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Consider recommendation from EAA staff to ratify the General Manager's approval of forbearance agreements with Lonesome Dove Corner, LLC and Rocky Ridge Mountain, LLC; Donald E. Mosing, Larry K. Mosing, Billy F. Mosing and Mosing Land and Cattle Co. d/b/a 4-M Ranch; Thomas A. Verstuyft, Betty Verstuyft and Randal T. Verstuyft, Kenneth Cole, Nova Cole, and Jason Cole; EDMRGE Farms III, Ltd.; Larry V. Emerson and Michael E. McHugh; John T. Brigman; James Ray Carnes, Jr.; Evan B. Mathis and wife, Betty K. Mathis and Jamie Ann Mathis; Henry C. Verstraeten, Jr.; Emilie E. Cowan; Frank Verstraeten; Edwin L. Yanta; Robert M. Hendry and Amy Wolff Hendry; Dorothy Elaine Weynand Wolff; Roy M. Kothmann and Carol C. Kothmann; James E. Verstuyft; Deborah Jean Weynand Werth; Tina Marie Weynand Mumme; Lance Attaway and Mardy Attaway Foster; Russel A. Ellinger; Sherman Mumme; Frank G. DeCock; Charles Maurice Wurzbach and Jill Ann McDonald; Farr Investments, LP; Weldon Gilleland and wife, Judie M. Gilleland; Albert Townsend Consulting, LLC; Medina County ESD#6; Dennis Lee Ezell and wife Jamie Lynn Ezell; Lisa W. Morgan and James H. Morgan for Edwards groundwater withdrawal rights for the Voluntary Irrigation Suspension Program Option in support of the Edwards Aquifer Habitat Conservation Plan, in the total amount of not less than $467,105.40, and not to exceed $1,851,121.40.
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STAFF RECOMMENDED MOTION:
Move the board adopt Resolution and Order No. 01-25-116 of the Edwards Aquifer Authority Board of Directors to ratify the General Manager's approval of VISPO forbearance agreements for permitted Edwards groundwater rights between the EAA and those entities listed on Agenda Item K.1 in the total amount of not less than $1,851,121.40, and not to exceed $467,105.40, for the Voluntary Irrigation Suspension Program Option in support of the Edwards Aquifer Habitat Conservation Plan, and authorizing the General Manager to execute the Agreements.
SUMMARY:
The purpose of this agenda item is for the board to consider an EAA staff recommendation to ratify the General Manager's approval of forbearance agreements (Agreements) for permitted Edwards groundwater rights for the Voluntary Irrigation Suspension Program Option (VISPO) in support of the Edwards Aquifer Habitat Conservation Plan (EAHCP). These agreements were executed by the General Manager as authorized by the Board of Directors at the November 2024 board meeting. The EAHCP includes several measures intended to minimize and mitigate the impact of the use of Edwards groundwater on federally-listed threatened and endangered species associated with the Edwards Aquifer. A significant component of the EAHCP as a conservation and springflow protection measure is the use of VISPO as a long-term conservation measure to reduce pumping from the Edwards Aquifer during severe droughts and to help maintain a minimum springflow at Comal and San Marcos springs. The VISPO is a voluntary program through which the EAA is attempting to enroll and annually maintain 41,795 acre-feet of permitted irrigation rights into “forbearance agreements” so that the rights will go un-pumped in years of severe drought, thereby reducing demand on the aquifer at the most critical time. Such demand reduction will improve aquifer levels and protect springflows at Comal and San Marcos springs.
The VISPO enrollees will begin to receive payments in 2025, in two ways according to the following payment schedule. Standby Payment: Every participant in VISPO will receive a “Standby Payment” of $54 per acre-foot of permitted irrigation rights enrolled no later than March 1st of each year. This payment will be made regardless of whether or not the participant is required to suspend pumping the enrolled rights during that year. Forbearance Payment: If the water level at the J-17 index well in San Antonio is at or below 635 feet above mean sea level (msl) on October 1 of any year, the EAA will notify program participants to suspend the pumping of the enrolled water for the following year beginning on January 1. In years in which pumping of enrolled water is suspended, participants will be paid an additional “Forbearance Payment” of $160 per acre-foot of permitted irrigation rights enrolled no later than March 1st of that year. The enrolled irrigation groundwater rights may not be pumped for the remainder of that year, regardless of aquifer levels.
EAA received VISPO Enrollment Applications from the following permit holders for two-year and four-year contract terms.
