Water Resources

​​Relevant Committees

Managing water resources in North Central Texas is critical to the long-term viability and growth of the region and quality of life for residents.

Several important water resource management challenges exist in North Central Texas including water quality, water supply, water conservation, and wastewater management. NCTCOG coordinates with local governments and special districts, such as water districts, to promote integrated water resource management and watershed strategies to address these challenges.

2020 Update to the North Central Texas Water Quality Management Plan

The quality of water in North Texas water bodies is important to the health, safety, and welfare of residents, ecosystems, and long-term economic growth. Pollution that impacts the health of a water body can be either from a point or non-point source. Point sources include specific, discernible locations or sources such as pipes, channels, industrial facilities, or wastewater treatment plants. Non-point source pollution comes from stormwater runoff from urban, residential, or agricultural lands, erosion, drainage from faulty septic systems, and atmospheric deposition. 

The impacts of both point and nonpoint water pollution to water quality impairment in the region are included in the Draft 2020 Update to the North Central Texas Water Quality Management Plan (WQMP), which was prepared by the North Central Texas Council of Governments with input from the Water Resources Council. The Draft 2020 WQMP provides an overview of efforts and future planning needs for improving water quality in the region, and the 2020 iteration of the North Central Texas WQMP is the first WQMP to be fully created in the format of a Story Map Journal rather than a report. The goals of the Draft 2020 WQMP are:

  • Identify water quality programs or projects of significance that contribute to watershed protection and water quality improvements.

  • Identify emerging water quality issues that will impact water quality, wastewater treatment strategies, and water supply efforts.

  • Review wastewater treatment facility planning to ensure that capacities are sufficient to meet future wastewater needs.

  • Track and summarize annual wastewater treatment capacity for regional joint system and community plants.

NCTCOG supports several regional projects that aim to address water quality of streams, rivers, and lakes in the North Central Texas region including:

Additional Water Quality Resources:

2019 Update to the Water Quality Management Plan

Interactive Mapping Tool for the 2019 Water Quality Management Plan

2018  Update to the Water Quality Management Plan

Interactive Mapping Tool for the 2018 Update to the Water Quality Management Plan

2017 Update to the Water Quality Mangement Plan

The 2016 North Central Texas Water Resources Report was developed as a part of the 2016 Water Quality Management Plan for North Central Texas. The report shares the results of a questionnaire administrated by NCTCOG. A total of 56 regional entities, including local governments, water districts, groundwater districts, independent school districts, and the general public, responded to the questionnaire in March 2016. The results indicated three priority themes for water resources in North Central Texas: Increasing Public Awareness of Water Resources; Water Conservation & Ensuring Appropriate Water Supply; and Funding for Aging Water & Wastewater Infrastructure.
  2016 North Central Texas Water Resources Report

The North Central Texas region continues to experience high levels of population growth, and forecasts project that this trend will continue through 2040. With increases in population, the North Central Texas region is facing challenges meeting water demand. Local and regional stakeholders are collaborating on best management practices to fulfill water supply shortages for future water needs.

The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) Region C Water Planning Group is tasked with developing a regional water plan and implementing the plan in the region.

According to the 2016 Water Plan, in 2020 about 80% of available water in Region C will be supplied by surface water, coming from major reservoirs in the region and imported from surrounding regions. In planning for future needs, recommendations have been made by the Region C Water Planning group that will shift the reliance from surface water supplies to more heavily utilize reuse and conservation strategies to support the growing population. Reuse and conservation make up nearly 50% of strategy supplies for 2040.

The North Central Texas region has several projects that showcase the reuse of treated wastewater as a potential source of water supplies for the region. Check out the North Texas Municipal Water District East Fork Wetlands Project, operating since 1999, which is helping to extend existing water supplies in the region.

Resources:

Water Conservation is a crucial part of ensuring future water supply and improving water quality for North Central Texas. According to the current state water plan, Region C will be responsible for 44% of the recommended municipal water conservation in the state by 2060. NCTCOG is looking to engage stakeholders and local governments to place an important emphasis on water conservation and reuse as a means to reach water supply goals for future needs. North Central Texas regional stakeholders and municipalities are actively conducting public education campaigns, developing water conservation plans, implementing green infrastructure, water reuse and other watershed protection strategies in order to obtain water conservation goals for future demands.

NCTCOG works with local governments and regional stakeholders to plan for future needs related to water resources in the North Central Texas Region.

Water Resources Council

The Water Resources Council, established in 1979, advises NCTCOG's Executive Board on both technical and policy issues related to water resources matters. The committee reviews day to day technical issues; oversees the water resources planning process; and performs technical review of water related grant applications. View Meeting Info

TMDL Coordination Committee

The TMDL Coordination Committee and technical subcommittees are made up of TMDL area stakeholders who review the implementation strategies defined in the Implementation Plan for TMDLs for Bacteria in the Greater Trinity River Region. Each committee aims to ensure that strategies outlined in the I-plan are being implemented to improve the water quality in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. View Meeting Info

Upper Trinity River Basin Coordinating Committee

The Upper Trinity River Basin Coordinating Committee is made up of regional stakeholders who have initiated a seven year effort to address bacteria impairments in the Upper Trinity River. View Meeting Info

Regional Stormwater Management Coordinating Council

The Regional Stormwater Management Coordinating Council (RSWMCC) is composed of 22 representatives from participating entities who provide guidance and oversight to the annual program. Council representatives serve a three year term, and are led by a Chair, Vice-Chair and Past-Chair. View Meeting Info

North Central Texas Watershed Stakeholders

The North Central Texas Watershed Stakeholders group meets annually to discuss water quality planning in the region and to exchange information about watershed management. The last meeting, on March 19, 2020, was hosted as an online webinar due to public health conerns resulting from COVID-19. A recording of the meeting can be found under the green banner called "Webinars" on this page.
Meeting Info

February 23, 2021

Problematic Invasive Species and Their Impact on Water Quality in North Texas

Speakers:
Rachel Richter, Urban Wildlife Biologist, Texas Parks & Wildlife Department
John Tibbs, Inland Fisheries District Supervisor, Texas Parks & Wildlife Department

This webinar provided an overview of problematic plant and animal invasive species in North Texas as well as information on how local governments can manage them. There was also a discussion about zebra mussels and the effort to eradicate them from Lake Waco.

