Hays County doesn't pass request for early renewal of water management plan
HAYS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) - With Central Texas in a drought, water supply is on the minds of many, prompting a push to start discussions about updating the Lower Colorado River Authority's Water Management Plan.
Jo Karr Tedder, president of Central Texas Water Coalition, is leading that charge.
"Right now this drought we're in... is worse than we were in 2011," Tedder said.
LCRA is already scheduled to revisit the plan in 2025. However, Tedder said discussions need to start now because of the weather conditions.
"It being so hot, evaporation, no rainfall," Tedder said.
The group tried to get counties to push LCRA to revamp the plan. Travis and Burnet County have, but a vote to do the same in Hays County Tuesday failed.
In a statement to KXAN, the LCRA said yearly water demands have been below 2025 projections.
"Based on current conditions, there is no need to begin updating the 2020 Water Management Plan earlier than called for in the plan."
John Hoffman, LCRA Executive Vice President of Water
Hays County Commissioner Walt Smith said he respects LCRA's authority in this decision. He said locally he'll continue discussions around water supply.
One proposal he has to preserve water is to monitor the number of wells being built.
"You want to build a house...you want to put a well in, I think that's a great thing. I just want to make sure over time we limit how many of those things happen in a given region," Smith said.
The LCRA said, when water use for 2022 is available early next year, they will evaluate the numbers to determine whether to start the process.