1. WATER AVAILABILITY MODELING for the SULPHUR RIVER BASIN Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission Austin, Texas
Consultant:
R. J. Brandes Company
Austin, Texas

2. REQUIREMENTS FOR GRANTING WATER RIGHTS PERMITS
TEXAS WATER CODE §11.134
… (b) The commission shall grant the application only if:
(1) the application conforms to the requirements prescribed
by this chapter and is accompanied by the prescribed fee;
(2) unappropriated water is available in the source of supply;
(3) the proposed appropriateion:
(A) is intended for a beneficial use;
(B) does not impair existing water rights
or vested riparian rights; ….

3. SENATE BILL 1 of the 75th Texas Legislature Article 7, Section 7.01
Requires TNRCC to obtain or develop
updated Water Availability Models for:
• Six River Basins by December 31, 1999
• All Remaining River Basins by December 31, 2001

4. GENERAL LOCATION MAP Sulphur River Basin

5. SENATE BILL 1 of the 75th Texas Legislature
Requires TNRCC to provide the following results
from the Water Availability Models:
1. For each Water Right, the projected amount of water
that would be available during a drought of record and when flows are at 75 and 50 percent of normal
2. For each Regional Water Planning Group, the projected amount of water that would be available if cancellation procedures were instigated by TNRCC
3. In coordination with TPWD, the potential impact of wastewater reuse on existing water rights, instream uses,
and freshwater inflows to bays and estuaries.

6. ACTIVITIES INVOLVED IN WATER AVAILABILITY ANALYSES
1. Compilation and Organization of Data
2. Determination of Naturalized Streamflows
(~ 50 Years of Monthly Values at Gage Locations)
3. Characterization of Existing Water Rights
4. Development of Water Availability Model
5. Operation of WAM for Different Scenarios
(~ 50-Year Simulation Period)
6. Summary and Presentation of WAM Results

7. BASIC RESULTS FROM WATER AVAILABILITY ANALYSES
1. For Each Water Right,
• Simulated Monthly Diversions
• Simulated Monthly Reservoir Storage
2. For Each Model Control Point,
• Simulated Monthly Unappropriated Water
• Simulated Monthly Actual Streamflows

8. WATER AVAILABILITY MODELING for the SULPHUR RIVER BASIN
BASIN DESCRIPTION

9. GENERAL LOCATION MAP Sulphur River Basin

10. GENERAL FEATURES Sulphur River BasinX A S # U L P H R I V B C a s u n t o w i e m r F d v p k D l M

11. GENERAL FEATURES Sulphur River Basin
• Drainage Area: 3,600 sq. miles at State Line
• Humid Subtropical Climate, Rainfall: in.
• Generally Rural Land Use with Limited Urban
• Predominantly Pasture/Cropland in the West
• Predominantly, Forest Land in the East
• 1990 & 2050 Population: 162,000 & 196,000
• Prolific Water Resources: 2.5 Million Ac-Ft/Yr

12. HISTORICAL AND PROJECTED WATER USE Sulphur River Basin
CATEGORY
1980
1990
2000
(projected)
2050
Municipal
28,063
25,770
29,286
28,621
Manufacturing
45,120
88,281
87,627
93,844
Steam Electric
1,947
1,494
1,500
5,000
Mining
1,328
1,155
1,725
1,202
Irrigation
1,775
2,066
2,044
1,933
Livestock
6,459
9,540
9,934
TOTAL
84,692
128,306
132,116
140,534

13. MEAN AVERAGE RAINFALL Sulphur River Basin

14. MEAN ANNUAL RUNOFF Sulphur River Basin

15. WATER AVAILABILITY MODELING for the SULPHUR RIVER BASIN
WATER RIGHTS
AND
RETURN FLOWS

16. EXISTING WATER RIGHTS Sulphur River Basin

17. DIVERSION RIGHTS BY USE TYPE Sulphur River Basin
CATEGORY
Municipal
Industrial
Irrigation
Mining
Recreation
Other
TOTAL
NUMBER OF
RIGHTS 15 9 23 1
- -
AUTHORIZED
DIVERSIONS
acre-feet/year
185,057
165,875
28,005
863
379,800

