Comments to date: Belhouse Drought Preparedness Project

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Comments to date: Belhouse Drought Preparedness Project

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Public comments regarding the Belhouse Drought Preparedness Project and Brazos River Authority responses are listed below. Additional questions and comments may be sent to information@brazos.org.

11/5/2022

I do not support your planned pipeline for the Belhouse Drought Preparedness Project.

Your argument for this pipeline is flawed. Because of your contracts to supply water to Georgetown/Round Rock, we are supplying water for a contract you should never have signed to begin with. We need to begin more aggressive efforts for water conservation. New businesses need to prove they can survive on our current water supply.

I will contact our state representative and state senator to raise our objections.

Thank you for your comment.

10/9/2022

This is nothing more than another grab for Bell County resources!!

The line from still house to Georgetown should NOT have been done either!

There has been PLENTY of water both south and west of Austin that should have been tapped FIRST!!!

WHAT ARE YOU PEOPLE THINKING???

Thank you for your comment.

10/7/2022

Good Afternoon

I realize I'm a few days past the official public comment session.

I have two points that I wanted to make; official or not.

This project seems short sighted as models may not take into consideration what happens when we have several severe drought years in a row as a result of global warming. This year, 2022, with its heat and drought may become more the norm than the anomaly.
Although I do not approve of the pipeline idea, I think if you all are going to create such a massive disturbance, as a mitigation you should put in a bike path or trail that will connect the lakes. This would provide an opportunity to create a recreation corridor while building the pipeline and may in the future be viewed more positively by the communities affected negatively by its construction.

Thank you

Thank you for your comment.

The BRA was established by the Texas Legislature to develop, manage, and protect the water resources of the Brazos River basin.

BRA staff and its consulting team include trained hydrologists and engineers with many years of experience in evaluating, developing, and managing water supply projects. Modeling for this project does take into account multiple drought years in a row.

The BRA has a drought contingency plan with strategies for monitoring the progression of a drought and preparing a response to potential water supply shortages resulting from severe droughts or other water supply emergencies. This plan requires its customers to reduce water use with increasing drought severity and is applied evenly to all customers that access water from a particular reservoir or portion of the reservoir system. You can view a copy of the plan HERE.

Thank you for the suggestion of creating a recreation corridor. We will take that under consideration.

10/5/2022

A grateful thanks to the BRA presenters, they did a wonderful job at presenting perspectives that were focused and factual.

The following are my random personal observations, impressions, and perspectives along with comments from my limited research. Also a few questions for consideration as to the background needs and desires for this project, and the impacts on the resident's and property owners of Bell, Coryell and Lampasas Counties:

Indications from a few inhibited presenter's remarks/answers, and some incomplete information on a few charts, hinted that there might be some related information that was not presented, or presented incompletely. The "limited" focus appeared to be on Bell County's direct situations (probably due to time and presenter availability constraints).

As to the comment that "the oldest 'contract' gets priority on water availability." Water contracts are renewed periodically, and the actual first water users of water from Belton Lake are Fort Hood and the Grey Army/Air Force Airfield and the greater Killeen/Fort Hood areas. This was before Stillhouse Hollow Lake was built on the Lampasas River. After the Stillhouse reservoir was built, and filled, the 48-inch Williamson County Regional Raw Water Line was funded and installed. ("Local rumors" are that there was some federal level political influence on this project). The initial pump capacity has been since increased on the two initial pumps and another larger pump is planned to be added.

As to the comment, "Local water users will not have to pay for this project": Water users pay their water supplying district for water and also pay taxes to water "management" organizations. Through a series of contracts, the water suppliers directly and indirectly pay the BRA for the water they get for resale to users. When the BRA raises rates to pay for projects, these cost increases are passed on to water consumers. Thus we, as water consumers, pay for this and all other projects indirectly.

The bottom line question is: "why should I have to pay more for water (that is presently being rationed) to pay for a pipeline that will make more of the water this area needs, available to indirectly benefit other ######'s so that they can increase their status/well-being?" {just a perception}

The 2023 BRA Strategic Plan, pg. 3 "d/ Research and develop infrastructure fo the conveyance/transportation of water to areas of need Lake Belton-Stillhouse Hollow Pipeline"

I did not find any discussion / reference to this project. I presume discussion was either not recorded, or was recorded elsewhere.

"Need" or "Want" ? For What?

ALSO, in your planning, has there been consideration of the impact of the proposed Fort Hood area "joint use" railhead / warehousing / train-truck transfer stations, on the residential and commercial increased need for water in the Belton Lake area? Or just on the Georgetown regional proposed industrial and residential developments.

Note: a few days after your presentation, The Leon River was putting 33 CFS of water into Belton Lake, with a Lake outflow of 85 CFS into the downstream Leon River / Little River. The lake level dropped about 2 inches in a couple of days [As per the BRA surface water status website]

Related question; does the BRA monitor & compare water restrictions to customer of the Water Control Districts/Cooperation's that use Belton Lake and Stillhouse Hollow Lake as a factor in water needs?

Who will really pay to; operate and maintain the proposed pumping station(s) and pipeline?

"Eminent Domain", may become an item of controversy, especially when it effects schools, residents and Federal Highway right-of-ways.

Is there procedures / plans to equally, percentage wise temporarily reduce the amount of water each identity can draw when the water levels of either of these two lakes drops to fast and/or below designated levels? [I.e. If a lake level drops below 80% of the desired level or volume, ALL users are limited to 80% of their allocation}

Basically, I am opposed to this "share the water {wealth} proposal. We are presently under water restrictions, again. With many more predicted in the future. Yet this project, which I will partially, indirectly have to pay for, to build and operate, would make water that is needed in this area available to other areas, that I have no voting or other say so in where and how much water goes.

Thank you for your time and efforts. Previously, projects like this are just done with little public notification, unless area a property owner that will be losing portions of your property, and/or full usage of other properties.

Thank you for your comment.

The pipeline will benefit Bell County by providing a reliable source of water to citizens and businesses that rely on water from Stillhouse Hollow Lake. The Bell County Water Control and Improvement District #1 (Bell County WCID #1), the BRA's largest municipal water customer, as well as other water customers supply water from Stillhouse Hollow Lake to multiple communities in the Central Texas region that will benefit from the pipeline. Some of these areas include Killeen, Harker Heights, Copperas Cove, Kempner, Lampasas, and Salado.

This project is a recommended Water Management Strategy in the 2021 Brazos G Water Plan and the 2022 Texas State Water Plan. Those plans are available at the links below:

2021 Brazos G Regional Water Plan

2022 State Water Plan

Updated water use projections have also been developed for this project in coordination with BRA's customers.

This pipeline would not affect the ability of Fort Hood to obtain water or fulfill other needs from Belton Lake.

