
For 10 years, SMRF has represented environmental interests by serving on the stakeholder committee which includes all or part of 21 counties reaching from the Gulf Coast to the Hill Country. It covers portions of 9 rivers and coastal basins, the Guadalupe Estuary and the San Antonio Bay. The region also includes the 2 largest springs in Texas: the Comal and San Marcos spring, so water planning in the region is particularly complex because of the intricate relationships between the region’s surface and groundwater resources. With limited local water resources, the region will rely on water supplies from outside the region to meet its future needs.
SMRF and the committee work with expert scientific teams to analyze rivers and bays. It has recommended an environmental flow regime for each specific river basin and bay system to ensure adequate flows for healthy rivers and estuaries.
Reaching from the Gulf Coast to the Hill Country, the South Central Texas Regional Water Planning Area includes all or parts of 21 counties, portions of nine river and coastal basins, the Guadalupe Estuary, and San Antonio Bay. The largest cities in the region are San Antonio, Victoria, San Marcos, and New Braunfels. The region’s largest economic sectors are tourism, military, medical, service, manufacturing, and retail trade. The region contains the two largest springs in Texas: Comal and San Marcos. Water planning in the region is particularly complex because of the intricate relationships between the region’s surface and groundwater resources. With limited local water resources, the region will rely on water supplies from outside the region to meet its future needs.