The following words and acronyms, used in this chapter, have
the following meanings.
(1) Board--The Texas Water Development Board.
(2) Commission--The Texas Commission on Environmental
Quality.
(3) Regional water plan (RWP)--The plan adopted or
amended by a regional water planning group pursuant to Texas Water
Code §16.053 (relating to Regional Water Plans) and Chapter 357
of this title (relating to Regional Water Planning).
(4) Regional water planning area--Area designated pursuant
to Texas Water Code §16.053 and Chapter 357 of this title.
(5) Regional water planning group (RWPG)--Group designated
pursuant to Texas Water Code §16.053 and Chapter 357 of this
title.
(6) River and stream segments of unique ecological
value--Those river or stream segments that may be identified by the
Board in coordination with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
and the Commission or identified in an approved regional water plan
based on the following criteria:
(A) Biological function--stream segments which display
significant overall habitat value including both quantity and quality
considering the degree of biodiversity, age, and uniqueness observed
and including terrestrial, wetland, aquatic, or estuarine habitats;
(B) Hydrologic function--stream segments which are
fringed by habitats that perform valuable hydrologic functions relating
to water quality, flood attenuation, flow stabilization, or groundwater
recharge and discharge;
(C) Riparian conservation areas--stream segments which
are fringed by significant areas in public ownership including state
and federal refuges, wildlife management areas, preserves, parks,
mitigation areas, or other areas held by governmental organizations
for conservation purposes, or stream segments which are fringed by
other areas managed for conservation purposes under a governmentally
approved conservation plan;
(D) High water quality/exceptional aquatic life/high
aesthetic value--stream segments and spring resources that are significant
due to unique or critical habitats and exceptional aquatic life uses
dependent on or associated with high water quality; or
(E) Threatened or endangered species/unique communities--sites
along stream where water development projects would have significant
detrimental effects on state or federally listed threatened and endangered
species; and sites along streams significant due to the presence of
unique, exemplary, or unusually extensive natural communities.
(7) Site of unique value for construction of reservoirs--Those
sites identified by the Board in coordination with the Texas Parks
and Wildlife Department and the Commission or identified in an approved
regional water plan where:
(A) Site-specific reservoir development is recommended
as a specific water management strategy or as a unique reservoir site
in an adopted regional water plan; or
(B) The location, hydrologic, geologic, topographic,
water availability, water quality, environmental, cultural, and current
development characteristics, or other pertinent factors make the site
uniquely suited for reservoir development to provide water supply
for:
(i) The current planning period; or
(ii) Where it might reasonably be needed to meet needs
beyond the 50-year planning period.
(8) State drought preparedness plan--A plan, separate
from the state water plan, that is developed by the Drought Preparedness
Council for the purpose of mitigating the effects of drought pursuant
to Texas Water Code §16.0551 (relating to State Drought Preparedness
Plan).
(9) State drought response plan--A plan prepared and
directed by the chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management
for the purpose of managing and coordinating the drought response
component of the state water plan and the state drought preparedness
plan pursuant to Texas Water Code §16.055 (relating to Drought
Response Plan).
(10) State water plan--The most recent comprehensive
statewide water plan adopted by the Board under Texas Water Code §16.051
(relating to State Water Plan).
(11) Water management strategy--A plan or specific
project to meet a need for additional water by a discrete user group,
which can mean increasing the total water supply or maximizing an
existing supply.
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