18. SPECIAL WATER RIGHTS FEATURES Sulphur River Basin
• Multiple Priority Dates for Diversions
• Multiple Priority Dates for Storage
• Multiple Diversion Points
• Multiple Reservoirs & Storage Allocations
• Off-Channel Reservoirs
• Minimum Instream Flow Requirements
• Transbasin Diversions

19. RETURN FLOW LOCATIONS Sulphur River Basin

20. WATER AVAILABILITY MODELING for the SULPHUR RIVER BASIN
NATURALIZED
STREAMFLOWS

21. NATURALIZED FLOW METHODOLGY
Naturalized Flows represent historical streamflow
conditions without the influence of man’s activities
related to water rights and water use.
NATURALIZED FLOWS = HISTORICAL STREAMFLOWS
+ HISTORICAL DIVERSIONS
- HISTORICAL RETURN FLOWS
+ HISTORICAL RESERVOIR
DEPLETIONS

22. U.S.G.S. STREAM GAGE LOCATIONS Sulphur River Basin

23. PERIODS OF RECORD FOR U.S.G.S. STREAM GAGES Sulphur River Basin

24. DEDUCED HISTORICAL INFLOWS FOR RESERVOIRS
BASIC EQUATION
INFLOW = MONTHLY CHANGE-IN-STORAGE
+ GROSS EVAPORATION LOSS
- TOTAL RAINFALL ON RESERVOIR
+ RUNOFF FROM RESERVOIR
+ DIVERSIONS FROM RESERVOIR
+ RELEASES FROM RESERVOIR

32. ANNUAL NATURALIZED AND HISTORICAL GAGED STREAMFLOWS Subwatershed A - Sulphur River Basin

33. ANNUAL NATURALIZED AND HISTORICAL GAGED STREAMFLOWS Subwatershed E - Sulphur River Basin

34. NATURALIZED STREAMFLOW STATISTICS BY SUBWATERSHED Sulphur River Basin

35. WATER AVAILABILITY MODELING for the SULPHUR RIVER BASIN
DATA
DEVELOPMENT

36. OTHER DATA REQUIRED FOR WATER AVAILABILITY ANALYSES Sulphur River Basin
• Water Rights Diversion Descriptions
• Water Rights Storage Descriptions
• Monthly Return Flow Descriptions
• Distributed Naturalized Streamflows
• Monthly Net Reservoir Evaporation Rates
• Reservoir Area-Capacity Relationships

37. NATURALIZED FLOW DISTRIBUTION Sulphur River Basin

38. TWDB EVAPORATION/RAINFALL HISTORICAL DATA QUADRANGLES Sulphur River Basin

39. ANNUAL NET RESERVOIR EVAPORATION RATES Sulphur River Basin

40. AREA-CAPACITY RELATIONSHIPS FOR WRIGHT PATMAN LAKE Sulphur River Basin

41. WATER AVAILABILITY MODELING for the SULPHUR RIVER BASIN
WRAP-SIM MODEL
DEVELOPMENT

42. WRAP-SIM WATER AVAILABILITY MODEL Sulphur River Basin
• Modified Version of Texas A&M WRAP Model
• Developed by Dr. Ralph Wurbs (Texas A&M)
• Simulates Unappropriated Water and Actual Streamflows in Response to Diversions and Reservoir Storage
• Incorporates Prior Appropriation Doctrine
• Tailored to Requirements of Senate Bill 1

43. SPECIAL FEATURES OF WRAP-SIM WATER AVAILABILITY MODEL Sulphur River Basin
• Distributes Gaged Naturalized Streamflows
• Simulates Off-Channel Reservoir Operations
• Provides for Minimum Instream Flows
• Accounts for Streamflow Channel Losses
• Allows Specification of External Gains/Losses
• Allows Monthly-Varying Conservation Storage

