By: Lucio III (Senate Sponsor - Estes) H.B. No. 1232
(In the Senate - Received from the House May 7, 2015;
May 7, 2015, read first time and referred to Committee on
Agriculture, Water, and Rural Affairs; May 12, 2015, reported
favorably by the following vote: Yeas 6, Nays 0; May 12, 2015, sent
to printer.)
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to a study by the Texas Water Development Board of the
hydrology and geology of the confined and unconfined aquifers in
this state.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. (a) The Texas Water Development Board shall
conduct a study of the hydrology and geology of the confined and
unconfined aquifers in this state to determine:
(1) the quality and quantity of groundwater in those
aquifers, specifically regarding the salinity of those aquifers;
(2) whether those aquifers are tributary or
non-tributary;
(3) the contribution of those aquifers to any surface
flow of any water in this state; and
(4) the contribution of those aquifers to any other
aquifer in this state.
(b) In conducting the study, the board shall produce:
(1) a map that identifies the area and water quality of
the confined and unconfined aquifers in this state;
(2) a map that identifies which aquifers are tributary
and which are non-tributary; and
(3) a report on the contribution of those aquifers to
any other aquifer in this state.
(c) Before conducting the study, the board shall determine
the minimum rate at which an aquifer must contribute to another
aquifer in this state or to the surface flow of any water in this
state in order to be included in the study.
SECTION 2. Not later than December 31, 2016, the Texas Water
Development Board shall report the results of the study conducted
under this Act to the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house
of representatives, and the standing committees of the senate and
the house of representatives that have jurisdiction over natural
resources.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2015.
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