The BRA will utilize access to existing right-of-way where possible, although obtaining easements will be necessary for the construction of the pipeline. All impacted property owners will be contacted by a BRA representative before the project starts to discuss the process and potential impacts to their properties.

10/4/2022

What is the rise/fall cycle of the lakes, and how are they currently changing now and 50,100 years from now?

What is the current percentage of water that is replenished by rainfall? Does this make a difference? Why or why not?

What percentage would be lost to evaporation if this plan was approved?

How will this project affect/effect already below-average water levels for the next 50-100-200 years? How does this project affect downstream water scarcity 50-100-200 years from now?

If using a monitoring system, what would it show for water demands for this year's drought to include future population/builders' wants for 100 years from now?

What is the routine and unusual climate events impact on the current lake and how does this project mitigate and/or cause harm to those elements?

Exactly how does this influence population growth/economical issues? What are you doing to conserve water (as an agency)?

What do you consider water stressors? How are these incorporated into your plan?

How does the removal of water change the flora and sediment levels? Soil/climate changes? Harm current wildlife/fish/frogs/aquatic life, etc.?

What steps are being taken to avoid mismanagement of these lakes besides Texas regulations? How do you prevent over-exploitation if this is implemented?

Will other lakes be added to the overall system down the road like Granger, Somerville, etc.,? If so when? And how will any additions affect Bell and other Counties?

Thank you for your comment.

Extensive hydrologic data and modeling have been used in evaluating and developing this project. This includes historical rainfall, inflow data, evaporation, water consumption, and future estimates of population growth. The maximum volume of water transferred by this project will be about 33,000 acre-feet. In most years, inflow to Belton Lake is in the hundreds of thousands of acre-feet per year. For example, the average inflow for the five-year period from 2017-2021 was approximately 550,000 acre-feet per year. During large flood events, inflow to the reservoir in one day can exceed 33,000 acre-feet. Evaporation will occur with or without this project. The fuller a reservoir is, the more water is lost to evaporation due to the greater surface area. As reservoir levels decline, less water is lost to evaporation.

The purpose of the pipeline is to periodically supplement water supply at Stillhouse Hollow Lake with water transferred from Belton Lake. The transfer of water will only be necessary during drought conditions, so the pipeline will not run continuously. Water use in the region is growing with increasing population, and the pipeline is needed to provide reliable water supply to entities that use water from Stillhouse Hollow Lake. During dry conditions, when water is scarce, lake levels will be affected due to the lack of rainfall and water use from the lakes. The changes in lake level varies depending on the given period.

During preliminary engineering modeling, downstream flows were analyzed, and no impacts were found.

and is applied evenly to all customers that access water from a particular reservoir or portion of the reservoir system. You can view a copy of the plan HERE. The BRA also includes water conservation provisions in all of its contracts with customers.

The project will not harm the fish in the reservoir.

10/4/2022

I attended the Brazos River Authority (BRA) meeting at the Bell County Expo Center and this is my submission for inclusion in public responses. In the interest of full disclosure, there is one house between mine and the proposed pump station.

The announcement of the water pump station in the middle of the grounds of the Corps of Engineer Park in front of the "Dead Fish Grill" in what appears to be two years into a planning process with two weeks notice for the public to respond seems arbitrary and more of an attempt to "seem" reasonable than an actual attempt to reconcile community values. The site for the pump station is labeled as the best option as presented within the "boards" at the Bell County Expo meeting and the discussion by BRA within the BRA boards as to why it is the best choice but no discussion about why other options were rejected. I believe an actual public discussion would have been far superior to hanging about 20 boards on an easel for the public to walk around and view and referring to it as a "presentation." EVERYTHING "discussed" could have been mailed.

I don't think it takes an engineer to discover that the most likely reason, if not the only real reason, for selecting the preferred location of the pump station so near the dam is to gain the deepest possible site for potentially pumping water as low as possible.

Question: Who had the authority to make the decision for this location? For instance, in a meeting of the xyz, a vote was held or xyz committee decided. What was the process? Who is the decision maker?

Below are reasons I believe the site selection for the pump station is inappropriate:

The pump station, as conceptualized in the "boards" is an unsightly industrial blight. For the cost of building such an unattractive concrete blockhouse, couldn't someone design a little less repugnant facility? Why not mimic a two story farmhouse or anything else that would blend within the existing architecture of houses in nearby neighborhoods. This was not addressed.
I believe this industrial pump station would be best suited next to an existing industrial facility, such as one of the considerations BRA rejected for reasons you did not publish.
I didn't see any drawing or representation depicting where the pipeline would actually exit under the ground after it leaves the facility but suspect buying property so close to the Belton city limit will increase property costs. This was not addressed.
Given an inherent reason to place the pump station on government property, wouldn't it make more sense to place it near the Belton Lake Outdoor Recreation Area (BLORA) marina on Ft. Hood, which would unquestionably be more secure. Reservoirs are said to be prime targets for terrorist activity. Why blow an opportunity to protect this asset? This was not discussed.

Beyond my concern about the pump station and its location, I do not see how there is any fairness in removing assets (water) from one region and moving it to another. Obviously, Williamson County has grown rapidly but so has the area currently served by Lake Belton. The narrative for this project seems as if written but someone in another region explaining what a great solution this is and that it will be used "only in times of drought." It seems to me that it would be almost impossible to have a drought in Williamson County without one effecting the Lake Belton area. Williamson County has had rapid population growth that has resulted in huge windfalls in available tax revenue. WHY CAN'T WILLIAMSON COUNTY USE THEIR OWN RESOURCES TO EXPAND RESERVOIRS IN THEIR OWN REGION??? If water in

Lake Belton becomes scarce, can anyone assure the population in the region that there will not be water rationing as well as increased costs of water to enforce conservation? Can one region draw down the resources of another to create a competition for water?

This seems a short-term solution for one region at the long-term expense of another without resolution of the underlying problems.

Thank you for your comments.

The BRA was established by the Texas Legislature to develop, manage, and protect the water resources of the Brazos River basin. This includes decisions regarding the location of the pump station.

The intake location evaluation began with 9 conceptual locations. There were many factors used to analyze each location, including: impacts to residents, right-of-way impacts, coordination and approval with the Army Corps of Engineers, recreational impacts, maintenance access, visibility, and environmental resources. The preferred design is intake #8 located near Dead Fish Grill. At normal lake level, the depth is 100 feet at this location. The maximum depth for Belton Lake is 124 feet. This design also conveys water to the pump station via an inlet conduit and provides single level screened intake. The preferred pump station location is adjacent to the Army Corps of Engineers office. Other important considerations are no adjacent residential homes and no environmental issues.

10/4/2022

I am totally opposed to this!!! Look how low we are now and what if we were giving our water to another lake? These other areas can dig a lake if they need to! The ONLY thing I can see that COULD be beneficial is to prevent flooding in case that happens again but I would have to be assured that it would be utilized. I live on Lake Belton.