44. WRAP-SIM LINK-NODE NETWORK Sulphur River Basin

45. SPECIFIC OUTPUT FROM WRAP-SIM WATER AVAILABILITY MODEL Sulphur River Basin
1. For Each Water Right for Period,
• Simulated Monthly Diversions
• Simulated Monthly Reservoir Storage
2. For Each Control Point for Period,
• Simulated Monthly Unappropriated Water
• Simulated Monthly Actual Streamflows

46. SPECIAL ASSUMPTIONS MADE FOR WATER AVAILABILITY ANALYSES Sulphur River Basin
• Wastewater Reuse Consistent with Reported Return Flows during Last Five Years
• Continuous Return Flows from Municipal Discharges During Shortage Periods
• Continuous Return Flows from Discharges Based on Groundwater and Import Sources
• Simplified Representation of Off-channel Reservoirs

47. WATER AVAILABILITY MODELING for the SULPHUR RIVER BASIN
WRAP-SIM MODEL
OPERATION

48. RUNS MADE WITH WRAP-SIM WATER AVAILABILITY MODEL Sulphur River Basin
In Response to Requirements of Senate Bill 1,
• REUSE RUNS
• CANCELLATION RUNS
• CURRENT CONDITION RUNS

49. SPECIFICATIONS FOR RUNS MADE WITH WRAP-SIM MODEL Sulphur River Basin

50. WATER AVAILABILITY MODELING for the SULPHUR RIVER BASIN
WRAP-SIM MODEL
RESULTS

51. DIVERSIONS FOR JIM CHAPMAN LAKE Sulphur River Basin

52. DIVERSIONS FOR DUNHAM NO. 4148B Sulphur River Basin

53. STORAGE FOR JIM CHAPMAN LAKE Sulphur River Basin

54. UNAPPROPRIATED FLOWS AT D/S END OF SUBWATERSHED F Sulphur River Basin

55. UNAPPROPRIATED FLOWS D/S OF SUBWATERSHED C Sulphur River Basin

56. UNAPPROPRIATED FLOWS D/S OF SUBWATERSHED F Sulphur River Basin

57. UNAPPROPRIATED FLOWS D/S OF SUBWATERSHED C Sulphur River Basin

58. UNAPPROPRIATED FLOWS D/S OF SUBWATERSHED F Sulphur River Basin

59. UNAPPROPRIATED FLOWS D/S END OF SUBWATERSHED C Sulphur River Basin

60. RELIABILITY OF WATER AVAILABILITY FOR WATER RIGHTS DIVERSIONS Sulphur River Basin
RUN DESCRIPTION PERCENT RELIABILITY
By Month By Volume
RUN 1 - Baseline, No Reuse
RUN 2 - Baseline, 50% Reuse
RUN 3 - Baseline, Full Reuse
RUN 4 - Baseline, Cancel, No Reuse
RUN Yr Max. Use, No Reuse
RUN 6 - Baseline, Cancel, Full Reuse
RUN Yr Max. Use, Full Reuse
RUN Yr Max. Use, Current

61. POTENTIAL IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER AVAILABILITY MODEL Sulphur River Basin
• Improved Accuracy of Naturalized Streamflows
• Improved Accuracy of Small Drainage Areas
• Improved Accuracy of Off-Channel Reservoir Representations
• Improved Accuracy of Multiple-Diversion Point Representations

62. REMAINING TASKS FOR WATER AVAILABILITY ANALYSES Sulphur River Basin
• Make WRAP-SIM Program Enhancements
• Improve Water Rights Representations in
WRAP-SIM Model
• Review and Revise Final WAM Report
• Prepare Water Availability Charts for
Individual Water Rights

63. WATER AVAILABILITY MODELING for the SULPHUR RIVER BASIN Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission Austin, Texas
Consultant:
R. J. Brandes Company
Austin, Texas