exTRA by the Trinity River Authority of Texas

Council Member Dave Martin would like to make Lake Houston Area residents aware all gates on the Lake Houston Spillway Dam are open due to the current inclement weather threat to our area. The gates will remain open until a lake level of 41.5 feet is achieved or the weather threat to our area is lifted

Combined storage in lakes Travis and Buchanan has risen about 19,800 acre-feet since Sept. 4, bringing the overall capacity to about 69 percent full, Lower Colorado River Authority officials said Monday. Lake Buchanan has risen about .3 feet and has gained 6,200 acre-feet of water. 

Greg Hall Jr. is used to riding out storms. He has done it many times in his 15 years as superintendent of the city of Conroe, Texas’ wastewater treatment plant, often staying on site for anywhere from four to six days at a time. He did so during the “Tax-Day Flood” in 2016 and did not have any reason to suspect anything would be different during Hurricane Harvey. 

The West Fork Watershed Partnership posted the final draft of a plan to reduce fecal matter that is polluting the West Fork San Jacinto River and Lake Creek, both of which flow into one of the Houston area's primary supplies of public-use water - Lake Houston.

DANBURY — The fate of a pivotal $102 million bond referendum will be in the hands of Danbury voters in the November general election.The vote will decide whether the city can complete federal- and state-mandated upgrades to its regional wastewater treatment on time or whether the city could face tens of millions of dollars in penalties from environmental authorities.

Those stakes leave both voters and city officials in a bind, officials conceded.

SAN ANTONIO - This week’s heavy rainfall caused another sewage overflow at a wastewater treatment facility, according to officials from San Antonio Water System. 

The overflow occurred in the 12000 block of Farview Lane in the Salado Creek area near Wurzbach Parkway. The spill was the result of heavy rains and infiltration into the sanitary sewer. 

BEEVILLE – City Manager Joe B. Montez told Beeville Water Supply District board  members Monday that Beeville needs to make some major investments in its wastewater treatment facility.

He said a recent report from Inframark, the company that contracts with the city to operate the wastewater plant at Cook Road and at the Chase Field Industrial and Airport Complex, had brought him a report recently.

It included photos that supported the company’s claims that the Cook Road plant needs extensive renovations.

AUSTIN, Texas - City officials are asking for everyone to be mindful of how much water they're using.

Especially since the City of Austin is currently under Stage 1 Water Restrictions.  Craig Moore said he's noticed how dry things have gotten in his neighbor this year. "You can kind of see it as far as how green the grass usually can be. I think out in Barton Springs where I take my dog it isn't as green as it used to be," said Moore. 

SAN ANGELO — Despite nearly a solid week of rainy weather that literally flooded San Angelo streets Friday, the city will remain in Drought Level 1.

"Our reservoirs captured about (one) month of water supply during last week's rains," according to a statement from the City of San Angelo Public Information Office. "That increased San Angelo's water supply from 23 months to 24."

Bishop residents can expect a lower tax rate this coming fiscal year, but increases to sanitation and wastewater fees, following a special meeting of the Bishop City Council earlier this week.

The Bishop City Council met on Wednesday to adopt the city’s budget and tax rate for the 2018-19 fiscal year.

SAN ANTONIO - Recent ongoing rains have triggered an additional sewer spill, with the most recent spill happening Friday in the 6600 block of Swiss Oak Drive, according to San Antonio Water System.

Crews will initiate cleanup of the area when floodwaters recede. SAWS officials said the spilled amount exceeded the requirement for public notice.

A pumping permit to allow water marketing company Recharge Texas to export up to 15 billion gallons of water per year from the Simsboro Aquifer was reinstated last week after a Texas appeals court issued a verdict that blocked landowners in Bastrop and Lee counties from challenging the permit.

More than one year after Hurricane Harvey hit the Lake Houston area, county and area water officials are pushing forward flood studies that could identify flood control solutions in channels that flow into the San Jacinto River. However, officials said actual projects are years away as the studies take time to complete.

On Friday, the Court of Appeals for the Third District of Texas ruled to dismiss one of four declarations in the San Jacinto River Authority’s lawsuit against the cities of Conroe, Magnolia and Splendora—as well as other connected utility companies—over water usage fees. With this decision, the SJRA’s lawsuit against the entities may proceed in Travis County.

A consultant in a planned subdivision has responded to concerns about a permit under review that would allow the discharge of treated sewage from the development upstream of Honey Creek, one of the most pristine waterways left in the Hill Country north of San Antonio.

A water pipeline was back in service Monday days after it broke, leading officials to ask some North Texas residents to limit their outdoor water use. 

The pipeline broke Thursday afternoon in the 4500 block of Crystal Mountain Drive in Richardson and was repaired by 4:15 p.m. Monday, the North Texas Municipal Water District said.

It is one of two major transmission lines that serve Richardson, Garland, Murphy, Plano, Sachse and Wylie.

SANTA ROSA — For as long as anyone can remember, when heavy rains hit the southwest side of town it floods.

But all that is going to change.

On Monday, the city of Santa Rosa held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Southwest Outfall Project, which will improve drainage in the neighborhood of Jesus T. Avila Avenue.

“This is a much-needed drainage project to alleviate flooding in a couple of areas in town,” Mayor Andres Contreras said.