Thank you for your comment.

The State of Texas owns the surface water within the State, and the BRA is permitted by the State to provide water supply from both reservoirs.

The BRA is considering multiple water supply projects for this area in the future. The pipeline is one solution to address drought preparedness in the region.

10/4/2022

I'd like to voice my opposition to the Belhouse Drought Preparedness Project. The proposed pipeline that has the ability to take over 30 million gallons of water per day from Lake Belton won't solve the problem of Georgetown not having enough water. What's needed are additional reservoirs. The pipeline won't solve the problem, at least not without creating new, catastrophic problems for Belton Lake and the surrounding communities that depend on it. Please invest the time, money, and resources on better, more permanent solutions rather than this pipeline.

Thank you for your comment.

Water use in the region is growing with increasing population, and the pipeline is needed to provide reliable water supply to entities that rely on water from Stillhouse Hollow Lake. These entities include the Bell County WCID #1, the Central Texas Water Supply Corporation, the Salado Water Supply Corporation, the Kempner Water Supply Corporation, the City of Lampasas, the Jarrell-Schwertner Water Supply Corporation, the High Gabriel Water Supply Corporation, the City of Georgetown, the City of Round Rock, and the Brushy Creek Municipal Utility District. All of these entities contract with the BRA for water supply from Stillhouse Hollow Lake. These contracts have been in place for many

years and have maximum use limits in place. The BRA is not entering into any new or increased water supply contracts as a result of this project, including Lake Georgetown.

The Belhouse Drought Preparedness pipeline has been included in the statewide water plan for many years. The statewide water plan is developed by the Texas Water Development Board that uses regional population and water demand projections to plan for future needs. You can view a copy of the 2022 State Water Plan HERE. Updated water use projections have also been developed for this project in coordination with BRA's customers.

10/4/2022

This is just a note expressing my thoughts on the Belton to Stillhouse pipeline project. I feel that this project should not be built. If the water in Lake Belton is to be made in any way accessible to the sprawl and growth of the North Austin/Georgetown area then it is just a matter of time before their will not be enough water in Lake Belton for the regional needs of Bell and South Coryell County needs. Stillhouse lake is already a write-off to Georgetown, already evidenced by the "Massive" amounts of water already pumped into Lake Georgetown from Stillhouse. Due to unchecked growth and future growth and political pressures, Lake Belton will also become a North Austin water source leaving all current and future users of Lake Belton fighting for our water rights and usage. Williamson County cannot take what they do not have access to. DO NOT build this pipeline.

Thank you for your comment.

County WCID #1), the BRA's largest municipal water customer, as well as other water customers supply water from Stillhouse Hollow Lake to multiple communities in the Central Texas region that will benefit from the pipeline. Some of these areas include Killeen, Harker Heights, Copperas Cove, Kempner, Lampasas, and Salado.

The pipeline will not serve the City of Austin. The City of Austin has a water contract with the Lower Colorado River Authority to obtain water from Lake Travis and Lake Buchanan through 2100. The Belhouse Drought Preparedness pipeline is being proposed to improve reliability and resiliency of regional water supplies within the Brazos River Authority boundaries.

9/29/2022

I am a homeowner in Red Rock Hills and will be impacted by this. Can I get a more detailed map of the proposed routing and what if any eminent domain actions will be required?

Thank you for your comment.

The BRA will utilize access to existing right-of-way where possible, although obtaining easements will be necessary for the construction of the project. All impacted property owners will be contacted by a BRA representative before the project starts to discuss the process and potential impacts to their properties. However, the project design has not been finalized, and construction is not expected to begin until Winter 2025.

A detailed map of the proposed pipeline route can be found HERE.

9/28/2022

To whom it may concern,

I wanted to voice my concerns regarding pulling water from Belton Lake to feed Williamson County. I am against this proposition. This lake is already dangerously low, which would become even more of a concern if water was pumped out of it to supplement another county. This lake also feeds a protected wildlife park near Miller Springs, placing the animals at risk if water sources were to run low/run out. I am also opposed to placing this pipe through an established community (Dawsons Ranch). This pipe would run straight through a community that has existed for over 20 years. This community has natural green spaces that host important parts of our ecosystems. If these ecosystems were to be disturbed we would lose deer, armadillos, coyotes, birds, etc. from in and around Belton. This green belt is one of the remaining green belts in Belton that is not part of a residential farm. It feeds directly into Miller Springs. The amount of damage that this project would cause to these ecosystems is not justified by the benefit of pulling water to Williamson County "for emergencies only". Surely there is a better/closer place to pull this water from.

Thank you for your comment.

Detailed environmental investigations will be performed during the final design as part of the regulatory permitting process to identify, minimize, and mitigate environmental impacts.

9/27/2022

As lifelong resident of Bell County who watched Lake Belton being made as a young girl, I am strongly opposed to the pipeline you are proposing which would link Lake Belton to Stillhouse Hollow Lake. The leaders of Temple, such as the late Frank Mayborn were visionaries and knew our area needed a safe water reservoir. Let Georgetown and Round Rock build their own lakes and dams.

Thank you for your comment.

The BRA was also very involved in the construction of both Lake Belton and Stillhouse Hollow Lake. The BRA partnered with the US Army Corps of Engineers to construct Lake Belton and Stillhouse Hollow Lake many years ago and acquired water rights from the State of Texas to supply water from both reservoirs, The BRA also partnered with the US Army Corps of Engineers to construct both reservoirs many years ago, including payments for initial construction and continuing operations and maintenance.

9/26/2022

I believe the pipeline from Belton to Stillhouse is a terrible idea. This is not addressing the real problem. Shortage of water is the issue. I believe the money should be spent building another lake to increase capacity.

Seems like this pipeline is just kicking the can down the road…. Please address the real issue and find ways to increase water storage for the future. The pipeline is not a plan for the future!

Thank you for your comment.

The BRA is considering multiple water supply projects for this area in the future. The pipeline is one solution to address drought preparedness in the region. The purpose of the pipeline is to periodically supplement water supply at Stillhouse Hollow Lake with water transferred from Belton Lake. The transfer of water will only be necessary during drought conditions, so the pipeline will not run continuously. Water use in the region is growing with increasing population, and the pipeline is needed to provide reliable water supply to entities that use water from Stillhouse Hollow Lake.

9/23/2022

My wife and I are against the building of the pipeline. It's not fair to send water from Lake Belton to Lake Stillhouse so that it can be piped farther south. The residents of Temple had the vision to build Lake Belton in the 1950s. And the people who sacrificed their land for both lakes understood it was for water to serve our area.

If Williamson County needs more water because of tremendous growth, they need to sacrifice by building a proper lake to supply their residents.

Thank you for your comment.

