Brownsville Irrigation District Main Canal Replacement
General Criteria
1. Type of
Project
The project falls within the BECC priority of rational use of water and water conservation. The purpose of the project is to improve water use and make sustainable use of water resources within the Brownsville Irrigation District (BID).
The BID is located within the Rio Grande watershed. A Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) Water Master who administers water released from the Falcon Reservoir in the Rio Grande watershed regulates the BID water rights.
The BID diverts 100% of the water used in the system from the Rio Grande in accordance with the water rights it owns. The International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC) releases the water from Falcon Reservoir.
The BID was created under the applicable articles of the Texas Constitution in 1919 as Cameron County Water and Improvement District Number 5. At that time, the District purchased the facilities of the Indiana Cooperative Canal Company, a privately owned company that had been organized to furnish water to land within the District. The Board of Directors held its first meeting on August 13, 1919 and its first bonds were sold on March 1, 1920. The District was reorganized on several times and on May 18, 2000, the District obtained approval from the Texas Natural Resources Conservation Commission, now the Texas Commission for Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to change its name to Brownsville Irrigation District. The Districts primary operation is to provide irrigation and farmland drainage to 20,204 acres in southern Cameron County, Texas.
The District holds water rights from the State of Texas, administered by TCEQ. TCEQ Certificate of Adjudication No. A843-000 authorizes the District to divert a maximum quantity of water of 33,949 acre-feet of Class A irrigation water per year, if allocated to the District. In addition, TCEQ Certificate of Adjudication No. M843-000 authorizes the District the use of 6,071 acre-feet of water per year for municipal purposes.
2. Project
Location
The BID is located in southeast Cameron County, Texas just east of and within Brownsville City, Texas. The district is within the 62-miles border area as shown below.
Brownsville Irrigation District
3. Project
Description and Work Tasks
The Districts proposes to replace the open main canal with a low head pressure pipe to save 1,060 acre-feet of water per year, reduce operation and energy costs, increase overall efficiency in the conveyance of irrigation water, and reduce the effort required for water conservation. The project proposes significant actions that include:
§ Replacement of the main canal with pipes
§ Construction of 4 Road Crossings
§ Installation of 2 54 Gate Valves
§ Construction of Levee Crossings
§ Construction of Drainage Ditch Crossings
The
cost of proposed structural improvements under the project is expected to be
$2.356 million.
Description
of the Community
The project will benefit all residents who live along the main canal as well as the users of the irrigation system all in Cameron County.
The District has 1,600 irrigation accounts and 480 non-agricultural accounts. The area of the district is about 20,040 acres.
Project
Justification
In addition to the main proposed water conservation objectives, there are indirect benefits from the project which include the following:
§ Avoidance of the potential liability of the District because the canal is a nuisance to the community
§ Allowing a more efficient Transportation Plan for the City of Brownsville through the development of streets crossing the canal at a reasonable cost.
§ Reducing for the maintenance costs of operation of the canal. With the pipe system electrically operated gates can be used to control the flow, thereby reducing labor costs.
§ The replacement of the canal with pipe will allow the right-of-way to be reduced to 30 to 40 feet from, thereby making land available for sale for other purposes.
4. Compliance
with International Treaties and Agreements
The Texas Commission of Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and the IBWC are the authorities for allocation of water to the District. This project will not violate the allocation of water rights. The 1944 Water Treaty between the United States and Mexico applies. The BID will continue to make all surface water diversions from the Rio Grande in accordance with the agreements in place and the Treaty.
Human Health and Environment
1.- Human
Health and Environmental Need.
The human health impacts from this project
would be all positive from the sense that through water conservation,
additional water would be made available for growing crops for human
consumption and additional water would be available for municipal use. These water conservation measures would
partially offset water shortages during periods of drought. Through water
conservation and a more efficient use of the allocated water for irrigation and
municipal use, a growing population of the region can be sustained over a
longer period without creating health risks through diseases due to unsanitary
conditions because of lack of water. The District does not use groundwater for
its operations since the groundwater is inadequate because its high total
dissolved solids in excess of 1500 mg/l in dissolved salts and does not meet the
Primary Drinking Water Standards.