Permit No.: P101-895
Permit Holder: Lonesome Dove Corner, LLC and Rocky Ridge Mountain, LLC
Effective: 2025
Term: 2-year
Enrolled Amt.: 750.000 acre-feet
Option Costs (min/max): $81,000.00 / $321,000.00
Permit No.: P101-669
Permit Holder: Donald E. Mosing, Larry K. Mosing, Billy F. Mosing and Mosing Land and Cattle Co. d/b/a 4-M Ranch
Effective: 2025
Term: 2-year
Enrolled Amt.: 604.9 acre-feet
Option Costs (min/max): $65,329.20 / $258,897.20
Permit No.: P200-325
Permit Holder: Thomas A. Verstuyft, Betty Verstuyft and Randal T. Verstuyft
Effective: 2025
Term: 2-year
Enrolled Amt.: 240.000 acre-feet
Option Costs (min/max): $25,920.00 / $102,720.00
Permit No.: P102-155
Permit Holder: Kenneth Cole, Nova Cole, and Jason Cole
Effective: 2025
Term: 2-year
Enrolled Amt.: 225.000 acre-feet
Option Costs (min/max): $24,300.00 / $96,300.00
Permit No.: P107-791
Permit Holder: EDMRGE Farms III, Ltd.
Effective: 2025
Term: 2-year
Enrolled Amt.: 225.000 acre-feet
Option Costs (min/max): $24,300.00 / $96,300.00
Permit No.: P102-160
Permit Holder: Larry V. Emerson and Michael E. McHugh
Effective: 2025
Term: 2-year
Enrolled Amt.: 192.136 acre-feet
Option Costs (min/max): $20,750.69 / $82,234.21
Permit No.: P101-872
Permit Holder: John T. Brigman
Effective: 2025
Term: 2-year
Enrolled Amt.: 185.00 acre-feet
Option Costs (min/max): $19,980.00 / $79,180.00
Permit No.: P101-965
Permit Holder: James Ray Carnes, Jr.
Effective: 2025
Term: 2-year
Enrolled Amt.: 183.104 acre-feet
Option Costs (min/max): $19,775.23/ $78,368.51
Permit No.: P102-149
Permit Holder: Evan B. Mathis and wife, Betty K. Mathis and Jamie Ann Mathis
Effective: 2025
Term: 2-year
Enrolled Amt.: 160.500 acre-feet
Option Costs (min/max): $17,334.00/ $68,694.00
Permit No.: P104-375
Permit Holder: Henry C. Verstraeten, Jr.
Effective: 2025
Term: 2-year
Enrolled Amt.: 120.620 acre-feet
Option Costs (min/max): $13,026.96/ $51,625.36
Permit No.: P101-019
Permit Holder: Emilie E. Cowan
Effective: 2025
Term: 2-year
Enrolled Amt.: 100.000 acre-feet
Option Costs (min/max): $10,800.00/ $42,800.00
Permit No.: P104-341
Permit Holder: Frank Verstraeten
Effective: 2025
Term: 2-year
Enrolled Amt.: 81.900 acre-feet
Option Costs (min/max): $8,845.20/ $35,053.20
Permit No.: P108-309
Permit Holder: Edwin L. Yanta
Effective: 2025
Term: 2-year
Enrolled Amt.: 69.960 acre-feet
Option Costs (min/max): $7,555.68/ $29,942.88
Permit No.: P109-369
Permit Holder: Robert M. Hendry and Amy Wolff Hendry
Effective: 2025
Term: 2-year
Enrolled Amt.: 46.007 acre-feet
Option Costs (min/max): $4,968.76/ $19,691.00
Permit No.: P109-355
Permit Holder: Dorothy Elaine Weynand Wolff
Effective: 2025
Term: 2-year
Enrolled Amt.: 43.993 acre-feet
Option Costs (min/max): $4,751.24/ $18,829.00
Permit No.: P103-810
Permit Holder: Roy M. Kothmann and Carol C. Kothmann
Effective: 2025
Term: 2-year
Enrolled Amt.: 30.000 acre-feet
Option Costs (min/max): $3,240.00/ $12,840.00
Permit No.: P200-415
Permit Holder: James E. Verstuyft
Effective: 2025
Term: 2-year
Enrolled Amt.: 28.330 acre-feet
Option Costs (min/max): $3,059.64/ $12,125.24
Permit No.: P109-357
Permit Holder: Deborah Jean Weynand Werth
Effective: 2025
Term: 2-year
Enrolled Amt.: 20.000 acre-feet
Option Costs (min/max): $2,160.00/ $8,560.00
Permit No.: P109-358
Permit Holder: Tina Marie Weynand Mumme
Effective: 2025
Term: 2-year
Enrolled Amt.: 20.000 acre-feet
Option Costs (min/max): $2,160.00/ $8,560.00
Permit No.: P109-359
Permit Holder: Lance Attaway and Mardy Attaway Foster
Effective: 2025
Term: 2-year
Enrolled Amt.: 20.000 acre-feet
Option Costs (min/max): $2,160.00/ $8,560.00
Permit No.: P101-436