The BRA partnered with the US Army Corps of Engineers to construct Lake Belton and Stillhouse Hollow Lake many years ago and acquired water rights from the State of Texas to supply water from both reservoirs, The BRA also partnered with the US Army Corps of Engineers to construct both reservoirs many years ago, including payments for initial construction and continuing operations and maintenance.

9/23/2022

This project is a Disaster in the making.

Only some deranged mind could come up with this. Bottom line we are going to supply water for Georgetown and Austin area, while we watch our lakes go DRY. Thank you but NO Thank you! Somebody will make money on this Disaster, but not us. Follow the money trail.....

Thank you for your comment.

The State of Texas owns the surface water within the State, and the BRA is permitted by the State to provide water supply from both reservoirs. The project has been recommended for many years in the Brazos G Regional Water Plan and the State Water Plan.

9/23/2022

Sir, I am against any sharing of lake water from Bell County. Too much environment change occur and no back-up for Bell from Williamson County trust worthy. Save water and control population overload in Austin. Thank You

Thank you for your comment.

The State of Texas owns all surface water in the State, and the BRA is permitted by the State to provide water supply from both reservoirs. The BRA was established by the Texas Legislature to develop, manage, and protect the water resources of the entire Brazos River basin. The BRA also partnered with the US Army Corps of Engineers to construct both reservoirs many years ago, including payments for initial construction and continuing operations and maintenance.

As a governing body, BRA does not have authority to implement or affect residential or business development plans.

9/23/2022

I am a resident of Belton, TX and I've been reviewing the plan to build a pipeline from Belton Lake to Stillhouse Hollow Lake.

I am 100% AGAINST this project moving forward.

The plan says water will only run through the pipeline when necessary. What are the exact criteria to determine if it's necessary?

If this pipeline is installed, I believe Belton Lake's lake level will never be at 100% capacity again.

Belton Lake is a valuable resource for the local community, and I am not in support of offering our valuable resources up so freely. Boating is only safe on Belton Lake when the lake level is up to a normal level. Sending Belton water to other communities that are developing without a water plan in place is absurd.

Lastly, I know the BRA has eminent domain in this matter and they will do what they want in the end, which means my comments above will probably fall on deaf ears. But, I hope not.

Thank you for your comment.

The BRA was established by the Texas Legislature to develop, manage, and protect the water resources of the Brazos River basin. Water supply is one of the primary purposes of both Lake Belton and Stillhouse Hollow Lakes.

The transfer of water from Belton Lake to Stillhouse Hollow Lake will be based on predetermined elevations at the lakes as the BRA balances water stored in the reservoirs with need for water in the region. These elevations will fluctuate over time as water use increases. For example, at the current water use lake levels, no transfer is needed. Looking out into the future, the need to transfer water will be different in 20 years than it will be in 50 years. However, the maximum transfer of water will be limited to about 33,000 acre-feet/year.

This project will have minimal impacts on the percentage of time that Lake Belton is full or above its normal level storing water in the flood pool. The maximum amount of water to be transferred is very small relative to the amount of water that flows through Lake Belton in most years.

You can visit HERE for project updates or email Belhouse@brazos.org with additional questions.

9/22/2022

To whom it may concern,

I wanted to voice my concerns regarding pulling water from Belton Lake to feed Williamson County. I am against this proposition. This lake is already dangerously low, which would become even more of a concern if water was pumped out of it to supplement another county. This lake also feeds a protected wildlife park near Miller Springs, placing the animals at risk if water sources were to run low/run out. I am also opposed to placing this pipe through an established community (Dawsons Ranch). This pipe would run straight through a community that has existed for over 20 years. This community has natural green spaces that host important parts of our ecosystems. If these ecosystems were to be disturbed we would lose deer, armadillos, coyotes, birds, etc from in and around Belton. This green belt is one of the remaining green belts in Belton that is not part of a residential farm. It feeds directly into Miller Springs. The amount of damage that this project would cause to these ecosystems is not justified by the benefit of pulling water to Williamson County "for emergencies only". Surely there is a better/closer place to pull this water from.

Thank you for your comment.

Detailed environmental investigations will be performed during final design as part of the regulatory permitting process to identify, minimize, and mitigate environmental impacts.

9/21/2022

Pumping water from Lake Belton into Stillhouse Lake is a national security issue. Fort Hood must have water for A. everyday use B. the troops have to train, therefore, they get their equipment dirty which has to be washed and cleaned to be kept in good condition in case it is needed for a deployment, C. Live fire and even a Blackhawk helicopter landing in a grassy area produce grass and brush fires. There must be enough water and Lake Belton for fire suppression aircraft to land on the surface safely and scoop up water to put out the fires. D. 2 mg of fentanyl can kill an adult. The less water in Lake Belton, the less quantity of a chemical a terrorist would have to put in the water to kill children and incapacitate or kill adults at Fort Hood.

There continues to be a massive increase in the population in Bell County and therefore the need for water to stay in Bell County. This is a very severe problem as evidenced by the fact that you have drained the water out of Stillhouse and have pumped it into Lake Georgetown. Stillhouse Lake is providing water to Georgetown, Round Rock and probably eventually to Austin and surrounding communities if that is not already occurring.

We have 6 hospitals in Bell County that must have water to function

Low water levels in Lake Belton will cause severe damage to wildlife in the ecosystem along the shoreline associated with Fort Hood and also in multiple areas downstream all the way to the Gulf of Mexico were still in that they will be increased because of the lack of freshwater flow.

Thank you for your comment.

The BRA was established by the Texas Legislature to develop, manage, and protect the water resources of the Brazos River basin. This pipeline would not affect the ability of Fort Hood to obtain water or fulfill other needs from Belton Lake.

Without the pipeline, these entities will have less reliable water supply, and Stillhouse Hollow Lake will be at greater risk for low water level impacts.

During preliminary engineering modeling, downstream flows were analyzed, and no impacts were found.

9/21/2022

For those who have water contracts OLDER than BRA, you must release to them. How can you guarantee Belton will be able to serve local customers if you HAVE to release downstream?

Thank you for your comment.

The BRA's obligation to honor senior water rights and meet local needs will not be affected by this pipeline.

9/21/2022

I think this may be premature based on the current environmental issues we have been facing in the past year. 2022 has been the second-driest year, what about the future years - that's why I'm saying premature. Bell County is giving away water to other higher population areas, but does anyone realize the number of people moving into Bell County from Williamson, Travis, etc.? The builder (primary) in Dawson Ranch area (Carothers) sold lots of homes based on a "green belt", not a roadway through the neighborhood. Understand using that right of way and putting the water line in it will be buried but will impact the residents and their ability to have a peaceful existence during construction and able to get where they need to be without a great deal of inconvenience.

I could probably go on about this for some time, but my impression from this presentation is it is a "done deal" and only informing the public as to what is going to happen and when. What ever happened to getting feedback ahead of the decision process?

