desalination: regulatory perspectives, stacey steinbach, tagd

Desalination: Regulatory Issues and Perspectives

Stacey A. Steinbach

Texas Alliance of Groundwater Districts

Texas Desal 2013

September 13, 2013

Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts



texasgroundwater.org









GCD Snapshot

Current Regulatory Framework

Session Wrap Up and Beyond

Starting Point: Rule of Capture •  Adopted as Texas law in 1904 East decision •  Landowners have right to capture an unlimited

amount of groundwater beneath their property •  Called “law of non-liability” and “law of the

biggest pump” •  Provides little certainty and protection







GCD Balancing Test







Conservation, preservation, protection, recharging and

prevention of waste of groundwater and control of

subsidence

Highest practicable level of groundwater

production

History of GCDs •  1917: Conservation Amendment to Texas

Constitution (Article XVI, Section 59) •  1949: Statutory framework for creation of GCDs •  1997: GCDs are the “State’s preferred method of

groundwater management” (SB 1) •  2013: 97 confirmed GCDs; 4 awaiting

confirmation; 2 subsidence districts







Source: John Dupnik, BSEACD

New GCDs (83rd Lege) • Revived GCD: Calhoun County GCD • New GCDs:

– Reeves County GCD – Deep East Texas GCD (Shelby, San

Augustine, and Sabine Counties)













GCD Snapshot



“Groundwater” •  Current definition: water percolating below

surface of the earth •  1994 definition (Chapter 52): water

percolating below the surface of the earth and that is suitable for agricultural, gardening, domestic, or stock raising purposes...







GCDs and Brackish Groundwater •  GCDs are currently issuing permits for

brackish groundwater production •  Distinction of groundwater based specifically

on TDS level not common (but may be appropriate in some GCDs)

•  DFC-based groundwater models generally do not distinguish groundwater based on TDS level (but can)







GCDs and Brackish Groundwater GCDs can still incentivize production of high-TDS or unutilized groundwater through rules 1.  Adopt different DFCs for distinct brackish

groundwater zones and work with TWDB to develop a MAG for those zones

2.  Develop, through rulemaking, management zones for these areas and authorize greater production than in freshwater areas

Example: BSEACD







36.117(d) – Management Zones For better management of the groundwater resources located in a GCD or if a GCD determines that conditions in or use of an aquifer differ substantially from one geographic area of the GCD to another, the GCD may adopt different rules for: 1.  each aquifer, subdivision of an aquifer, or geologic

strata located in whole or in part within the boundaries of the GCD; or

2.  each geographic area overlying an aquifer or subdivision of an aquifer located in whole or in part within the boundaries of the GCD.













GCD Snapshot



Common Goals • Provide more certainty • Encourage use of currently

unutilized/undesirable groundwater • Ensure protection of current and

future sources of groundwater







TAGD’s Additional Goals • No one-size-fits-all approach • Ensure groundwater ownership

implications are considered • Focus on hydrological connection

to currently utilized groundwater, not TDS level







Desalination Legislation

•  All or most water in some GCDs considered brackish

•  Groundwater salinity falls on a continuum

•  Implies brackish groundwater not worthy of protection

•  Most MAGs do not distinguish based on TDS

•  How to determine TDS? •  Who determines TDS? •  What if the TDS changes? •  “Desirability” or “usability”

of water is not based solely on TDS







Brackish Groundwater ≠ TDS Level

469.5

443

1199

2268

297

384

1240

262

1010.5

557

2353

699

1260

293.5

715

627

373

305

277

234.5

1451

758

339

470

285

437

555

303

379

351

833

341

316.5

1177

313

1022

425

539

409

596

334

460

450

797387

987

225

332

547

212

416

676

312.5

440

509

354422

317.5

358.5

879

1169

510

443

400

640

753

1703

241

569

643

425

537

127

129

610

615

808

270

1308

782

1526

616 520

383

386

336

2282

808

686

1043

353.5

293

517

902

352

914

450

994

306

333

463

317

534

624

298

770

904

585 995

387

749

563

695 802

369

540

872

468

478

1431

1144

576

773

373

1793

856

1502.5

866

515

470

304

832

564

971

1133

526

1646.5

376

792

424

2855

1471

809

560

421

990411.5

1116

585

255.5

1068

1100

1173

695

541.5

749

458

642

1434

756

2766

240

1190

228

2682

518.5

3162

2518

26221000

421.5

386

2695

1045

398

436.5

647.5

182.5

107.5

333.5

1089

509

193.5

379.5

328.5

324

300.5

327.5

331.5

443.5

376.5

438.5

950.5

420

297.5

781.5

1140

449.5

444.5

336.5

422.5 879.5

223.5

305.5

322.5

320.5

880.5

284

681

1248.5432

333

1294

575.5 527.5

1160.5505.5

592

593.5

408.5

3083

1205

2559

747.5

1171.5

310

1646.5

1058.5

2390

659.5

1019.5

1091.5

2603.5

1242

1036.5

2388.5

445

667.5

1043.5

552.5

504

234

725

681.5

320.5

312

643

534

336399

184

273

398

173.5

´0 100 20050

Miles

Median Recorded TDS Values in Groundwater Wells

Data Source:Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) Groundwater Database,using non-plugged/destroyed wells with a "Withdrawal of Water" well type.

Median TDS (mg/L) by County

500 - 1000

< 500

1000 - 3000

> 3000

CSHB 2578 •  “Brackish Groundwater Production Zones”

–  Identified by TWDB with GCD/stakeholder input –  Must be “sufficiently separated” from groundwater

currently used for water supply •  30-year permit terms •  Unlimited production unless evidence of

impacts; must get report from TWDB first







What Next? •  Science, Education, and Science • GCDs: conduct water quality sampling

and address desal in rules, where applicable

• Users: talk to your GCD • Desal stakeholder groups (TWCA, Texas

Desal Association) •  Interim Studies













Questions?

Stacey A. Steinbach [email protected]

desalination: regulatory perspectives, stacey steinbach, tagd

Technology

unutilized groundwater

groundwater resources

brackish groundwater

brackish groundwater

groundwater current

texas law

texas constitution article

conrmed gcds