Opinion ID: 1758894
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: GBRA's Evidence

Text: The Chairman of the Board of Directors of GBRA testified that GBRA was charged with the development of the water resources in a ten county area within the boundaries of GBRA; that GBRA was engaged in several related businesses such as operating a soil conservation program, financing and participating in the construction of Canyon Dam, and operating six hydroelectric plants; and that GBRA had executed a contract with the United States to purchase storage space in the Canyon Dam Reservoir for an initial consideration of $1,400,000 of which $1,370,000 had already been paid. A consulting engineer for GBRA testified at length about the history of the Canyon Dam Project including various proposed locations for the dam site, storage capacities at the proposed locations, and the negotiations between GBRA and the Corps of Engineers that ultimately produced the construction of the Canyon Dam Reservoir. The engineer testified that the Canyon Dam Project was included in the original master plan of the GBRA approved by the Board of Water Engineers (the Water Rights Commission) in 1942; that in 1956, prior to the hearing before the Commission, he made a study of the proposed Canyon Dam Reservoir to determine the safe yield of the reservoir. This witness defined safe yield as the maximum amount of water that can be withdrawn continuously from that reservoir during the most critical drought period anticipated, without the supply failing or the reservoir going dry. The import of this testimony is that if withdrawals of water above the safe yield level are allowed, inflow to the reservoir over a representative period of time will be less than outflow resulting in periodic depletion of the reservoir supply. The frequency and severity of such periods would be dependent upon such factors as the weather (especially watershed rainfall), reservoir leakage and the degree to which the water withdrawn from the reservoir exceed the safe yield level. His conclusion was that if the Canyon Dam Reservoir had a storage capacity of 394,500 acre-feet, the safe yield from the reservoir would be 102,700 acre-feet per year. He stated that this yield was based on the given amount of storage in the reservoir without releasing water to satisfy downstream rights and that the yield would not be the same if 100,000 acre-feet of water per annum were removed from the watershed at the reservoir because the water would not be available to the prior downstream rights. He also stated that in making this study he assumed there would be no leakage from the reservoir, but if leakage did occur the dependable yield of the reservoir would be reduced. The witness was of the opinion that the Canyon Dam Reservoir would not be a dependable source of water for the City of San Antonio. GBRA introduced a report styled The Kenedy Dam and Reservoir as a Surface Water Supply for the City of San Antonio, dated June, 1956, which had been prepared by a firm of consulting engineers. The report states that the construction of a dam and reservoir near Kenedy, Texas, on the San Antonio River and a combination of surface water supply and ground water supply from the Carrizo Sands would supply San Antonio with a feasible supplemental source of water of satisfactory quality    under a well planned water re-use program. The Vice President and General Manager for Ambursen Engineering Corporation testified that in 1956 he was employed by the Texas Power Corporation and the Texas Hydro-Electric Corporation to make two studies of the effect that the construction and operation of the Canyon Dam Project would have on the power production of six hydro-electric plants downstream from the dam site. One study was based on the operation of the reservoir if San Antonio's application to divert 100,000 acre-feet per annum was granted and the other study was based on the operation of the reservoir if GBRA's application was granted. The conclusion reached in these studies was that if San Antonio was allowed to divert 100,000 acre-feet per annum, each of the hydroelectric plants would lose the benefit of an average of 59,000 acre-feet per annum; if GBRA's application was granted, each of the six plants would gain an average of 34,000 acre-feet per annum of usable water. Converted into dollars and cents, the effect of the proposed diversion by San Antonio would mean a loss of $317,000 for Texas Power Company and $279,900 for Texas Hydro-Electric Corporation each year. On the other hand, if GBRA's application was granted, the increase in revenue for Texas Power Corporation would be $266,100 and for Texas Hydro-Electric Corporation $203,500. The witness was also employed by duPont Corporation and Union Carbide Corporation to make a similar study. The conclusion reached in both reports was that diversion of 100,000 acre-feet of water from Canyon Dam Reservoir would be detrimental to the plant operation of both companies. He further testified that if the water was retained within the Guadalupe watershed, approximately twenty principal uses would be made