Ensuring Texans have adequate supplies to meet the future water needs and the ability to withstand future droughts requires a great deal of planning and implementation.  Water planning is a high priority of Nueces River Authority (NRA). 

NRA works with several Regional Water Planning Groups to ensure adequate and affordable water supplies are available for Texans.  Working in partnership with the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) the state’s lead water planning and infrastructure financing agency, NRA has staff dedicated to the preparation of the State of Texas Water Plan which reflects and responds to changes in population, water supplies, technological improvements, economic shifts, state policy and viability of planned projects.  The water plan for Texas is updated every 5 years pursuant to Senate Bill 1, enacted by the 75^th Texas Legislature. 

The state is divided into 16 regions, each includes a Regional Water Planning Group, which consider data provided by the TWDB with respect to present population and water demands.  This information is evaluated along with the adequacy of current water supplies to identify water surpluses or supply needs within the region.  Water management strategies (projects) identified to meet water needs under 3 dry weather (drought conditions) scenarios.  Recommendations are made within the regional plan and those plans are combined and included in the Texas Water Plan.

NRA is the group sponsor for the Coastal Bend (Region “N”) Regional Water Planning Group.  In this capacity, NRA is responsible for the development of the water plan for the Coastal Bend Region.  NRA works with the planning committee to select a technical consultant, assure all meetings of the group are compliant with the Texas Open Meetings Act, and the plan is developed on time and within funding allocations. 

2 NRA staff members serve as voting members of the South-Central Texas Regional (Region “L”) Water Planning Group.  NRA also has staff that serve as Liaisons between groups with contagious boundaries. 

For more information with respect to NRA’s water planning, please contact Travis Pruski, Director of Planning, Nueces River Authority, 830-278-6810 or 210-710-0617, or email at tpruski@nueces-ra.org.