pilot project on the Rio Grande to | ||
better provide for the public's interests and needs regarding that | ||
river; | ||
(2) demonstrate new tools in water quality monitoring | ||
and early flood warning that will be transferable to other areas of | ||
this state; and | ||
(3) provide more efficient and effective | ||
administration of the conservation of this state's natural | ||
resources and protection of the public and the environment. | ||
Sec. 39.0102. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: | ||
(1) "Board" means the Texas Water Development Board. | ||
(2) "Commission" means the Texas Commission on | ||
Environmental Quality. | ||
(3) "Pilot project" means the Rio Grande monitoring | ||
pilot project. | ||
Sec. 39.0103. RIO GRANDE MONITORING PILOT PROJECT. (a) The | ||
board and the commission jointly shall conduct a river monitoring | ||
pilot project on the Rio Grande between Columbia and Falcon Lake as | ||
described by this section. | ||
(b) The pilot project must include improvements to or | ||
installation of monitoring sites at the following locations: | ||
(1) Colombia Solidarity Bridge; | ||
(2) World Trade International Bridge; | ||
(3) Juarez-Lincoln International Bridge; | ||
(4) US Geological Survey Site 084592000; and | ||
(5) a site in San Ygnacio upstream from Falcon Lake. | ||
(c) The board shall: | ||
(1) enhance the stream gaging network that monitors | ||
stream flow in the Rio Grande; and | ||
(2) develop a flood inundation modeling system for the | ||
Rio Grande. | ||
(d) The commission shall establish a continuous, real-time | ||
water quality observation network for the segment of the Rio Grande | ||
described by Subsection (b), including a program of periodic water | ||
sampling to determine the levels of: | ||
(1) turbidity; | ||
(2) acidity; | ||
(3) temperature; | ||
(4) dissolved oxygen; | ||
(5) nitrates; and | ||
(6) total dissolved solids. | ||
(e) The commission and the board may post information | ||
obtained in the pilot project on the commission's or board's | ||
Internet website. | ||
(f) The board may contract or cooperate with any person | ||
necessary to complete the pilot project, including the United | ||
States Geological Survey Texas Water Science Center. | ||
Sec. 39.0104. PILOT PROJECT REPORT. Not later than | ||
September 1, 2024, the board shall deliver a report to the governor, | ||
lieutenant governor, speaker of the house of representatives, and | ||
standing committees of the senate and house of representatives | ||
having jurisdiction over matters related to water development. The | ||
report must include a summary of the methods used and the results | ||
obtained for each element of the pilot project. | ||
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |