Mr. Coleman conducted a roll call of the Groundwater Conservation Districts (GCDs) participating in today's joint planning meeting.

A quorum was present with six of the seven GCDs in GMA # 2 represented. (86 percent attendance)

The participating GMA # 2 voting representatives were:

• Ronnie Hopper, High Plains UWCD.
• Lori Barnes for Weldon Shook, Llano Estacado UWCD.
• Jacob Hernandez for Matt Farmer, Mesa UWCD.
• Dallen Skinner, Permian Basin UWCD.
• Amber Blount for Ross Hilburn, Sandy Land UWCD.
• Layne Marlow for Matt Hogue, South Plains UWCD.

Garza County UWCD was absent.

Guests: Stephen Bond, Ray Brady, Amy Bush, Katherine Drury, Carmon McCain, and Dan Seale.

Mr. Coleman welcomed all GMA # 2 representatives and guests to the meeting.

Mr. Coleman presented draft minutes of the March 25, 2021 GMA # 2 meeting.

An electronic copy was provided to the member districts for review in advance of today's meeting.

GMA # 2 Liaison Robert Bradley provided the following Texas Water Development Board updates:

• He introduced Stephen Bond, hydrologist in the TWDB's Groundwater Availability Modeling section. Bond takes the place of Jerry Shi, who worked on GMA # 2 groundwater modeling in the past.  Bradley said there have been several new additions to the Groundwater Availability Modeling staff.

• The 2022 State Water Plan was adopted on July 7, 2021.

• The Brackish Resource Aquifer Characterization System has been relocated to the Groundwater Division from the Innovative Water Technologies Division. Larry French is the Groundwater Division Director.

• The TWDB reorganized flood-related information and redesigned the TexasFlood.org website to make it more user-friendly.

• The TWDB has released Report 386, "Playa Lakes in the Southern High Plains: Runoff Infiltration and Recharge." 

• "Clear Vision for the Future" is the theme of the 2021 Water for Texas Conference, set for Sept. 27-29 in Austin. 

• Cameron Turner is the new TWDB Contract Services Manager.  He was promoted from his former position as team lead for the Agricultural Water Conservation Programs. 

• Former TWDB Chairman Peter Lake was appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott to serve as chair of the Public Utility Commission.  Brooke Paup is the current TWDB Chairwoman and Kathleen Jackson is the other member.  A vacancy on the three-member board, created by Lake's departure, has not been filled. 

Dr. Hutchison called the members' attention to Section 7.0 of the draft explanatory report, "Discussion of Other Recommendations." 

Each groundwater conservation district held a public hearing on the proposed Desired Future Conditions (DFCs).  High Plains Water District was the only district to receive feedback (1 written and two oral comments).

These comments involve specific recommendations that are beyond the scope of the joint planning process and beyond the charge of GMA # 2. These should be handled by the respective districts. In this case, it would be High Plains Water District. 

Ms. Blount said these recommendations could also be discussed by the respective districts outside the GMA process. 

Dr. Hutchison noted that today's action regarding the DFCs starts a 60-day clock on submission of materials to the TWDB.  He will be able to accept any edits to the proposed responses to public comments through next week.

Dr. Hutchison presented Resolution 21-02, which declares that the Edwards-Trinity (Plateau) and Pecos Valley Aquifers are not relevant for the purposes of joint planning within GMA # 2. 

A copy of the resolution is included as part of these minutes.

Dr. Hutchison presented Resolution 21-01 which adopts the following Desired Future Conditions (DFCs) for the Ogallala, Edwards-Trinity (High Plains), and Dockum Aquifers in GMA # 2.

• A GMA # 2-wide average drawdown of 28 feet between 2013 and 2080 for the Ogallala and Edwards-Trinity (High Plains) aquifers.

• A GMA # 2-wide average drawdown of 31 feet between 2013 and 2080 for the Dockum Aquifer.

A copy of the resolution is included as part of these minutes.

Dr. Hutchison presented the final draft of the "Explanatory Report for Desired Future Conditions Ogallala, Edwards-Trinity (High Plains), and Dockum Aquifers in GMA # 2."

This draft includes the model limitations for Howard County as requested by the Permian Basin Underground Water Conservation District. 

The resolutions adopted today and the posted meeting notices during the current DFC process need to be added before the report is submitted to the TWDB for review. 

Dr. Hutchison said all suggested edits need to be forwarded to him next week. 

This report is for informational purposes only.

Dr. Hutchison provided an outline of the next steps in the DFC process.  

The following actions are needed by October 17, 2021 (Statutory 60-day period)

• Finalize Technical Memoranda

• Finalize Explanatory Report

• Submit the following to TWDB and each district:

** Copy of the notice that was posted for 8/17/21 GMA 2 meeting

** Resolutions

** Explanatory Report

** Technical Memoranda (including documentation of non-relevant aquifers)

** Name of the GMA # 2 designated representative

** Model files (TWDB only)

After Submittal to TWDB

• TWDB reviews for administrative completeness

• TWDB will advise if it is administratively complete, or provide a notice of deficiencies

• GMA # 2 must submit corrections to identified deficiencies not later than 90 days from date of notice of deficiencies

After Notification of Administrative Completeness

• 36.108 (d-4) “As soon as possible after a district receives the desired future conditions resolution and explanatory report under Subsection (d-3), the district shall adopt the desired future conditions in the resolution and report that apply to the district.”

Dr. Hutchison said this process could take 3 to 4 months. The notification of administrative completeness could arrive at the end of this year or early next year.

Once received, the districts would need to adopt the DFCs in the resolution as an agenda item at one of their monthly Board Meetings. 

Mr. Coleman asked the group if there were any questions for Dr. Hutchison, Mr. Bradley, or Mr. Bond.  There were none.

Mr. Coleman asked if there were any suggested future meeting dates and items for future agendas.

It was the consensus of the group not to have another meeting until after HPWD receives the letter of administrative completeness of the DFC submission.

State statute requires the GMAs to meet once a year for joint planning purposes. This has already been accomplished in 2021. Therefore, GMA # 2 must meet before the end of 2022.

Ms. Blount suggested that the GMA # 2 members review an updated graph on DFCs as it relates to the predictive model. 

She also suggested that the group discuss the large amount of Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) land that is being put back into production.  Because of this, a large number of water wells are being drilled for irrigation purposes.