View the Webinar Video

Presentation Slides

November 30, 2020

Watershed Protection Plans in North Central Texas: A Virtual Roundtable

The following project managers for watershed protection plans in the NCTCOG region provided the latest updates on their projects and watershed planning efforts: 
David Cowan, Watershed Manager - North Texas Municipal Water District;
JoEtta Dailey, Watershed Protection Manager - City of Denton;
Heather Firn, Watershed Scientist III - Trinity River Authority;
Joe Gildersleeve, Water Resource Services Manager - City of Arlington;
Aaron Hoff, Watershed Program Manager - Tarrant Regional Water District; and
Fouad H. Jaber, Ph.D., Professor and Extension Specialist - Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service.

View the Webinar Video

Presentation Slides

June 11, 2020

Trees are the Answer: The Role of a Healthy Urban Canopy in an Urban Watershed 

The presentation was provided by three speakers: Mac Martin, Water Resources Forester for the Texas A&M Forest Service in Houston; Susan Alvarez, Assistant Director of the Office of Environmental Quality & Sustainability for the City of Dallas; and Matt Grubisich, Director of Operations & Urban Forestry for the Texas Trees Foundation. They discussed the benefits of forests and trees to water quality and stormwater reduction, the co-benefits of increasing an urban canopy, Dallas' Comprehensive Environmental and Climate Action Plan, and specific case studies.

View the Webinar Video


April 15, 2020

Texas Water Development Board's New Flood Science, Planning, and Financial Assistance Programs

The presentation was provided by Kathleen Ligon, Special Assistant to the Texas Water Development Board's Executive Administrator. She provided a general overview of implementation of legislation passed by the 86th Texas Legislature, including the Flood Infrastructure Fund, regional flood planning program, and expanded flood science and mapping efforts.

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March 19, 2020

Watershed Stakeholder Meeting

Topics covered in this webinar include:
The Permittee Responsible Mitigation (PRM) Database
Kate Zielke, Principal Transportation Planner, North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG), will discuss the development of the PRM Database and its uses.
Clean Water Act, Section 319 Non-point Source Funding
Jessica Johnstone, Project Manager, Non-point Source Program, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, will present information about Clean Water Act, Section 319 funding for non-point source projects.
Water Quality Threats to Federally Listed Species
Erik Orsak, Pre-Listing and Restoration Branch Chief, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Arlington Ecological Services Field Office, will present information on water quality threats to federally listed species in North Texas and ways to support the conservation and recovery of listed species.

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March 3, 2020

Overview of the Proposed Lead and Copper Rule Revisions

The presentation was provided by Erik Helm, Ph.D., Senior Economist for the U.S. EPA's Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water, and Team Lead for the Lead and Copper Rule Revisions. His presentation covered the following topics: background on the current Lead and Copper Rule;  the regulatory development process; and key areas of change in the proposed rule - including identifying areas most impacted, strengthening treatment requirements, replacing lead service lines, increasing sampling reliability, improving risk communication, and protecting children in schools.

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January 28, 2020

Managing Overabundant Urban Wildlife to Protect Water Quality of the Dry Comal Creek and Comal River, New Braunfels, Texas

The presentation was provided by Mark Enders, the Watershed Program Manager for the City of New Braunfels. He is a Registered Environmental Manager and a Certified Inspector of Sediment and Erosion Control, who began working with the City of New Braunfels in July of 2014. His presentation covered the following topics:  How the city came to the decision to develop an ordinance banning the feeding of all wildlife; The water quality benefits expected; Outreach and education efforts; and Lessons learned so far.

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November 19, 2019

Lessons Learned from Green Stormwater Infrastructure Design and Construction

There was a presentation by Jake Aalfs, a landscape architect at the San Antonio River Authority. He has five years of experience in managing incentive programs to promote design and construction of green stormwater infrastructure. His presentation included: An introduction to the most common landscape designs for managing urban stormwater runoff, an overview of the practices used to help manage stormwater quantity and quality in relation to development in San Antonio, Texas, and a discussion of lessons learned over the last five years.

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July 23, 2019

Texas Water Development Board Financing for Wastewater Infrastructure Updates

Tom Entsminger, Manager of Program Administration at the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB), is the presenter. He provided: an overview of TWDB's financial assistance programs, examples of how communities are using these programs to fund projects, and a brief discussion of other TWDB activities.

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June 18, 2019

Water Reuse in Texas

Erika Mancha, who currently manages the Innovative Water Technologies group at the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB), presented the following topics: The main functions and of the TWDB and its water reuse program, reuse terminology, water reuse in the 2017 State Water Plan, historical use of reclaimed water, existing direct and indirect potable reuse projects, and research projects funded in past years.

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Presentation Slides

June 27, 2018

Water Loss Audits Webinar

Speaker: Daniel Rice, Water Loss Program Specialist with the Municipal Conservation Section of the Texas Water Development Board.

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