The Rio Grande Valley has, in the
past 7 years, experienced a drought that has limited the amount of surface
water available for irrigation and municipal use. The drought in northern
Mexico and in the entire Rio Grande Basin, which includes the Rio Conchos Basin
in northern Mexico, has contributed significantly to the water shortages for
irrigation in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. This water shortage has created an
economic hardship in the region through reduction of crops and subsequent
reduced revenue. The proposed water conservation project would provide a modern
centralized means of controlling and monitoring flows to the various
accounts/parcels and eliminate water seepage losses with resulting water
savings and respective energy savings through reduced pumping.
This project would have direct and
indirect positive effects on the District zone and the surroundings that
include the City of Brownsville. Among the positive effects that would occur
with the implementation of the proposed project are:
·
Safety. The
existing canal is an attractive nuisance and a safety hazard for the near by
inhabitants in the community. Replacing
of the canal with pipe will eliminate this potential liability for the
District.
·
Operation & Maintenance Cost. The O & M cost associated with the
management of open canals would be greatly reduced. With the pipe system electrically operated gates can be used to
control the flow, thereby reducing labor cost.
·
Water Savings.
The existing canal operation loses 50 to 100 acre-feet of water a year
by evaporation and seepage. There are
possibly another 50 to 100 acre-feet of water that is lost by unauthorized use
and spillage of water by residents along the canal.
·
Transportation.
The elimination of open canals would allow for a more efficient
transportation plan for the City of Brownsville by allowing for the development
of streets crossing the canal at a reasonable cost.
·
Land Use. The
replacement of the canal with pipe would allow the right-of-way to be reduced
to 30 to 40 feet, thereby make the remainder of the land available for sale of
development of other purposes.
2.- Environmental Assessment.
In accordance with The National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Title I, Sec. 101 [42 USC § 4331] (b) and
Sec. 102 [42 USC 4332] (A), (B) and (C), the United States Bureau of
Reclamation (USBOR) will conduct a full environmental evaluation. This is required as part of their review of
the Brownsville Irrigation District (BID) to have their project (replacement of
the main, east and west fork canals with pipe) qualify for Federal funding as
per the Lower Rio Grande Valley Water Conservation and Improvement Act of 2000,
as amended.
The USBOR understands that the Brownsville
Irrigation District's canal replacement project is being considered by BECC for
certification in June of this year. To
date, the specific potential effects of the proposed project have yet to be
evaluated in sufficient detail to determine the appropriate level of NEPA
documentation. However, as the District
(BID) prepares and submits their draft Project Plan under USBOR guidelines, the
USBOR will begin their evaluation of potential impacts to environmental and
cultural/historic resources.
The USBOR, as a federal regulatory agency in
charge of the NEPA process completion for the BID, and as a cooperating agency
in coordination with the Border Environment Cooperation Commission (BECC) to
best satisfy its own certification criteria process, has stated that the BID
project has the ability to comply with all applicable local, state and federal
environmental and cultural resources laws and regulations that may apply under
NEPA, the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), and other relevant
statutes.
Once these processes have been completed and any
necessary mitigation included as part of the total project cost, the project will then be able to qualify for Federal funding and
the NEPA process will be cleared by the USBOR with an issuance of statement of
findings document. USBOR has agreed to
provide BECC with a copy of the final NEPA documentation when completed for the
BID project in accordance with the Council of Environmental Quality (CEQ)
Regulations [Sections 1501.6 and Sec. 1508.5] on cooperating agencies in the
NEPA process.
3.- Compliance with Applicable Environmental and Cultural Resource Laws
and Regulations.
