Synopsis of Groundwater Synopsis of Groundwater

and Agriculture on the and Agriculture on the

Texas Gulf CoastTexas Gulf Coast

Presented by Ronald Presented by Ronald GertsonGertson

Regional Water Planner;Regional Water Planner;

Coastal Bend GCD President; Coastal Bend GCD President; Rice producer and rural water Rice producer and rural water

advocateadvocate

Surface Water for Ag Increasingly Surface Water for Ag Increasingly

UnreliableUnreliable

�� LCRA cut off water to rice producers in three LCRA cut off water to rice producers in three

coastal counties for the first time ever reducing coastal counties for the first time ever reducing

total rice acreage in Texas by 30% for 2011total rice acreage in Texas by 30% for 2011

�� Other surface water providers had similar plans, Other surface water providers had similar plans, �� Other surface water providers had similar plans, Other surface water providers had similar plans,

but received rainfall sufficient to supply but received rainfall sufficient to supply

irrigation waterirrigation water

�� LCRA’s Water Management Plan decreases LCRA’s Water Management Plan decreases

irrigation water availability as municipal and irrigation water availability as municipal and

industrial demands increaseindustrial demands increase

Surface Water Unreliability = Surface Water Unreliability =

Growth in Groundwater Demand Growth in Groundwater Demand

20

25

0

5

10

15

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

13

4 43

10

3

00

00

44

5

1

20

16

New Wells (Commercial, Industrial, Municipal New Wells (Agricultural Irrigation

Coastal Bend GCD FactsCoastal Bend GCD Facts

�� MAG = 178,000 acMAG = 178,000 ac--ftft

�� 77--yr average annual reported use = 142,367 acyr average annual reported use = 142,367 ac--ftft

�� Increase in permitted volume since last annual Increase in permitted volume since last annual

use reports tallied = 28,104 acuse reports tallied = 28,104 ac--ftftuse reports tallied = 28,104 acuse reports tallied = 28,104 ac--ftft

�� The increase in groundwater permitted volume The increase in groundwater permitted volume

resulting largely from decreased surface water resulting largely from decreased surface water

reliabilityreliability puts Coastal Bend at risk of exceeding puts Coastal Bend at risk of exceeding

its MAG soon unless restrictions are imposed.its MAG soon unless restrictions are imposed.

Additional Forces at Play.Additional Forces at Play.

�� Agriculture is by far the largest water user in the Agriculture is by far the largest water user in the

areaarea

�� Record high farm commodity prices are making Record high farm commodity prices are making

irrigation affordable for crops previously not irrigation affordable for crops previously not irrigation affordable for crops previously not irrigation affordable for crops previously not

irrigated on the gulf coast irrigated on the gulf coast

�� Water demands highest when weather driest Water demands highest when weather driest ––

have seen 125% higher water use in dry years have seen 125% higher water use in dry years

than in wet yearsthan in wet years

Water Planning and AgricultureWater Planning and Agriculture

�� Water demand is expected to be higher than Water demand is expected to be higher than

supply from now onsupply from now on

�� State Water Plan projecting ag demand to State Water Plan projecting ag demand to

decrease by 17% by 2060 due mainly to decrease by 17% by 2060 due mainly to decrease by 17% by 2060 due mainly to decrease by 17% by 2060 due mainly to

decreasing groundwater availability in the decreasing groundwater availability in the

Ogallala and Gulf Coast AquifersOgallala and Gulf Coast Aquifers

�� Irrigation drops from using 60% of available Irrigation drops from using 60% of available

water in 2010 to 45% in 2060water in 2010 to 45% in 2060

Critical Food Supply SituationCritical Food Supply Situation

�� The UN predicts that the world food supply The UN predicts that the world food supply

must increase by 70% by 2050 to feed the must increase by 70% by 2050 to feed the

world’s populationworld’s populationworld’s populationworld’s population

�� Many of the world’s main food production Many of the world’s main food production

regions rely heavily on aquifers that are not regions rely heavily on aquifers that are not

being sustainably managed and therefore will be being sustainably managed and therefore will be

unable to sustain current food productionunable to sustain current food production

The Bottom LineThe Bottom Line

�� Texas agriculture must produce more food and Texas agriculture must produce more food and

fiber with less waterfiber with less water

�� This will require:This will require:

�� Innovations yet unseenInnovations yet unseen�� Innovations yet unseenInnovations yet unseen

�� Creative and unique partnershipsCreative and unique partnerships

�� Active participation by all Active participation by all –– producers and producers and

consumersconsumers

�� Shifts in diets yielding sustainable shifts in Shifts in diets yielding sustainable shifts in

production or vice versaproduction or vice versa