Three Sulphur River basin stakeholders will hold a meeting in July, the first time they've all sat at the same table to discuss area water issues.
The city of Texarkana, Texas; Riverbend Water Resources District; and Sulphur River Basin Authority will meet July 17, the date of SRBA's regular monthly meeting, in Texarkana.
SRBA President Chris Spencer said this is the first time they've moved their meeting from Mount Pleasant to Texarkana and that they're ready to work with the others to develop and preserve the area's natural resources.
"Texarkana and Riverbend are major stakeholders in the eastern end of the basin, and it is imperative for SRBA to work cooperatively with both entities," he said.
The groups planned a similar meeting in January 2017 in Texarkana, but SRBA board members did not attend. Riverbend and Texarkana, Texas, City Council members answered questions from attendees during that meeting, which was held at Texarkana Convention Center on the Texas side.
At that time, state legislation was pending that would affect SRBA's operating practices, the deficiencies of which were outlined in a report by the Sunset Advisory Commission. It stated the board showed a lack of training on the Texas Open Meetings Act and lacked transparency with the media, the public and area stakeholders. Legislation has been passed since then requiring that the board remedy these issues, seek outside funding and hire an executive director. The board was reorganized in February, when Texas Gov. Greg Abbott appointed three new members including Spencer.
SRBA has undergone board training, established a policy on how to deal with the media, created a committee to seek outside funding and entered into an agreement with Riverbend for a volumetric and sedimentation study in Wright Patman Lake.
The organization is also in-kind sponsor for a reallocation feasibility study the Army Corps of Engineers is conducting on the lake to determine if and how high it could be raised to provide additional water. Riverbend's 16 members, including the city of Texarkana, Texas, have passed resolutions supporting the water district's pursuit of any additional water rights that come available.
Spencer said he looks forward to working with the other agencies.
"I've met with the city leaders of Texarkana, and I find them very cooperative and easy to engage with," he said, adding that he had a meeting with City Manager Shirley Jaster and water liaison Steve Mayo a few months ago. "I find them very easy to work with. I also think Liz (Fazio-Hale) is a great leader of Riverbend. She's been helpful."
Fazio-Hale, Riverbend executive director and CEO, said she and that board also look forward to the meeting.
"This is the first time that SRBA in its history will have held a meeting in Texarkana, Texas, and it's really important to include the city of Texarkana as the current water rights holder in Wright Patman and, of course, Riverbend as a future water rights holder in Wright Patman," she said. "It's really important all three entities come together as we are trying to implement the ultimate rule curve contract, and SRBA is working on the feasibility study for reallocation of Wright Patman, which is our primary water source."
The ultimate rule curve is 228.64 feet. The lake now operates at the interim rule curve of 220 feet, the level put in place in 1969 under a contract between Texarkana, Texas, and the corps. If the lake is raised to the ultimate rule curve, an additional 80,000 to 100,000 acre-feet of water would be available for permitting.
"I think it's fair to say Riverbend is actively engaged in a number of projects to help secure our area's water resources and to really manage those resources at the end of the Sulphur River Basin," Fazio-Hale said.
Texarkana Mayor Bob Bruggeman said he's also looking forward to the meeting.
"I certainly think that cooperation among the entities is very important," he said.
"I'm looking forward to having these three entities have a discussion and meeting to find out what's going on with each entity and ask questions. It will be time well spent."