San Jacinto Water Rights

Project Description

As Major Water Providers in Region H, the San Jacinto River Authority (SJRA) and City of Houston (COH) play a significant role in securing sources of water to meet the burgeoning demands of one of the most economically complex regions in the world. These entities seek sources of water which are in close proximity to existing infrastructure, while reducing the region’s reliance on groundwater to migrate regional land subsidence. This project included a water rights analysis utilizing the WAM to evaluate water availability based on operation aspects of the San Jacinto River basin. The project also included preparation of two joint entity water right applications and three separate water right applications.

Services Provided

Analyzing Scenario 3 of the 2003 San Jacinto River Basin TCEQ WAM, Espey Consultants, Inc. (EC) determined the feasibility of the following five applications:

• Joint Application for Unappropriated Firm Yield in Lake Houston (32,500 ac-ft);
• Joint Application for Unappropriated Flows Above Lake Houston (Run-of-River, 80,000 ac-ft);
• SJRA Developed Waters Return Flow Application (15,000 ac-ft);
• COH Developed Waters Return Flow Application (~600,000 ac-ft)
• COH Application for Unappropriated Flow in the Lower San Jacinto River Basin (160,000 ac-ft)

EC prepared each of the applications, supporting and technical documentation and submitted each application to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ, formerly TNRCC) Water Rights Permitting and Availability Division. EC also developed an Industrial Water Conservation Plan for industrial customers of SJRA’s service area by surveying the individual users to determine a practicable set of guidelines and measures. This plan was submitted to TCEQ in support of SJRA’s applications.

EC provides continuous technical support of these applications as they track through TCEQ’s review process, enabling expedient determinations of administrative completeness and final approval.