AWWA ACE65515

Without a concerted effort to protect Texas' best potential reservoir sites, such as the Fastrill Reservoir, the state's water security will be in great peril in the near future. The 80th Legislature's overreaching attempt at protecting these sites gives little to no actual defense from the grasp of the United States Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS). If something is not done at the state or federal level to change the law, considerable barriers will exist to block the development of most reservoir sites in Texas, particularly those in East Texas where most of the remaining bottomland hardwoods occur. Reservoir construction that results in a new loss of riverine, wetland and wooded bottomland habitats, should include requirements to compensate for those impacts, and to participate in preserving and managing remaining areas. Both state and federal law requires such mitigation of impacts. Hopefully, the emerging spirit of cooperation between water developers, conservationists, and other affected interests can be extended to cooperation in reservoir development to provide the funds and increase the political will necessary for increased protection of bottomland hardwoods and other natural resources beyond what can occur from the establishment of refuges alone. The Fastrill project can be a model example of the potential for this process by relocating the proposed refuge to a site with better habitat using land that is acquired in fee at the project sponsors' costs that can be managed to the benefit of all Texans, not just a wealthy few.