5.4 Water Supply Plans for Major Water Providers

Table 5.4-1 lists each Major Water Provider identified by the SCTRWPG and their corresponding surplus or shortage in years 2030 and 2050. For each Major Water Provider with a projected shortage, or need, a water supply plan has been developed and is presented in the following subsections.

Table 5.4-1.
Major Water Provider Surplus/Shortage

Major Water Provider	Surplus/Shortage^1		Comment
	2030 (acft/yr)	2050 (acft/yr)
San Antonio Water System (SAWS)	-200,668	-281,219	Projected shortage – see plan below
Bexar Metropolitan Water District (BMWD)	-32,434	-44,010	Projected shortage – see plan below
Canyon Regional Water Authority (CRWA)	-3,449	-6,331	Projected shortage – see plan below
Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority (GBRA)	113,365	115,435	Projected surplus
New Braunfels Utilities (NBU)	-10,135	-17,365	Projected shortage – see plan below
City of San Marcos	-11,092	-23,606	Projected shortage – see plan below
^1From Table 4-23, Section 4.2 – Water Needs Projections by Major Water Provider

5.4.1 Regional Water Provider(s) for Bexar County

Bexar County represents the major municipal demand center of the South Central Texas Region and encompasses not only the City of San Antonio, but more numerous suburban cities and communities (water user groups). It is apparent that the most economical development of additional water supplies to meet the present and future needs of Bexar County can best be accomplished on a regional, rather than a major provider or city by city, basis. Development of additional water supplies for Bexar County will most likely be accomplished strategy by strategy, with a single sponsor or varying groups of sponsors involved in the cooperative implementation of each major strategy. Hence, for the purposes of this regional water plan, the concept of Regional Water Provider(s) for Bexar County is employed. Designation of Regional Water Provider(s) for Bexar County accounts for the fact that water management strategies may be developed by individual sponsors and/or coalitions of sponsors. Furthermore, it ensures the flexibility necessary to facilitate activities of identified major water providers, water user groups, and others in their independent or collective efforts to develop additional water supplies for Bexar County.

Bexar County’s current water supply is obtained from the Edwards Aquifer, Carrizo Aquifer, Trinity Aquifer, Canyon Reservoir, Victor Braunig Lake, Calaveras Lake, the Medina Lake System, Direct Reuse, and run-of-river rights. Bexar County is projected to need additional water supplies beginning in the year 2000. The management strategies listed in Table 5.3.2-2, as well as several variations of these options, were considered to meet the county’s projected need.

Working within the planning criteria established by the SCTRWPG and the TWDB, it is recommended that the Regional Water Provider(s) for Bexar County implement the following water supply plan to meet the projected need for the portions of the county (Table 5.4-2).

§ Edwards Irrigation Transfers (L-15) to be implemented in 2000. This project can provide an additional 25,000 acft/yr of supply in 2000, increasing to 32,986 acft/yr of additional supply in 2050.

§ Demand Reduction (Conservation) (L-10 Irr.) to be implemented in 2000. This project can provide an additional 27,314 acft/yr of additional supply from 2000 through 2050.

§ Carrizo Aquifer – Wilson & Gonzales (CZ-10C) to be implemented in 2000. This project can provide an additional 16,000 acft/yr of supply from 2000 through 2050.

§ Lower Guadalupe River Diversion (SCTN-16) to be implemented in 2010. This project can provide an additional 94,500 acft/yr of supply.

§ Edwards Recharge – Type 2 Projects (L-18a) to be implemented in 2010. This project can provide an additional 13,451 acft/yr of supply in 2010, increasing to 21,577 acft/yr of additional supply in 2050.

§ Colorado River Diversion Option (LCRA) to be implemented in 2020. This project can provide an additional 66,000 acft/yr of supply in 2020, increasing to 132,000 acft/yr of additional supply in 2050.

§ Desalination of Seawater – 75 MGD (SCTN-17) to be implemented in 2040. This project can provide an additional 56,008 acft/yr in 2040 and 84,012 acft/yr of additional supply in 2050.

§ Brush Management

§ Weather Modification

§ Rainwater Harvesting

§ Additional Municipal Recycling (Reuse) Programs

§ Small Aquifer Recharge Dams

§ Edwards Aquifer Recharge & Recirculation Systems

§ Cooperation with Corpus Christi for New Water Sources

§ Additional Storage (ASR and/or Surface)

Table 5.4-2.
Recommended Water Supply Plan for the Regional Water Provider(s) for Bexar County

	2000 (acft/yr)	2010 (acft/yr)	2020 (acft/yr)	2030 (acft/yr)	2040 (acft/yr)	2050 (acft/yr)
Recommended Plan
Edwards Irrigation Transfers (L-15)	25,000	32,986	32,986	32,986	32,986	32,986
Demand Reduction (Conservation) (L-10 Irr.) w/Trans.	27,314	27,314	27,314	27,314	27,314	27,314
Carrizo Aquifer – Wilson & Gonzales (CZ-10C)	16,000	16,000	16,000	16,000	16,000	16,000
Lower Guadalupe River Diversions (SCTN-16)		94,500	94,500	94,500	94,500	94,500
Edwards Recharge – Type 2 Projects (L-18a)		13,451	21,577	21,577	21,577	21,577
Colorado River Diversion Option (LCRA)			66,000	132,000	132,000	132,000
Desalination of Seawater – 75 MGD (SCTN-17)					56,008	84,012
Brush Management
Weather Modification
Rainwater Harvesting
Additional Municipal Recycling (Reuse) Programs
Small Aquifer Recharge Dams
Edwards Aquifer Recharge & Recirculation Systems
Cooperation w/ Corpus Christi for New Water Sources
Additional Storage (ASR and/or Surface)^1
Total New Supply	68,314	184,251	258,377	324,377	380,385	408,389
^1 Includes, but is not limited to, small reservoirs near regional water treatment facilities to provide balancing storage necessary to meet peak seasonal and daily water needs.

The costs of the recommended plan for the Regional Water Provider for Bexar County are shown in Table 5.4-3.

Table 5.4-3.
Recommended Plan Costs by Decade
for the Regional Water Provider(s) for Bexar County

Plan Element	2000	2010	2020	2030	2040	2050
Edwards Irrigation Transfers (L-15)
Annual Cost ($/yr)	$2,353,000	$3,104,642	$3,104,642	$3,104,642	$3,104,642	$3,104,642
Unit Cost ($/acft)	$80	$80	$80	$80	$80	$80
Demand Reduction (Conservation) (L-10 Irr.) w/Trans.