Thank you for your comment.

Water use in the region is growing with increasing population, and the pipeline is needed to provide reliable water supply to entities that rely on water from Stillhouse Hollow Lake.

The Belhouse Drought Preparedness project has not reached the final design stages, but the current plan is to install the pipeline under all roadways without trenching/cutting through the roadways to avoid partial/complete roadway closures. The public meeting was an opportunity to collect feedback based on the current proposal. A final design is anticipated to be selected by Summer 2025.

9/21/2022

I have lived next to Stillhouse Dam since 1974. This project is of utmost importance to Belton. As 1^st VP SARW I am charged with securing a speaker for April 27^th at 7 pm in Salado Civic Center.

The BRA would be happy to coordinate with you to provide a speaker for this event. Please reach out to Judi Pierce at judi.pierce@brazos.org or 254-761-3103.

9/21/2022

Concerned about effects of low lake levels as it pertains to hydrilla, algae and bacteria. Current drought conditions and overdevelopment are a huge impact. I am not convinced that a pipeline between two heavily impacted reservoirs is cost-effective management. Additionally, concerned about how H20 resources would be allocated between recipients, county, city, utility districts and individuals. No other solutions have been presented.

Thank you for your comment.

The transfer of water from Belton Lake to Stillhouse Hollow Lake will be based on predetermined elevations at the lakes. These elevations will fluctuate over time as water use increases. For example, at the current water use lake levels, no transfer is needed. Looking out into the future, the need to transfer water will be different in 20 years than it will be in 50 years. However, the maximum transfer of water will be limited to about 33,000 acre-feet/year.

The BRA is looking at multiple water supply projects. The pipeline is one solution to address drought preparedness in the region.

While hydrilla does occur in Stillhouse Hollow reservoir, reports of the invasive species in Lake Belton have not been verified by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. As proposed, the Belhouse pipeline will only move water in one direction, from Lake Belton to Stillhouse Hollow Lake, meaning that the transfer of hydrilla is highly improbable.

It is also important to note that neither lake is identified in the 2022 Texas Integrated Report of Surface Water Quality as having impairments or concerns for either E. coli or chlorophyll a.

9/21/2022

Do you intend to get updated population and planned development numbers?

Do you plan to get input from the many communities outside of Williamson and Bell County that have growing water supply needs?

These should be answered before focusing on water needs of south Bell or North Williamson counties.

Williamson County has done an excellent job in addressing water conservation and many issues.

We need to make sure all communities smaller and less populated have their water needs addressed.

How will the water drought / rationing decisions be made?

BRA is in regular communication with its customers regarding future water demand

projections and we are getting input from outside of Williamson and Bell Counties.

Concurrent with this pipeline project, BRA is developing an integrated water resources plan for the region and is engaging BRA's customers and other stakeholders as part of that process.

9/21/2022

1) Why can't the lake levels be raised in both Lake Belton and Stillhouse?

2) Why doesn't Williamson County quit issuing building permits until they can take care of their own growth?

3) What side of 190 Lane is the proposed line going to be placed on? There is already a dog Ridge H20 supply on one side and in the near future our road will be taken into the City of Belton. There needs to be an in-depth communication between the Belhouse water line and the City of Belton, so that in the future no H20 or utilities need to be moved. This will save millions of $$$ to re-do everything. Plan ahead.

Thank you for your comment.

Both Lake Belton and Stillhouse Hollow Lake are multi-purpose reservoirs owned and operated by the US Army Corps of Engineers. They were built for both flood control, which is the responsibility of the US Army Corps of Engineers, and water supply, which is the responsibility of the BRA. Simply raising the level of the lakes would reduce the reservoir's ability to control downstream flooding. Additionally, a prior evaluation of raising the water level revealed complexities with the dam itself and limitations with how much additional reliable water supply could be gained.

As a governing body, BRA does not have authority to implement or affect residential or business development plans.

The BRA will utilize access to existing right-of-way where possible, although obtaining easements will be necessary for the construction of the project. Additional coordination will be conducted during the final design process to avoid existing/proposed utilities, as well as other infrastructure where feasible, and identify which property owners will be impacted. All impacted property owners will be contacted by a BRA representative before the project starts to discuss the process and potential impacts to their properties.

9/21/2022

Residents / businesses that pull from Stillhouse should be put on full stage 4 or higher prior to release of water from Belton. With the predicted increase in population what systems will be in place to conserve resources such as restriction of swimming pools and excess green spaces? Who is paying to support Georgetown and others benefiting from the improvements.

Thank you for comment.

As a governing body, BRA does not have authority to implement or affect residential or business development plans.

9/21/2022

Who owns the water in each basin? Will there be any compensation to the residents of Lake Belton area? Will this restrict growth in Temple / Belton area in favor of growth in Round Rock? Is this a drought preparedness for Stillhouse only> If Belton Lake gets so low, will pumping still be allowed? What are the water restrictions in Round Rock area now? Is the growth in Round Rock restricted because of water supply?

Thank you for your comment.

The BRA was established by the Texas Legislature to develop, manage, and protect the water resources of the Brazos River basin.

Residents of Belton Lake will not receive compensation. The BRA maintains and operates reservoirs and drinking water treatment systems using funds from the cities and businesses it serves.

The BRA's general manager/chief executive officer (GM/CEO) or designee monitors water supply and demand conditions throughout the year and makes decisions for water releases or transfers. Coupled with demand needs, the BRA monitors weather, hydrologic data, and reservoir conditions. This information is used for developing drought stages and pumping trigger levels. The criteria established for triggering a drought condition are based on hydrologic analyses and reservoir operations experience. Drought stage and pumping trigger levels are based on the respective volumes of the reservoirs within the region.

As a governing body, BRA does not have authority to implement or affect residential or business development plans.

The cities of Temple and Belton both have water contracts with the BRA and will not be affected by this pipeline for current and future uses.

9/21/2022

Under what conditions will water be pumped from Belton to Stillhouse? The presentations cite "drought" or "only when necessary" but nowhere are those defined. I would like to see precise conditions that would trigger water transfer.

What does Lake Belton gain from the proposed pipeline? It appears that the very best outcome for Lake Belton is a net-zero.

What provisions will be in place to prevent transfer of invasive species?

Thank you for your comment.

All three reservoirs already contain zebra mussels. However, the BRA is concerned about the future spread of invasive species to other reservoirs and currently participates with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and other water suppliers on strategies and educational/awareness campaigns to help minimize the spread.

9/21/2022

Water in Lake Belton has a large zebra mussels infestation. How will that be mitigated to avoid affecting Stillhouse, Georgetown and then Round Rock water systems?
Need to set a firm threshold before pumping starts between Belton and Stillhouse Lakes. Per your engineer the pump rate can drop Belton at 45 cubic feet per second. That translates to 0.1 feet drop in Belton every 2 days, taking into account evaporation. That is a huge impact.