As part of the preparation of the Environmental Assessment by the USBOR, comments will be solicited from relevant Federal, State, and Local cooperating agencies, including: Texas Historical Commission, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, National Weather Service, U.S. Soil Conservation Service, Texas Department of Transportation, Texas Water Development Board, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The project improvements will have to comply with all applicable regulations from the contacted agencies.
Technical Feasibility
1.
Appropriate Technology
The project proposes to
improve existing facilities and activities were selected after a careful
analysis of current operating efficiencies and a review of present physical
conditions.
The BID diverts 100% of the water used in the system directly from the Rio Grande River. All of the water diverted by the District originates from water released by the IBWC from the Falcon Reservoir.
The District pumps water from the Rio Grande River using a pump station located approximately 6.75 miles downstream of the Gateway Bridge in downtown Brownsville. The water is pumped in to a main canal and flows approximately 6,000 feet to a point just North of Resaca de la Palma, which is used as a storage reservoir.
Residential subdivisions and homes have been built all along the main canal. The people living along canal have health and safety concerns regarding the canal, and the open canal constitutes a barrier separating the communities along the canal. The District pumps an average 189 days per year through this main canal. The average duration of each pumping is 9 days.
The Districts proposes to replace the open main canal with a low head pressure pipe to save 1,060 acre-feet of water per year, reduce operation and energy costs, increase overall efficiency in the conveyance of irrigation water, and reduce the effort required for water conservation. The project proposes significant actions that include:
- Replacement the existing main canal with a
72 diameter concrete pipe with a pressure rating of 30 feet of head (13
psi ±
a 2 safety factor)
- Replacement the east and west fork canal
with a 72 diameter concrete pipe with a pressure rating of 30 feet of
head (13 psi ± a 2 safety factor)
§ Construction of 4 Road Crossings
§ Installation of 2 54 Gate Valves
§ Construction of Levee Crossings
§ Construction of Drainage Ditch Crossings
The
cost of proposed structural improvements under the project is expected to be
$2.356 million.
On the basis of current
efficiencies reported by the irrigation districts and estimated efficiencies of
possible project components, the proposed project activities will increase
water use efficiencies and thus will conserve water as follows:
Reclaimed Water Volume
|
Concept |
Reclaimed volume Acre-feet/year |
|
Seepage losses |
100 |
|
Canal charging losses |
810 |
|
Unauthorized use and spillage losses |
50 |
|
Evaporation losses |
100 |
|
TOTAL |
1,060 |
The above volumes are
related to current irrigated areas and water use which are affected by the
different components of the proposed infrastructure improvements.
Given the technical
characteristics of the proposed project, the increase in water availability
that may be achieved via irrigation efficiencies with the implementation of the
proposed actions is quantifiable and verifiable. The proposed actions may be
compared to the implementation of similar actions in other irrigation
districts.
2. Operation and Maintenance Plan
Irrigation districts have
regulations and operation standards applicable to each agricultural cycle. The
purpose of these rules is to regulate the management, operation, conservation,
maintenance and improvement of infrastructures and water distribution, and
irrigation services provided to District users.
Operation
and Maintenance Policies
Infrastructure activities
proposed to increase irrigation district efficiencies are not enough by
themselves. Rather, they must be combined with policies aimed at improving
operations and maintenance and ensuring adherence to water right allocations
and diversions established under the Water Masters legal framework.
Hydrological Information for Operation Improvements
Periodic hydrological
reviews are planned and advisable, since additional information on supply
sources will become available with time. Such information will help the project
define the maximum irrigable area, overall operation policies, and/or crop
plans that are congruent with water availability and efficient water use
policies.
Maintenance
Irrigation District
facilities require constant preventive and corrective maintenance to prevent
the gradual deterioration of the facilities and avoid incurring losses in
irrigation efficiencies and eventual high repair costs. This is imperative
considering current policies related to water conservation and efficient use of
water stemming from the lack of water resources in the study area and in the
country overall.
