SWTSU leads efforts for resolving water issues

By MONETTE TAYLOR | South Central Texas Edition

August 29, 2002 -- Even with all of the summer rains, water issues remain a real concern for Texas producers, and South Central Texas, on down to the Rio Grande area, is facing special problems and situations.

Through an endowment, Southwest Texas State University (SWTSU) is becoming a leader in monitoring issues and acting as a mentor for various groups who are trying to make new plans successful for all parties concerned. These groups will assist in solving the water problems and situations.

"SWTSU had received a grant from the Houston Endowment for $500,000, which, if combined with resources from the university, was able to be used to start the International Institute for Sustainable Water Resources," said Andrew Sansom, executive director.

The money is used to provide general programmatic support, across the board, to get the program up and running, said Sansom, who came to the Institute in February 2002, after a successful career as executive director of the Texas Parks and Wildlife (TPW).

"SWTSU is uniquely situated with respect to water. That's because we have the second largest spring in North America on our campus, which is the head water of the San Marcos River, known to most Texans as Aquarena Springs," explained Sansom.

"We (SWTSU) have, probably, the best aquatic biology department, maybe, in the country. It's nationally known and we have, clearly, the most prestigious geography department in the country."

By using these two departments and the environment, the Institute finds itself in the middle of three of the highest profile water issues.

"The most significant of those ... long term ... is the proposal by the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) to transfer Colorado River water to San Antonio," he added.

The Institute is close to completing the creation of a "very prestigious, blue-ribbon panel of scientists to provide an independent review of that project," said Sansom.

He said they (Institute) are in the process of finalizing the panel, and expect to announce the members in early-mid September. Once the appointments are made, the panel will meet to consider and review the LCRA plans.

"The second project is that, currently, there is an application pending before the TNRCC to acquire about 1.5 million acre-feet of water from the San Marcos River for the purpose of leaving water in the river, so it continues to be available for downstream users," he said.

The Institute is working with the various partners to help work out that dispute, according to Sansom.

The third, major issue being addressed by the Institute concerns the Rio Grande and the water issues connected with the river, in Texas as well as Mexico.

"I've spent a good part of this summer traveling back and forth to Mexico City, to sign an agreement with the National University of Mexico, to began a long, long-term series of research efforts to try to figure out how to satisfy all of the lands along the Rio Grande," said Sansom.

While Texas A&M University and University of Texas have water programs, Sansom said the thing that

distinguishes the SWTSU program is the fact that the Institute is approaching the problems by taking into perspective all issues in the river basin. This includes the agricultural needs, the industrial needs, and the

environmental needs. It's more a holistic approach, explained Sansom.

"We are in trouble (with water issues), and we've got to figure out what to do," he added.

The LCRA project seems to have the blessings of most rice farmers in South Texas, as well as the approval of most residents in San Antonio, where water is a real issue, especially, in the future.

"I feel like the movement of water, westward, toward San Antonio is inevitable. It's going to happen," he said.

With these three, major issues comes future opportunities for agricultural producers, through the stewardship of private land. Sansom believes that brush control is and will continue to be of major concern for producers, and he believes producers will be compensated, in the future, in relation to the management of their land.

According to Sansom, ground water in Texas hasn't always been at the forefront of consideration, but he believes private landowners will have more control of the water in the future.

"In many cases, the water under their (landowners') property, like oil and gas used to be, is going to be worth more than the land," he said.