Thank you for your comment.

Regarding a pumping threshold, the transfer of water from Belton Lake to Stillhouse Hollow Lake will be based on predetermined elevations at the lakes. These elevations will change through time as water use increases.

For example, at the current water use levels, no transfer is needed. Looking out into the future, the need to transfer water will be different in 20 years than it will be in 50 years. However, the maximum transfer of water will be limited to about 33,000 acre-feet/year.

9/21/2022

This drought preparedness plan does not allow water to be sent in both directions! Plan only allows for water to be pumped from Lake Belton to Lake Stillhouse but has no pump provision to pump into Lake Belton! Currently the pipeline from Stillhouse to Lake Georgetown is only one way! What happens if Belton Lake needs water? It appears this plan only helps the growing area of Georgetown, etc.

This is a one-way plan that I cannot support! At least design the plan to pump water both ways! That would be a shared water plan!

Thank you for your comment.

Pipelines are configured due to hydrology and based on the size of lakes. Belton Lake is much larger than Stillhouse Hollow Lake and Lake Georgetown. Belton Lake has a surface area of 12,385 acres and a storage capacity of 432,631 acre-ft at its normal level. Stillhouse Hollow Lake has a surface area of 6,429 acres with a storage capacity of 229,881 acre-ft and Lake Georgetown is 1,297 acres with a storage capacity of only 38,068 acre-ft at its normal level. It would not be practicable to design and construct infrastructure that would be necessary to pump water from the smaller lakes to the larger ones.

9/21/2022

No! Water is precious and needed in our county. This would negatively impact the agriculture and recreational activities in our home county. We do not owe this to Travis and Williamson counties. Stop!

Thank you for your comment.

Providing water supply is one of the primary purposes of both Belton and Stillhouse Hollow Lakes. The pipeline will benefit Bell County by providing a reliable source of water to citizens and businesses that rely on water from Stillhouse Hollow Lake. The Bell County Water Control and Improvement District #1 (Bell County WCID #1), the BRA's largest municipal water customer, as well as other water customers supply water from Stillhouse Hollow Lake to multiple communities in the Central Texas region that will benefit from the pipeline. Some of these areas include Killeen, Harker Heights, Copperas Cove, Kempner, Lampasas, and Salado.

The pipeline will not serve Austin or Travis County. The City of Austin has a water contract with the Lower Colorado River Authority to obtain water from Lake Travis and Lake Buchanan through 2100. The Belhouse Drought Preparedness pipeline is being proposed to improve reliability and resiliency of regional water supplies within the Brazos River Authority boundaries.

The question references Travis County not Austin so shouldn't our response reference Travis County?

9/21/2022

This should be called "Rob Peter to pay Paul!" Big business and big government works to get out of state companies and industries to move to the Austin metropolitan area. This means thousands, no millions, of out of staters move to Austin metro. They want our water to take for their needs. Needs such as sailing or jet skiing on "their" lake, water their golf courses, and palatial lawns. I am afraid this will leave us with large sponge holes where we used to have beautiful lakes. Now is the time to fight!

Thank you for your comment.

Stillhouse Hollow Lake is a multi-purpose reservoir owned and operated by the US Army Corps of Engineers. It was built for both flood control and water supply.

9/21/2022

What is the backup system for this pump? What is your plan in conserving water usage? Where does the construction "stuff" go? Who pays for that disposal? What caused this decision to pull more water? What happened to the previous drought preparedness project? How is this getting paid for? How does this construction impact appraised values for us and neighbors in Round Rock/Georgetown?

The existing project design includes multiple pumps in the pump station to serve as backups, if needed.

is growing with increasing population, and the pipeline is needed to provide reliable water supply to entities that use water from Stillhouse Hollow Lake.

Construction will occur in phases, in which crews will first perform an open-cut along the pipeline route, the pipeline will be placed, the open-cut will be backfilled with soil materials and restored to its original condition. The project team will monitor all active work and will maintain a safe and orderly construction site.

9/21/2022

I am concerned that Belton Lake will dry up. I do not like option 8 - the pipeline would right by my house. Will I now need to get insurance for possible burst pipeline?

Thank you for your comment.

The pipeline is designed to be buried underground with the exception of access points and some minor equipment. In the unusual event that a pipeline bursts or develops a leak, BRA would temporarily stop operating the pipeline and the responsible party would cover the damages of the leak.

9/21/2022

We have people trying to tap into more H2O in lots of little towns close by. Especially Little River-Academy. Their wells are maxed-out. Hopefully this outfit and the City of Belton will get on the same page before you dig the line, so future streets won't be on top of this line.

Thank you for your comment.

9/21/2022

Need to see data on estimated population growth for current service areas for Belton Lake in net 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 years.
How does this allow for subsidizing water to south Williamson County?
Will there be a time when we run out of water here in Bell County?
Who will be making decisions on pumping water out of Belton during times of drought? What are these parameters?
No new water contracts will be executed for Belton/Stillhouse. But will there be new contracts executed for Lake Georgetown?
I oppose this project. It's a band-aid, not a solution to the problem. More needs to be done to keep water in Belton Lake that will service its current obligations knowing that the growth here will far exceed any projections BRA currently believes in.

Thank you for your comment.

The BRA was established by the Texas Legislature to develop, manage, and protect the water resources of the Brazos River basin.

The BRA is striving to ensure that no one runs out of water. We are managing existing water supply with this project while evaluating other new water supply projects that may be needed for the region in the future.

All of these entities contract with the BRA for water supply from Stillhouse Hollow Lake. These contracts have been in place for many years and have maximum use limits in place. The BRA is not entering into any new or increased water supply contracts as a result of this project, including Lake Georgetown.

9/21/2022

More condemnation needed! Combining water capture from different environmental regions. The time to transfer is during heavy rainfall events. Not droughts. Careful partnership will have to be acquired with the Corps of Engineers. I believe the downstream needs will have to be revisited.

Thank you for your comment.

The BRA has agreements with the US Army Corps of Engineers to store water that is owned by the State of Texas in both reservoirs. The Corps is a valued partner of the BRA and will be heavily involved as we develop the Belhouse Drought Preparedness Project. Additional regional water supply solutions are under evaluation. We agree with capturing and storing water during heavy rainfall events. The challenge is that often there is no place to store water during heavy rainfall events as all reservoirs in the region are full during these events.

9/21/2022

Will this be voted on as we have a say if this will go through? Our area continues to grow. How do we know when the water is going to be pulled out of Lake Belton?

No. The BRA was established by the Texas Legislature to develop, manage, and protect the water resources of the Brazos River basin.

9/21/2022

Why can't Williamson County get their water from Lake Granger. Pumping water to Lake Georgetown is very inefficient if pumped into lake. Evaporation needs to be pumped to water treatment plant, not lake. Before this is done Williamson County needs to have a underground water district. They are not serious about saving water.

