Bill Text: TX SB1529 | 2017-2018 | 85th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the collection, analysis, and dissemination of information regarding the availability and quality of the groundwater resources in this state by the Geo-Technology Research Institute.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-03-21 - Referred to Agriculture, Water, & Rural Affairs [SB1529 Detail]
Download: Texas-2017-SB1529-Introduced.html
| 85R5098 SLB-D | ||
| By: Creighton | S.B. No. 1529 | |
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| relating to the collection, analysis, and dissemination of | ||
| information regarding the availability and quality of the | ||
| groundwater resources in this state by the Geo-Technology Research | ||
| Institute. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. The heading to Section 149.004, Education Code, | ||
| is amended to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 149.004. DUTIES IN GENERAL. | ||
| SECTION 2. Chapter 149, Education Code, is amended by | ||
| adding Section 149.0045 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 149.0045. COLLECTION, ANALYSIS, AND DISSEMINATION OF | ||
| INFORMATION REGARDING GROUNDWATER RESOURCES. (a) The institute | ||
| shall use data from the Texas Water Development Board, the Railroad | ||
| Commission of Texas, and the Bureau of Economic Geology of The | ||
| University of Texas at Austin to develop a three-dimensional model | ||
| of the availability and quality of the groundwater resources in | ||
| this state. The institute shall digitize data necessary to develop | ||
| the model, if necessary. Once developed, the institute shall run | ||
| the model and use the model run results to: | ||
| (1) develop a time-based representation of water level | ||
| and water yield declines in aquifers, including information on | ||
| production or injection well intervals in the aquifers studied; and | ||
| (2) identify favorable areas, including aquifers with | ||
| multiple zones, for aquifer storage and recovery projects and the | ||
| estimated storage capacity of those areas. | ||
| (b) The institute shall make the model run results described | ||
| by Subsection (a) available in software suitable for | ||
| three-dimensional visualization and volumetric analysis. | ||
| (c) Not later than September 1, 2019, the institute shall | ||
| develop and run a model described by Subsection (a) for the area | ||
| included in the following counties: | ||
| (1) Bastrop; | ||
| (2) Bell; | ||
| (3) Burnet; | ||
| (4) Coryell; | ||
| (5) Lampasas; | ||
| (6) McLennan; | ||
| (7) Travis; and | ||
| (8) Williamson. | ||
| (d) After developing and running the model for the area | ||
| described by Subsection (c), the institute shall develop and run | ||
| models for areas included in other counties in decreasing order of | ||
| importance, as determined by the institute from an analysis of | ||
| population projections and projected municipal water needs. | ||
| (e) For each area for which the institute completes the | ||
| development and running of a model, the institute shall conduct a | ||
| workshop in the area to provide information to groundwater | ||
| conservation districts located in the area, if applicable, on how | ||
| to use the model and the model run results to coordinate groundwater | ||
| management activities by those groundwater conservation districts. | ||
| (f) The institute shall create and maintain an online | ||
| geospatial information application to educate the public about the | ||
| effect of drought on groundwater quantity and quality. | ||
| (g) The institute shall assess trends in groundwater | ||
| quality during a known drought period selected by the institute to | ||
| determine how production affects groundwater quality and how those | ||
| effects vary geospatially. | ||
| SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. | ||
