Browsing by Author "Stubbs, Megan J."
Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
- Results Per Page
- Sort Options
Item Evolution of Irrigation Districts and Operating Institutions: Texas, Lower Rio Grande Valley(Texas Water Resources Institute, 2003-07) Fernandez, Linda; Robinson, John R.C.; Lacewell, Ronald D.; Rister, M. Edward; Ellis, John R.; Sturdivant, Allen W.; Stubbs, Megan J.The growing population in the Texas Lower Rio Grande Valley, shortfalls in water deliveries from Mexico, and multiple years of drought have placed an increased need for efficient water management and allocation in the Rio Grande Basin. These improvements are essential regardless of the treaty compliance issues between Mexico and the U.S. for improved water deliveries to satisfy the 1944 Water Treaty. This report presents a broad overview of how the history of settlement and development shaped current water rights and laws, how the waters of the Rio Grande are divided between the two nations, and how the U.S. and the State of Texas manage their portions. Legal rules and regulations, both current and past, represent the complexity of water allocated in the region. The paper overviews characteristics of the 1944 International Water Treaty and management of Amistad and Falcon international reservoirs by the International Boundary and Water Commission. This overview provides insight on history and the basics of the current set of water allocations, rules and regulations, and some discussion of evolving institutions, i.e., water authorities. Knowledge of the background of the region facilitates ongoing water management policy deliberations, revision/development of policies, and future management of limited water resources. A review of selected Rio Grande Basin irrigation districts and associated operating principles will follow in subsequent reports.Item An Overview of Operational Characteristics of Selected Irrigation Districts in the Texas Lower Rio Grande Valley: Hidalgo County Irrigation District No. 2 (San Juan)(Texas Water Resources Institute, 2005-04) Sturdivant, Allen W.; Rister, M. Edward; Stubbs, Megan J.; Lacewell, Ronald D.Population expansion and water shortfalls have placed the Texas Lower Rio Grande Valley (Valley) center stage in water publicity. The unique characteristics and lack of public knowledge on how irrigation districts divert and convey water from the Rio Grande to municipal, industrial, and agriculture consumers have precipitated questions regarding the operations and makeup of these districts. Differences between and similarities across irrigation districts can be partially attributed to the topography, water-delivery infrastructure system, past financial decisions, and population demographics and clientele base of each irrigation district. The Hidalgo County Irrigation District No. 2 (HCID2), with its unusually high number of urban customers and extensive number of water rights owned, is one of the 29 distinct irrigation districts in the Valley. This study provides a historical background, a description of the District, and a discussion of the District’s current operations. Specific information in the report details not only the use of technology within the District, but also how the District diverts and delivers its allocated water from the Rio Grande, how it is used (i.e., municipal, industry, and agriculture), and mechanisms for allocation within and outside the District. The uniqueness of the Lower Rio Grande Valley irrigation districts requires an understanding of their origins and operating mannerisms to explain their overall institutional effects. Through unlocking some of the conundrum associated with these individual irrigation districts, policymakers and other interested stakeholders will have a better perception of the culture and evolution that surround these unique districts, thereby facilitating improved policy-making decisions affecting the region’s water supply and usage.Item An Overview of the Operational Characteristics of Selected Irrigation Districts in the Texas Lower Rio Grande Valley: Brownsville Irrigation District(Texas Water Resources Institute, 2004-08) Lacewell, Ronald D.; Sturdivant, Allen W.; Rister, M. Edward; Stubbs, Megan J.Population expansion and water shortfalls have placed the Texas Lower Rio Grande Valley (Valley) center stage in water publicity. The unique characteristics and lack of public knowledge on how irrigation districts divert and convey water from the Rio Grande to municipal, industrial, and agriculture consumers have precipitated questions regarding the operations and makeup of these districts. Differences between and similarities across irrigation districts can be partially attributed to the topography, water-delivery infrastructure system, past financial decisions, and each irrigation district’s population demographics and clientele base. The Brownsville Irrigation District (BID), with its unusual use of a natural resaca system and advanced technology directing flow-control mechanisms, is one of the 29 distinct irrigation districts in the Valley. This study presents a comprehensive analysis of BID that includes a brief historical background, a description of the District, and discussion of the District’s current operations. Specific information in the report details not only the use of technology within the District, but also how the District diverts and delivers its allocated water from the Rio Grande, how it is used (i.e., municipal, industry, and agriculture), and mechanisms for allocation within and outside the District. The uniqueness of the Lower Rio Grande Valley irrigation districts requires an understanding of their origins and operating mannerisms in order to explain their overall institutional effects. Through unlocking some of the conundrum associated with these individual irrigation districts, policymakers and other interested stakeholders should have a better perception of the culture and evolution that surround these unique districts, thereby facilitating improved policy-making decisions affecting the region’s water supply and usage.