CLEARWATER UNDERGROUND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON PROPOSED DESIRED FUTURE CONDITIONS – MAY 11, 2016

The Board of Directors of the Clearwater Underground Water Conservation District (“CUWCD”) will hold a public hearing and accept public comment on the proposed Desired Future Conditions (“DFCs”) for the Edwards BFZ Aquifer and the Trinity Aquifer in Bell County Texas, in accordance with Section 36.108(d-2) of the Texas Water Code. The purpose of the hearing is to provide interested members of the public the opportunity to appear and provide comments to the CUWCD related to the proposed DFCs.

CUWCD is one of eleven groundwater conservation districts located wholly or partially within Groundwater Management Area 8 (“GMA 8”); the other districts in GMA 8 include Central Texas Groundwater Conservation District, Middle Trinity Groundwater Conservation District, North Texas Groundwater Conservation District, Northern Trinity Groundwater Conservation District, Post Oak Savannah Groundwater Conservation District, Prairielands Groundwater Conservation District, Red River Groundwater Conservation District, Saratoga Underground Water Conservation District, Southern Trinity Groundwater Conservation District, and Upper Trinity Groundwater Conservation District. At the last GMA 8 joint planning meeting, held on April 1, 2016 the district representatives voted to approve the proposed DFCs, which were distributed to the districts on April 18, 2016 to begin the 90-day comment period that closes on July 12, 2016.

The proposed DFCs approved by the district representatives of GMA 8 are described in terms of acceptable drawdown levels for each subdivision of the Trinity Aquifer and maintaining spring flow for Edwards BFZ Aquifer.

The acceptable levels of drawdown for each subdivision of the Trinity Aquifer are measured in terms of water level drawdowns in feet over the current planning cycle which extends from 2010 to 2070. For CUWCD, the relevant proposed DFCs for the geologic layers of the Trinity Aquifer include the following:

• From estimated year 2010 conditions, the average drawdown of the Glen Rose Layer should not exceed approximately 83 feet by the year 2070.
• From estimated year 2010 conditions, the average drawdown in the Hensell Layer should not exceed approximately 137 feet by the year 2070.
• From estimated year 2010 conditions, the average drawdown in the Hosston Layer should not exceed approximately 330 feet by the year 2070.
• From estimated 2010 conditions, the average drawdown in the Paluxy Layer should not exceed approximately 19 feet by the year 2070.
• From estimated 2010 conditions, the average drawdown in the Travis Peak Layer should not exceed approximately 300 feet by the year 2070

For the northern segment of the Edwards (Balcones Fault Zone) Aquifer within GMA 8 the proposed DFCs within CUWCD boundaries are as follows:

• Maintain at least 100 acre-feet per month of stream/spring flow in Salado Creek during a repeat of the drought of record in Bell County.

This hearing will be held on May 11, 2016, beginning at 1:30 p.m., at the CUWCD Board Room, 700 Kennedy Court, Belton Texas 76513.

Any person who desires to appear at the hearing and present comment or other information on the proposed DFCs may do so in person, by legal representative, or both. Limits may be placed on the amount of time that each person is allowed to present verbal comments, but written comments may also be submitted. Those wishing to provide advanced written comment on the proposed DFCs may also do so prior to the hearing date by regular mail services addressed to CUWCD P.O. Box 1898, Belton Tx. 76513, or by facsimile at (254)933-8396. Written comments regarding the hearing need to be received by the District by close of business July 12, 2016. The hearing posted in this notice may be recessed from day to day or continued where appropriate.

This public hearing is available to all persons regardless of disability. If you require special assistance to attend the hearing, please contact the CUWCD at (254)933-0120 at least 24 hours in advance of the hearing.

Copy of the proposed DFCs may be requested by email at dirk.aaron@clearwaterdistrict.org, and is available for reviewing or downloading at: View files or /, and may be reviewed, inspected, or obtained in person at the CUWCD office located at 700 Kennedy Court, Belton Tx. 76513. All questions or requests for additional information regarding the proposed DFCs may be submitted to CUWCD General Manager, Dirk Aaron. Please contact Dirk Aaron by telephone at (254) 933-0120 or by visiting the CUWCD office at 700 Kennedy Court, Belton Texas.