Permit Holder: Russel A. Ellinger
Effective: 2025
Term: 2-year
Enrolled Amt.: 10.000 acre-feet
Option Costs (min/max): $1,080.00/ $4,280.00
Permit No.: P101-438
Permit Holder: Sherman Mumme
Effective: 2025
Term: 2-year
Enrolled Amt.: 10.000 acre-feet
Option Costs (min/max): $1,080.00/ $4,280.00
Permit No.: P106-862
Permit Holder: Frank G. DeCock
Effective: 2025
Term: 2-year
Enrolled Amt.: 5.000 acre-feet
Option Costs (min/max): $540.00/ $2,140.00
Permit No.: P106-863
Permit Holder: Charles Maurice Wurzbach and Jill Ann McDonald
Effective: 2025
Term: 2-year
Enrolled Amt.: 5.000 acre-feet
Option Costs (min/max): $540.00/ $2,140.00
Permit No.: P101-821
Permit Holder: Farr Investments, LP
Effective: 2025
Term: 4-year
Enrolled Amt.: 150.000 acre-feet
Option Costs (min/max): $32,400.00/ $128,400.00
Permit No.: P101-707
Permit Holder: Weldon Gilleland and wife, Judie M. Gilleland
Effective: 2025
Term: 4-year
Enrolled Amt.: 146.000 acre-feet
Option Costs (min/max): $31,536.00/ $124,976.00
Permit No.: P108-914
Permit Holder: Albert Townsend Consulting, LLC
Effective: 2025
Term: 4-year
Enrolled Amt.: 72.441 acre-feet
Option Costs (min/max): $15,647.26/ $62,009.50
Permit No.: P104-875
Permit Holder: Arthur G. Ilse and Lynn M. Ilse
Effective: 2025
Term: 4-year
Enrolled Amt.: 63.768 acre-feet
Option Costs (min/max): $13,773.89/ $54,585.41
Permit No.: P101-712
Permit Holder: Weldon Gilleland and wife, Judie M. Gilleland
Effective: 2025
Term: 4-year
Enrolled Amt.: 23.605 acre-feet
Option Costs (min/max): $5,098.68/ $20,205.88
Permit No.: P200-280
Permit Holder: Medina County ESD#6
Effective: 2025
Term: 4-year
Enrolled Amt.: 7.486 acre-feet
Option Costs (min/max): $1,616.98/ $6,408.02
Permit No.: P105-207
Permit Holder: Dennis Lee Ezell and wife Jamie Lynn Ezell
Effective: 2025
Term: 4-year
Enrolled Amt.: 6.000 acre-feet
Option Costs (min/max): $1,296.00/ $5,136.00
Permit No.: P105-108
Permit Holder: Lisa W. Morgan and James H. Morgan
Effective: 2025
Term: 4-year
Enrolled Amt.: 5.000 acre-feet
Option Costs (min/max): $1,080.00/ $4,280.00
EAA staff has reviewed and confirmed the accuracy of the permit information contained in the applications above. The total amount of groundwater rights secured by the EAA in VISPO Agreements effective in 2025 is now 34,291.265 acre-feet. Attached to this summary is the template of the VISPO agreement and Resolution and Order No. 01-25-116 that have been reviewed by legal counsel.
M/WBE PARTICIPATION:
This agenda item does not involve the procurement of goods or services by the EAA and, therefore, this section is not applicable.
STRATEGIC PLAN REFERENCE:
This agenda item helps build and/or create Assuredness in Regulatory Programming - a key objective in achieving the EAA’s goals identified in the 2021-30 Strategic Plan.
Acquisition of 41,795 acre-feet of water for the VISPO is required of the Edwards Aquifer Authority to maintain compliance with the Incidental Take Permit issued by USFWS on March 18, 2013. Specifically, this item is related to the obligations of Section 5.1.2 of the Edwards Aquifer Habitat Conservation Plan.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Annual Payments for the forbearance agreements effective 2025 considered here will be disbursed by March 1, 2025 and will total $824,060.50 (forbearance + stand-by). The 2025 budget reflects the appropriate amount for VISPO suspension payments following the October 1, 2024 "trigger" date.
The amount of $824,060.50 for suspension payments will be included in Table 7.1 of the EAHCP.
The total estimated cost for VISPO in Table 7.1 of the EAHCP over the fifteen-year term is $62,580,000.