Title
Consider recommendation from the Permits/Enforcement Committee to approve amended leases of permitted Edwards groundwater rights with Thomas Persyn and Oblate School of Theology, a Texas Non-Profit Corporation for the Aquifer Storage and Recovery Project of the San Antonio Water System, in support of the Edwards Aquifer Habitat Conservation Plan, in the total amount of $220,043.57.
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RECOMMENDED MOTION:
Move the board adopt Resolution and Order No. 02-16-835 of the Edwards Aquifer Authority Board of Directors to approve amended leases of permitted Edwards groundwater rights from the permit holders as listed therein to the EAA for the Aquifer Storage and Recovery Project of the San Antonio Water System in support of the Edwards Aquifer Habitat Conservation Plan, and authorizing the General Manager to execute the amended leases.
SUMMARY:
The purpose of this agenda item is for the board to consider a Permits/Enforcement Committee recommendation to approve amended leases of permitted Edwards groundwater rights for the Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) Project of the San Antonio Water System in support of the Edwards Aquifer Habitat Conservation Plan (EAHCP). 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 the SAWS ASR project as a long-term conservation measure to replace SAWS pumping from the Edwards Aquifer and maintain a minimum spring flow at Comal and San Marcos Springs. Through this effort, the EAA has been tasked with acquiring 50,000 acre-feet of permitted Edwards Aquifer groundwater rights through leases and lease options to be stored in the ASR project.
At the May 28, 2014 meeting, the EAHCP Stakeholder Committee formed an ASR Work Group to brainstorm ideas to achieve ASR goals and...
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