of the water by various cities, towns and industrial groups that depend on the Guadalupe River as a source of water supply. A geologist testified that he was employed by GBRA to make a study of the water resources in the Carrizo Sands available to the City of San Antonio as a supplemental water supply. The conclusion reached was that a large supply of water could be made available to San Antonio by developing a well field just below the out-crop of the Carrizo Sands in Wilson County. He also testified with regard to a study he made of the Canyon Dam Project while he was working for the Crops of Engineers. The study showed that at the present site of the reservoir three major faults exist which run transversely to the reservoir and are a part of what is known as the Balcones Fault zone. Because of these underlying faults, it was his opinion that there definitely would be leakage from the reservoir, but the amount of such leakage could not be determined until the reservoir is filled and tested. An engineer and geologist specializing in ground water studies, testified at length about the physical structure and characteristics of the Carrizo Sands near San Antonio and the Edwards Limestone formations. In his opinion both areas were available as future sources of water supply for the City of San Antonio. He also was of the opinion that there would be a leakage problem in the Canyon Dam Reservoir. The General Manager of the San Antonio City Water Board was recalled as an adverse witness by GBRA and testified about a report styled The Role of the Edwards Reservoir in The San Antonio Water Story. The report was prepared by the San Antonio City Water Board in August, 1963. The report was admissible under our holding in Pickens v. Railroad Commission, 387 S.W.2d 35, 47 (Tex.1965). With regard to San Antonio's water supply, the report showed the following: No emergency exists now, and no emergency is likely to come about in the next 15 or 20 years. There is no water shortage now in the San Antonio area. The need is one of planning for the future, not obtaining water for the present.    San Antonio can, if necessary, obtain all of its water supply from Edwards wells for at least another 15 or 20 years. Computations of future water levels on this basis show that water levels at San Antonio during this period are not likely to be more than 20 feet below the 1956 level. The computations were extended to the year 2000 on the basis of all the water demand being met from Edwards wells. The most severe drought was included twice in the computations made for the period 1963-2000. These computed water levels are shown on the graph on page 20. It is evident from this graph that San Antonio faces no immediate water shortage. The Manager of Utilities for the City of Seguin testified that the City of Seguin has only one source of water supplythe Guadalupe River. He stated that during the drought of the mid-fifties the Guadalupe River stopped flowing and the only water available to Seguin was a small pool impounded by the Texas Power Corporation. During this period the Seguin hydroelectric plant was shut down entirely for lack of water and the City was compelled to purchase electricity from other sources. An engineer with Central Power & Light Company, testified that his company operated hydroelectric plants on the Guadalupe River at Gonzales and Cuero. Both plants are dependent upon the normal, natural flow of the Guadalupe River. In his opinion, if 100,000 acre-feet per annum were diverted out of the Guadalupe watershed, and there was a recurrence of the drought conditions of the mid-fifties, no water would be available for cooling purposes at these plants. There is other testimony in the record as to municipal need within the boundaries of GBRA. There is also testimony relating to industrial development and prospective urban needs which to some extent supports the premise that the Guadalupe River Basin is a developing and growing industrial area and that urban communities within the basin are increasing in size. San Antonio takes the position in this Court that the record made by GBRA shows that there was no evidence in existence at the time of the trial which would support the award to GBRA of 50,000 acre-feet of water for municipal purposes. We reiterate that the burden was upon San Antonio to establish that both orders of the Commission were not supported by substantial evidence. San Antonio has failed to satisfy this burden. In making this holding, we do not overlook San Antonio's contention that the issue is not 100,000 acre-feet but the 50,000 acre-feet which the Commission has found available as unappropriated water and assigned to GBRA. On the evidence before us, we must overrule this contention. There is evidence in the record that water retained within the watershed is susceptible to multiple use because all water uses are not consumptive uses. It is apparent that water unappropriated and available for use within the originating watershed is not necessarily the equivalent of water unappropriated within the originating watershed but to be used outside the watershed.