LCRA and the San Antonio Water System (SAWS) will take a six-month breather before making a decision to begin seven years of study on a $300 million project to develop additional water resources in the lower Colorado River basin.

The additional time will enable project planners to establish the optimum sequence of studies that will determine the feasibility of the project, which was approved by the two organizations in February 2002.

Under the proposed LCRA-SAWS Water Project the two entities would share additional water resources developed in the basin. The project also would develop aggressive conservation programs for farmers in the Colorado basin's coastal counties to reduce the amount of water that LCRA must release from the Highland Lakes for agricultural irrigation. The project also could benefit some of the basins' rural communities that may need more water as they continue to grow.

The project is one of several options being considered by SAWS to help meet the city's long-term water needs. Other projects include the Aquifer Storage and Recovery Program in south Bexar County and the Lower Guadalupe Water Supply Project.

The study plan
With the help of stakeholders and scientists, LCRA has developed a plan to study the potential impact of the proposed project on the ecology and economy of the lower Colorado River basin.

The weight of fundamental questions about the project's viability prompted LCRA and SAWS last month to postpone the start of the study phase by six months to allow their staffs to take another look at the sequence of the planned studies. The idea is to put "fatal-flaw" studies first and to give SAWS interim decision points on the project before both organizations commit to implementing it. The implementation phase would include completing the technical analyses and undertaking the necessary design and permitting work.

"These studies would generate much of the information necessary to make an informed decision regarding the impact of the project on the bay and estuary as well as the cost-effectiveness of this project as a water supply option for SAWS," said LCRA General Manager Joe Beal.

The study plans developed by LCRA are rigorous in their attention to protecting the health and well-being of the lower Colorado River basin, said Scott Ahlstrom, LCRA project manager.

A four-phase study
LCRA staff said it would investigate a more logical sequence of studies that might consist of four phases. At the end of each proposed phase, SAWS would have the option of deciding whether it wanted to continue. The first- and second-phase studies, conducted over three years, would answer critical questions about the project's technical, economic and environmental viability.

Third-phase studies, conducted over three years, would include additional impact studies, providing a complete picture to SAWS before it committed to the last phase of study. Fourth-phase studies, conducted over three years, would wrap up technical analysis and undertake the design and permitting work necessary for initial implementation.

SAWS President Gene Habiger said there were potential benefits to approaching the studies in phases, giving SAWS interim opportunities to make decisions about the project's suitability.

"We're going to do the right thing at a reasonable cost," Habiger said. "We're good stewards of the environment and the budget, which we manage while keeping our eye on the main objective -- ensuring a reliable, high-quality water supply for our customers."

See also:
San Antonio Water System
LCRA's agreement with SAWS

Trow is an LCRA writer specializing in water topics. Contact her at lisa.trow@lcra.org.