Thank you for your comment.

Portions of Williamson County are served by Granger Lake. Regardless of the project, evaporation is going to occur from the surface of the reservoirs irrespective of whether water is stored in Belton, Stillhouse Hollow, Georgetown, or Granger Lakes.

9/21/2022

This idea of taking water from Lake Belton - to give to Stillhouse Lake, Georgetown, etc. Is not good at all! Our Lake Belton is low now! Stillhouse Lake has had problems for years - figure out another way. Don't put Lake Belton in the same shape. That will only create MORE PROBLEMS. Find another solution. These old contracts - some of your representatives talked about tonight concerning selling water for downstream - how old are they and when do they terminate? Your representatives are not knowledgeable about much - and no speakers at this meeting either? Not good!

Thank you for your comment.

The BRA was established by the Texas Legislature to develop, manage, and protect the water resources of the Brazos River basin.

9/21/2022

City of Morgan's Point Resort is approximately 5,000 households and sits on Lake Belton. We are under current water restrictions and I'm concerned about giving our water away for "projected growth." Where are the numbers coming from, especially as building and growth has stalled. I'm not for this.

Thank you for your comment.

9/21/2022

Are there discussions or plans to pipe water from Bell County lakes to Austin?
If such discussions happened in the future, who would make that decision?

No. The City of Austin has a water contract with the Lower Colorado River Authority to obtain water from the Highland Lakes (Lakes Buchanan and Travis) through 2100.

The Belhouse Drought Preparedness pipeline is being proposed to improve reliability and resiliency of regional water supplies within the Brazos River Authority boundaries.

9/21/2022

The entire cost of building and operating this project should be by the people of Williamson County. Do not raise my water rates to pay for them to take my water.

Thank you for your comment.

The project is funded by the BRA. The BRA does not collect taxes or receive tax dollars from the State of Texas or the United States. The BRA is a wholesale entity and does not control residential water utility rates. The BRA is a wholesale entity and does not control residential water utility rates.

9/21/2022

I oppose this project 100%. Why should we pay 90 million dollars to feed Round Rock. We have no control over how much water Lake Proctor releases, so what happens to us when Round Rock sucks Stillhouse dry? This is robbing Peter to pay Paul. Once Stillhouse is dry and Belton Lake is sucked dry, what happens to our farmers and local residents? Last month my water bill was $80 and I live alone. I have more comments to oppose this project than I'm ready to write. Feel free to contact me at anytime about these matters, but my friends, family, and anyone with the slightest bit of common sense is going to oppose this project.

Thank you for your comment.

The project is funded by the BRA. The BRA does not collect taxes or receive tax dollars from the State of Texas or the United States. The BRA is a wholesale entity and does not control residential water utility rates. The BRA was established by the Texas Legislature to develop, manage, and protect the water resources of the entire Brazos River basin.

9/21/2022

"Who" sets the trigger points that cause the pull of = 426,000 gallons of water from Belton to Stillhouse.

"Why" set "as needed" - is this per the trigger or is there a max limit set?

Has anyone considered limiting or, better, stopping future development of any properties alt. water situation? Who do I talk to - city council, county, commissioners? Other?

Thank you for your comment.

The BRA was established by the Texas Legislature to develop, manage, and protect the water resources of the Brazos River basin. Specifically, the BRA's general manager/chief executive officer (GM/CEO) or designee monitors water supply and demand conditions throughout the year and makes decisions for water releases or transfers. Coupled with demand needs, the BRA monitors weather, hydrologic data, and reservoir conditions. This information is used for developing drought stages and pumping trigger levels. The criteria established for triggering a drought condition are based on hydrologic analyses and reservoir operations experience. Drought stage and pumping trigger levels are based on the respective volumes of the reservoirs within the region.

As a governing body, BRA does not have authority to implement or affect residential or business development plans.

9/21/2022

Need to consider pumping water both directions all the way from Georgetown.

Thank you for your comment.

9/21/2022

What are the "parameters" that would allow the flow to be turned on?

Who is the "authority" to decide when the flow is to be turned on?

What local input will be solicited prior to any flow being turned on?

Thank you for your comment.

You can visit HERE for project updates or email Belhouse@brazos.org with questions.

9/21/2022

Our location and address relies solely on water that escapes from aquifer from Stillhouse Hollow Lake. We are experiencing issues with underground water levels. The river is no more than a trickle and has caused environmental issues. Because of low levels in the lake and river, zebra mussels have infested significantly. Wildlife has changed to include bald eagle a few yards from the house. Fish can no longer eat zebra mussels.

If we can stop pumping water to Georgetown there will be little or no issue to install pipeline. Stop pumping to Georgetown.

Thank you for your comment.

The pipeline will benefit Bell County by providing a reliable source of water to citizens and businesses that rely on water from Stillhouse Hollow Lake. The Bell County Water Supply & Improvement District No. 1 (Bell County WCID #1), the BRA's largest municipal water customer, as well as other water customers supply water from Stillhouse Hollow Lake to multiple communities in the Central Texas region that will benefit from the pipeline. Some of these areas include Killeen, Harker Heights, Copperas Cove, Kempner, Lampasas, and Salado.

BRA is a regional water provider across the entire Brazos River basin and a contractual obligation to provide water to customers that divert from Georgetown Lake.

9/21/2022

Pipeline capable of 30,000 acre feet, but is the lake capable of giving it?
Problem is: you started too late, other problem mismanagement of federal, state and local government.

Thank you for your comment.

Yes, Belton Lake is capable of supplying the water. The transfer of water from Belton Lake to Stillhouse Hollow Lake will be based on predetermined elevations at the lakes. These elevations will fluctuate over time as water use increases. For example, at the current water use lake levels, no transfer is needed. Looking out into the future, the need to transfer water will be different in 20 years than it will be in 50 years. However, the maximum transfer of water will be limited to about 33,000 acre-feet/year.

9/21/2022

This seems to have more questions than answers. There is a limited amount of information than your people have to offer. The average citizen doesn't care as long as they have to water.

Thank you for your comment.

9/21/2022

While I think the pipeline is a good idea, as a homeowner in the Stone Oak Division, I am concerned that the proposed pipeline appears to butt up against my fence line. I'm concerned about the old live oak tree and other trees in my and my neighbor's backyards. I'm concerned that the 3 Creeks subdivision that owns the land behind me will have more influence over pipe route thus displacing my property/fence line. Losing property, decreasing property value, and defacing my property are big concerns.

Thank you for your comment.

We have noted your concerns regarding the live oak tree in our records to discuss with the property acquisition team. The BRA will utilize access to existing right-of-way where possible, although obtaining easements will be necessary for the construction of the pipeline. All impacted property owners will be contacted by a BRA representative before the project starts to discuss the process and potential impacts to their properties.