The reduction of the
estimated 1,060 acre-feet of water per year with the project will result in a
energy saving of 121,000KWH per year, which is a savings of $12,826 per year
based on 2001 energy prices. Suppliers of mechanical, electrical or
electro-mechanical equipment must provide operation and maintenance manuals to
prevent the premature deterioration of equipment.
3. Compliance with Applicable Design Standards
and Regulations
The Implementation of the
proposed works complies with all applicable standards and regulations.
Current standards and
specifications, manuals, and design guides applicable to the project include:
§
American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM)
§
American Water Works Association (AWWA)
§
American National Standards Institute (ANSI)
§
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
§
Construction Regulations for Reinforced Concrete Buildings ACI-318R-89
and comments
§
Concrete Sanitary Structures for Environmental Enhancement ACI-350R-89
§
American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC)
§
American Welding Society (AWS)
§
American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
§
American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
§
Portland Cement Association (PCA)
The project responds to the
Rio Grande Regional Water Planning Groups (RGRWPG) general guidelines to
achieve sustainable development at the regional level, as follow.
§
Optimize the supply of water available from the Rio Grande
§
Reduce projected municipal water supply needs through expanded water
conservation programs
§
Diversify water supply sources for domestic, municipal and industrial
(DMI) uses trough the appropriate development of alternative water sources
(e.g., reuse of reclaimed water, groundwater, and desalinization)
§
Minimize irrigation shortages through the implementation of agricultural
water conservation measures and other measures
§
Recognize that the acquisition of additional Rio Grande water supplies
will be the preferred strategy of many DMI users for meeting future water
supply needs.
Financial
Feasibility and Project Management
1. Financial
Feasibility
A consultant analyzed the
financial information concerning to the project, and the BIDs financial condition
to obtain sufficient support of the Districts capability to sustain the
proposed funding structure of the project and the on-going operation and
maintenance of the improvements. The consultants recommendation was that the
BID has the capability to undertake the proposed project.
The project costs are as
follows:
Cost of the Project for the Main Canal Replacement
|
|
Funding Source |
TOTAL (USD) |
|
Planning &
Design |
SECO/District |
180,000 |
|
Construction |
WCIF/District |
2,176,000 |
|
TOTAL |
|
2,356,000 |
Cost in Dollars. June 2003
The funding sources for the
project are summarized in the table below.
Based on the WCIF Guidelines, the WCIF grant may support 50% of the
project costs or a maximum of $4,000,000.
The funding sources for the project are as follows:
Financial Structure for the Project
|
Source |
Type |
Amount (USD) |
% of Phase Project Cost |
|
NADB |
WCIF- Grant |
$ 1,178,000 |
50.0 |
|
State of Texas |
SECO Grant |
$ 205,000 |
9.0 |
|
Brownsville ID |
Cash |
$ 973,000 |
41.0 |
|
TOTAL |
|
$ 2,356,000 |
100.0 |
The BECC requested a third
party review of the capability of the District for supporting the initial
investment and the sustainability of operations and maintenance for the project. BECCs financial consultant, Brown and
Caldwell, rendered an opinion concluding that the District does provide this
capability without an adjustment to the current Fee and Assessment Structure.
2. Rate Model
The rate model for this type
of Project Sponsor is better described as a Fee and Assessment Structure. The District charges an annual $20.00 flat
rate assessment for the first acre and $5.00 for every subsequent acre in each
parcel that is irrigable whether it is irrigated or not. This assessment supports the operation and
maintenance of the District. The table
below summarizes the existing structure.
Existing Assessment Fee Structure
|
Fees |
First Acre |
Additional Acre |
Lot |
|
Flat Rate/ Base charge |
$ 20.00 |
$ 5.00 |
$ 18.00 |
|
Flat Rate/ No Base charge |
$ 10.00 |
$ 6.00 |
$ 18.00 |
|
Base charge/ No flat rate |
$ 18.00 |
$ 4.00 |
$ 18.00 |
|
No Base Rate/ No flat rate |
$ 5.00 |
$ 0.00 |
$ 18.00 |
|
Residential lot |
|
|
$ 18.00 |
|
Residential lot development |
|
|
$ 5.00 |
|
Residential lot Resaca Font. |
|
|
$ 40.00 |
In addition, the District
charges a $6.00 delivery fee per acre irrigated for the first four inches and
$2.00 per inch for amounts over four inches. The delivery fee is paid prior to
the date that water is to be delivered by the District.
