Research Proposal Seminar - Elizabeth Del Rosario

COASTAL AND MARINE SYSTEM SCIENCE PROGRAM
DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY-CORPUS CHRISTI

SUBJECT: A review and analysis of the 2007 Texas Senate Bill 3 process for the Environmental Flows management strategy for the priority coastal basins in Texas, USA

GRADUATE ADVISORS: Dr. Richard McLaughlin and Dr. Paul Montagna

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this research is to summarize, compare and contrast the methods used for determining inflow recommendations for each priority river basin in Texas, evaluate the effectiveness of the 2007 Senate Bill 3 (SB3) process for Environmental Flows, and to provide practical application of the inflow requirements for decision makers. Chapter 1 will look at phase 1 of the SB3 process and how it changed the Texas water code. It will summarize each of the bay/basin recommendation reports and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) rulings. Chapter 2 will survey participants of the SB3 process to gain insight into the overall effectiveness for evaluation of the policy. It will also analyze the adaptative management phase of the SB3 process by comparing the workplans for each bay/basin and the project funded. Chapter 3 will use a case study to determine how the environmental flow standards have been utilized by water managers. A comparative analysis will be conducted using two reservoirs in Texas: one under low flow conditions and the other reservoir receiving higher average inflow. Successful completion of this proposed work will provide a policy analysis of the SB3 Environmental Flows process by summarizing the outcome for each of the bay/basins; evaluating the effectiveness of the process; examining how the adaptive management phase has been implemented; and providing practical application of the environmental flow standards using a case study.