While the agenda for the upcoming City Council meeting isn’t up yet, the new proposed contract between the Lower Colorado River Authority and Austin is getting prominent front-page pimping. Settling a dispute between the entities over the use of return flows from the Colorado, it also supplies Austin with 250,000 additional acre-feet of water. But wait – wasn’t a similarly trumpeted agreement between both parties approved back in 1999, extending our water rights to 2050, with an option to re-up until 2100? While we’re no doubt growing, does this fit our needs? Also, persistent whispers about who might possibly head the LCRA, now that Joe Beal is retiring (around the same time a certain City Manager is) add another layer of drama (or obfuscation) to the proceedings.
Obviously, this is an arcane, complicated area – but it seems likely to return to Council soon for possible approval. The final agreement is here, in case any water wonks want to take a gander. Feel free to drop us a line if you do.
This article appears in September 21 • 2007.