The fee structure for
Brownsville Irrigation District has not been adjusted during the historic
five-year period. The proposed project
and funding source structure does not require an adjustment to the current Fee
and Assessment Structure implemented by the District.
3. Project
Management
The
project will be managed by Brownsville Irrigation District. The District has
managed the construction of pipeline installation throughout the Districts
properties. The District is expected to operate in a
self-sufficient manner, supporting itself through user fees. The project
will not require additional staffing. Therefore, the existing organizational
structure, which has been provided, will be sufficient.
Community Participation
1.- Comprehensive Participation Plan.
BECC certification a public participation
process to promote community understanding of and support for the proposed
project is required. The Public Participation Plan (Plan) was developed per
certification requirements and was designed to provide a framework for the
sponsor and steering committee to conduct public participation in the areas
served by Brownsville Irrigation District. The Plan was submitted by the
District and approved by BECC in early May 2003.
Steering Committee.
The steering committee members Jose Hinojosa,
City of Brownsville; Juan Olvera, Irrigation District Board of Directors; David
Ivory, City of Brownsville; James L. Holdar; Cameron County Drainage District
#1; Ray Loop, R & F Farms (District Irrigator); Tim Loop, L & L Farms
(District Irrigator); and Joe Barrera, General Manger of the Brownsville
Irrigation District.
Local Organizations.
Organizations contacted were the City of Brownville; the Brownsville Public Utilities
Board; El Jardin Water Corporation; and the Texas Department of Transportation.
Public Access to Project Information.
The Water Conservation Project Report was
available for public viewing at the District offices prior to the first BECC
public meeting. This information of availability of project information was
included in public meeting notices published in the Brownsville Herald, and
posted at various locations, such as the Brownsville Water Works offices,
Brownsville City Hall and Cameron County Courthouse. A project fact sheet was
developed and made available at the District offices. The fact sheets were utilized for
community outreach. Steering committee members made contact with individual
District members to inform them of the project and solicit their input and
support.
Public Meetings.
The first BECC public meeting was held on May
21st to present the technical components of the project to the
public. The second public meeting will be held on Jun 17th to
present the financial analysis and impact to District members.
Sustainable Development
1. Definition
and Principles
The project complies with
BECCs definition of Sustainable Development: Conservation oriented social and
economic development that emphasizes the protection and sustainable use of
resources, while addressing both current and future needs, and present and
future impacts of human actions. This project would positively impact the area
and sustainable life of the areas residents through the conservation of water
which is becoming a scarce resource and critical for sustainability of life and
economic growth.
With the elimination of the
current water losses by the implantation of this project, there will be a saving
of 1060 acre-feet of water, which can be used for other purposes. In addition, there will be electrical
savings of 121,000 KWH per year. The
overall environment will benefit by the conservation of water, and the fuel
savings resulting from the reduction of the electricity. Local residents will benefit from better
agricultural yields resulting from having more water available for irrigation
use, or for other uses, if the use is converted to municipal or industrial
use. The quality of life for the residents
who live along the canal will be improved by the elimination of a physical
barrier separating the communities, and the elimination of the hazards of an
open canal. The overall community will
benefit from the increase in the resources required for growth and development.
The efficiencies resulting from this project will aid in the goal of having a
sustainable development framework of infrastructure for the community. The proposed improvement in the Districts
operational system will provide a net positive effect for the community and the
State of Texas,
The required public review
process ensures that residents in the projects influence area participate in
the development process fully aware that the decisions they make will focus on
the sustainable management of environmental resources to achieve a better
environmental and socio-economic improvement in their community. Besides the
water conservation from mitigating seepage losses, there are energy savings
both from pumping less water forthcoming from reducing leaks and from improving
efficiency of the pumping plants. The
daily cleaning of debris, monitoring of the canal and the reduction of weed
control will result in an annual savings of $130,570.