The project design has not been finalized and construction is not expected to begin until winter 2025.

9/21/2022

This project is going to end up being a catastrophe. It reeks of poor planning. The Williamson County area is the poster child for unresponsible, uncontrolled growth without adequate planning for future infrastructure needs. The Belton area is also growing rapidly and will need the water. I'm also concerned about the fact that water will need to be pumped uphill to Stillhouse. Who will pay for this? Is my water bill going up?

I bought my home to be on a lake. I don't want to be on a creek.

The intake level at 525 ft. is ridiculously low and could suck the lake dry. I want you to reconsider this project and instead make plans to optimize water usage in terms of retaining more water in Lake Belton in times of excess instead of a release to conservation levels.

With construction of this pipeline you will have connected all of the available reservoirs in this part of the world. Future growth needs to be limited particularly in Williamson County.

There needs to be better coordination between BRA and the Corps.

Thank you for your comment

The project is funded by the BRA. The BRA does not collect taxes or receive tax dollars from the State of Texas. The BRA is a wholesale entity and does not control residential water utility rates.

Water supply is one of the primary purposes of the reservoir, and drought is when water supply is most needed and valuable. The purpose of the pipeline is to periodically supplement the water supply at Stillhouse Hollow Lake with water transferred from Belton Lake. The transfer of water will only be necessary during drought conditions, so the pipeline will not run continuously.

The BRA was established by the Texas Legislature to develop, manage, and protect the water resources of the Brazos River basin. As a governing body, BRA does not have authority to implement or affect residential or business development plans.

Lastly, the US Army Corps of Engineers is a valued partner of the BRA and will be heavily involved as we develop the Belhouse Drought Preparedness Project.

9/21/2022

I vote no to selling water. Stop allowing houses to be built until drought over. Have docks adjust to lake levels like in Whitney. What does Lake Belton benefit from this? How low will the lake go down?

Thank you for your comment.

9/21/2022

My main concern is if this project will be used only in a drought situation. It is very concerning to think that this could be a constant drain on Bell County's water supply. I am also concerned about citizens being given updates on what is happening and changes that may occur during the project. I will say I appreciated this meeting and the information that was provided. The individuals were very helpful.

Thank you for your comment.

Water supply is a primary purpose of the reservoir, and drought is when water supply is most needed and valuable. The purpose of the pipeline is to periodically supplement the water supply at Stillhouse Hollow Lake with water transferred from Belton Lake. The transfer of water will only be necessary during drought conditions, so the pipeline will not run continuously.

You can visitHERE for project updates or emailBelhouse@brazos.org with additional questions.

9/21/2022

Don't allow any more house/apartments building unless water is available in their neighborhood. No pumping unless surplus is there. What do we get - less water! Hell no!

Thank you for your comment.

9/21/2022

Why not just raise Stillhouse's lake level?

Thank you for your comment.

Stillhouse Hollow Lake is a multi-purpose reservoir owned and operated by the US Army Corps of Engineers. It was built for both flood control and water supply. Simply raising the level of Stillhouse Hollow Lake would reduce the reservoir's ability to control downstream flooding. Additionally, a prior evaluation of raising the water level revealed complexities with the dam itself and limitations with how much additional reliable water supply could be gained.

9/21/2022

I am not in favor of this project as a resident of lakeside property on Lake Belton. The lake is low as it is.

Thank you for your comment.

9/21/2022

I am against the proposed water pipeline from Lake Belton to Stillhouse Lake. This proposal amounts to stealing water from Bell County to provide water to people in other counties that refuse to responsibly limit their water usage. I am disgusted that my tax dollars are being used for a project that takes resources from the people of Bell County to support irresponsible water usage in other counties. If you want to do something that will actually ensure reliable water resources, stop damaging the environment with impunity and allowing climate change to rage unchecked.

Thank you for your comment.

9/21/2022

I am not in favor of this project. As a property owner along lake Belton, which is now reduced 25% due to drought, the lake level will continue to drop as there is no end in sight of these conditions. Therefore to reduce the lake level even further Is unwise. There is also the increasing population of Bell County to consider. I realize water issues are becoming increasingly important. However, this is not an acceptable resolution. Thank you.

Thank you for your comment.

9/20/2022

If the pipeline is built will there be a trigger level of Lake Belton that would cease any pumping of water from Lake Belton. For example if Lake Belton reaches 9 feet low or at say 74% capacity no water will be pumped out?

Thank you for your comment.

The transfer of water from Belton Lake to Stillhouse Hollow Lake will be based on predetermined elevations at the lakes. These elevations will fluctuate over time as water use increases. For example, at the current water use levels, no transfer is needed. Looking out into the future, the need to transfer water will be different in 20 years than it will be in 50 years. However, the maximum transfer of water will be limited to about 33,000 acre-feet/year.

9/16/2022

The following concerns are voiced by our Comanche Cove residents on Lake Belton

Regarding the Belhouse pipeline project:

Involving the building of a pipeline starting at a Frank's Marina and ending up at Stillhouse Lake. It will drain water from our Lake Belton to feed Stillhouse Lake since it gets depleted by having to send water to Lake Georgetown!

A similar crisis caused Lake Travis to reach critical levels around 2015 and boat ramps and docks dried up. We are already in a severe drought now with recreational swimming areas being closed down on Lake Belton and soon it could be an issue for boating.

We cannot afford to lose water from our Lake to feed other lakes. Recent climate models predict our area will face extreme drought in the future like nothing we have experienced before. Rather than everyone paying $90 million to build a pipeline to deplete our reserves. I suggest each city limit their population growth based on their

current water rights and enforce lawn watering restrictions as appropriate.

By giving water to other cities we are limiting our own water supply and future growth. Not to mention property values could plummet in our areas if we don't have enough water for our own population.

Thank you for your comment.

The project would be funded by the BRA. As a governing body, BRA does not have authority to implement or affect residential or business development plans.

9/16/2022

I used to work as a field tech for the San Marcos River HCP and recently returned to Belton.

I just heard about this project and would love to learn more. Would you by any chance be able to point me in the direction of literature on the basis for the project - specifically anything on potential ecological impact or benefit?

Would the plans include any type of deterrent to the transmission of invasive populations between the systems?

I also saw that the goal is to delay additional water contracts or reservoirs by way of this line. Given population projections for Central Texas, is there literature to support that this project would in fact be able to accomplish that goal?

Thank you for all you do!

Thank you for your comment.

This project is a recommended Water Management Strategy in the 2021 Brazos G Water Plan and the 2022 Texas State Water Plan. Those plans are available at the links below:

2021 Brazos G Regional Water Plan

2022 State Water Plan

For more information on the Belhouse Drought Preparedness Project, please visit HERE or email questions to belhouse@brazos.org.

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