Lone Star GCD Director Place 1 - SuEllen Staggs - Recommended

Staggs’ experience is well suited to deal with serious emerging concerns about subsidence and continuing decline in water well levels. Her strong background in water resource management combined with her dedication to finding the most cost-effective long-term solution for our Montgomery County water supply makes her the better choice for this board.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

          In 2001 the State of Texas created, with overwhelming voter approval, the Lonestar Groundwater Conservation District (LSGCD) to manage the future needs for water in Montgomery County, Texas. Future water needs would be met from groundwater from the three aquifers under the county, surface water, and reuse water. At the onset the Board of Directors was appointed but that changed to an elected Board in 2018.

          The LSGCD became a part of Ground Water Management area 14(GMA-14) along with four other conservation districts (CDs) and two subsidence districts (SDs) who reasonably share the same ground water aquifers.

          The LSGCD is also within the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) Region H. This is a large group of area stakeholders charged with planning for future water needs. Region H is tasked with evaluating projected water demands for the next 50 years. Major water consumers are irrigation, manufacturing, municipal, and power plants.  Montgomery County is now in the 2020-2070 demand plan.

          LSGCD is charged with creating a Water Management Plan that provides for the future Montgomery County needs of the Region H forecast. Our water needs are addressed through the capabilities of the aquifers to safely produce ground water and the augmentation of water resources by using both surface and reuse water.  With respect to groundwater use the board uses a nine-factor framework to assess their plan. Those factors are Environmental, Subsidence, Hydrological Conditions, Aquifer Conditions, Supply & Management Strategies, Private Property Rights, Socioeconomic Impacts, meeting the GMA-14 Defined Future Conditions requirements, and Other. Excluding Other, six are defined on a scientific basis and two are subjective.

          The analysis of private property rights pits the subsurface water rights of a property owner against the surface property rights of a homeowner. Scientifically defined subsidence created by the water management plan has a socioeconomic impact will adversely affect homeowners and local governing bodies by changing drainage contours and or causing ground-fault activation. These property rights and socioeconomic impacts being subjective decisions by the Board have to be thought of in the best interest of all county residents.

          Accurate data exists in Montgomery County of what the impact of using surface water to reduce ground water pumping can do to arrest subsidence.  The potential for subsidence is more prevalent in Southern Montgomery County and the impacts can be significant.

          The current water management plan the LSGCD has requested for GMA-14 to approve has some areas in South county seeing subsidence of nearly 4 feet over the plan period. Consultant input has indicated that this us understated. LSGCD must resolve the differences in opinions before proceeding with their plan.

          All residents of Montgomery county need to hold the LSGCD accountable for doing what is best for all the residents.