On the other hand, the
elimination of the canal will allow a more efficient transportation plan for
the City of Brownsville by allowing for the development of streets crossing the
canal at a reasonable cost and reduction of transportation time.
2. Institutional
and Human Capacity Building
The Rio Grande Regional
Water Plan, in support for the implementation of agricultural water
conservation strategies, includes the following strategies for reducing
irrigation shortages:
- Expanded technical assistance should be
available from local, state, and federal sources to assist irrigation
districts with more detailed, systematic evaluations of district
facilities and management policies to identify cost effective water
efficiency improvements.
- The State of Texas and the federal
government should assist with the financing of irrigation water efficiency
improvements through the provision of low interest loans and /grants.
Accordingly, due to the
limited financial capacity of irrigation districts, the State of Texas through
the State Energy Conservation Office (SECO) and the Texas Water Development
Board (TWDB) provided financial assistance to the BID for the preparation of
feasibility studies, and the necessary documentation that was required to
support federal appropriations of construction funds.
Also, the Texas Water
Resources Institute of the Texas A&M University is preparing the Economic
and Conservation Evaluation of Capital Renovation Projects for the BID, with
funds provided through a federal initiative, Rio Grande Basin Initiative,
administered by the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension
Service, US Department of Agriculture.
The NADB WCIF will
complement with grant funds the capital investments that will be spent in the
Irrigation District improvements. The use of these grant funds allows the
Irrigation District to improve its infrastructure in order to reduce water
losses in water conveyance.
The project will be managed
by the local sponsor and be constructed and operated in conformance with the
requirements of both the regulatory and funding agencies. The process for the
development of this project will follow a planning and public participation
process that will develop alternatives and associated costs, will solicited
public input in to the process, will established priorities based on input of
the stakeholders and will proceed according to the priorities established in
the planning process.
3. Conformance
with Applicable Local and Regional Conservation and Development Plans
The proposed project complies
with all local and regional conservation and development plans. In particular the project complies with the
following:
- Water Conservation Policy and Drought
Contingency Policy both dated August 13, 1999 of the BID
- Rules and Regulations Governing
Irrigation Water Service -Brownsville Irrigation District
The project also will conform to the requirements of the following:
- USBOR
- US Army COE
- Texas Historical Commission
4. Natural Resources Conservation
Water conservation in the
agricultural sector will not only reduce projected irrigation shortages, it
will also free up additional Rio Grande water supplies for future
domestic-municipal industrial needs. The construction of the proposed project
improvements will conserve sufficient water to allow continued development in
the Brownsville City and other rural communities that depend on the Rio Grande
for their water supply. Therefore, both the City and the irrigation District
will be able to manage growth within their available resources.
The project will not only
have an impact in water resources, but it will also contribute in savings of
natural resources required to generate the energy required by water pumping
that will be saved with the implementation of the improvements in the BID.
5. Community Development
The benefit obtained by the
modernization of these irrigation facilities by the proposed projects may
directly impact agricultural production and may result in an increased income
and an improved quality of life for the end users. With this, the increased economic may be enhanced by making
residents active participants in their communitys development.
An improved quality of life
for the residents may also have a favorable impact on the development of
health, and education of the area.
In addition, the
replacement of the canal with pipe would allow the right-of-way to be reduced
to 30 to 40 feet, thereby the remainder of the land available for sale for some
other community benefits.
- Baseline Conditions Report and Irrigation District Indicators for
the Brownsville Irrigation District.
- Engineers Report. The Conceptual Design for Brownsville Irrigation
Districts Main Canal Replacement.
- Regional Water Plan for The Rio Grande. Executive Summary