Water is for farming, drinking and playing. But the Brown County Water Improvement District fails to manage Lake Brownwood and the Pecan Bayou watershed efficiently or with fairness to all of us who depend on its waters. Since I was a student at Brownwood High School, I have had an interest in Lake Brownwood and the management of water resources (hydrology). After earning an engineering degree at A&M and a medical degree at Tech, I came back to Brown County in 2007, drawn to once again live on the Lake. I would like to bring my engineering and scientific background to the Board to add some variety to the thought paradigm necessary to manage a complex operation such as the Lake’s hydrological systems.
I have always thought Lake Brownwood was a great lake. But, the Lake is not managed to its full potential for water management, recreation, or economic development. I have boated on the Highland Lakes, Lake Lewisville, East Texas lakes, and Oklahoma lakes. In all of those lakes recreational water users are welcomed — along with the dollars they bring. Being friendly to our locals and visitors on the Lake is just good business for all of us!
Even after last summer and the empty lake it brought, Texas is overdue for drought. Likely continuing drought coupled with population growth, makes managing water a big problem that will dwarf the ‘50’s drought. According to tree ring data there has been many, much worse droughts in the past 2000 years! If we don’t manage the district wisely now, we will have a big price to pay in the years to come.
Physically our lake holds a fixed volume. But it shrinks year-to-year as silt settles at the bottom of the lake. Currently, the state only allows us to store a volume of water. I highly advocate being progressive and exploring the possibilities of dredging the lake (both by private landowners and lake wide) and politically trying to increase some of our allowable lake volumes from the state.
The Board also needs to aggressively explore less known ways of increasing lake volume. There are state and federal programs to assist land owners to control brush. One recent Lake Brownwood study by the LCRA (http://www.tsswcb.texas.gov/files/contentimages/brownwood.pdf) found that removal of Moderate to heavy brush (except oaks) may increase the inflow to Lake Brownwood by more than 100,000 gallons per acre cleared per year, or an annual volume of 180,000 acre feet. That’s more than the volume of the lake per year!! As land owners participate in brush clearing, we will see an increase in run off waters plus an increase the productivity of the land. Remember, this country used to be rolling tall grass prairies with little brush. Also, I would like to investigate the water transportation system and make sure it is efficient with minimal water losses from leakage.
Waste water recycling is a hot topic around here. To me, as a scientific, conservation-minded person, the concept is sound. But the Board that makes the decision to recycle waste water should have someone with a medical or scientific background. Once all the data is in, if it is not medically or technically safe and sound to recycle waste waters I will not vote to pass it.
Finally, the Board is a public entity that should be governed with fairness and transparency. Why can only a small portion of the county vote for water board? The district was organized nearly 100 years ago, when Brown County residents did not live in all the places they live today. The district boundaries should be updated to this century. Then, under Texas Water Code Chapter 55 (http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/Docs/WA/htm/WA.55.htm), those in the district can decide by a vote whether bonds should be sold and taxes levied to pay for those bonds. But we the people have to vote to add the rest of the County to be in the district. I would like to allow us to decide for ourselves if we want to have a voice in the water rights and distribution in the County. In addition, if elected, I will make sure that the Board’s financial and policy decisions are open and transparent for all to see.
For those who can vote for this Board, Brownwood residents vote at the Adams Street Community Center April 30th -May 4th, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., and May 7th-8th, 7 a.m.-7 p.m. And Early, Texas this includes most of you too!! Election Day is Saturday May 12th in Early (vote at Lions Club) and Brownwood. Sorry to the rest of Brown County. The Brown County Water Improvement District’s actions may affect you, but you don’t get to vote. But in the future I would like you to vote your opinion!