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SlmTBry Water Banking Meeting in McAllen July 22, 1993 by T 0Cl1IlTj KnoNIes The following are my expressions of the sentiments of the participants: There was agreement that the Water Bank could help marketing and transfers in the Valley and something is needed. Water Bank needs to be able to quickly handle routine transfers and does not need to wait . for TIJI.C processing in Austin. Bank should obtain arrj required TIJI.C approvals, which should be minimal for the Bank. The lV\OB should establish a locally, COl moiled water bank for the Valley. /JJ. lease, a pilot bank should be set up in the Valley. The local bank should be controlled by a local, appointed "Board" which should have reasonable representation from interest groups. A 54 ggestion was to have three selected by irrigation districts, three by cities, and three others (selected by the previously mentioned six) to represent farmers, citizens, and industry. Also diso lSsed was some representation n etIlOd with selection by Counties. The local "Board" would establish a reasonable price for water sales. Use of the price would not be mandatory, but it could be used as a ,efei'ence. Prices set may be a maxim.Jm and mininun . Water quality in the Rio Grande continues to deteriorate and reuse rrust be considered a possibility in the Bank. . L.oCaI "Board" should become a participant in Trans-Texas or some other method of assessing the long-term water supply picture for the Valley. Local Bank should use staff c:I VVate. ,llaSteI for administration of the ifTlllerrlCl ib:ltion of the Bank. Water conservation will be s1o.v occurring so long as the conserved water just evaporates from the lakes and is not used. Conservation could help cities during drought times. The irrigation disbicts 54 iggested that the disbicts .....,., it a certain portion of their water rights to a reseve for cities to use during drought times, but a1fo.v the farmers to use it during normal times. That would prevent the cities from holding large rights 11ON, when they don't have CIJITent needs for the water. Water rights held and not used means less water is available to those who could use the water 11ON, has little value to those holding the rights because of the annual accounting process, and water held in the lake only evaporates and inaee!es the salinity problem.