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Council approves memorandum with GBRA to join basinwide Habitat Conservation Plan
Summary
The Gonzales City Council voted to authorize a memorandum of agreement with the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority to pursue a Habitat Conservation Plan and incidental-take coverage under the Endangered Species Act.
The Gonzales City Council on March 1 approved a memorandum of agreement with the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority to participate in a basinwide Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) intended to provide long-term regulatory certainty for water and hydroelectric operations.
The memorandum authorizes the city manager to execute an agreement that would allow the city to seek coverage under an HCP being led by GBRA. The plan quantifies potential impacts to listed species in the Guadalupe River Basin and pairs those impacts with mitigation actions, GBRA officials said.
"The Endangered Species Act ... prohibits any negative impacts that could be caused to endangered species," said Nathan Pence, executive manager of environmental science at the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority, during the council presentation. Pence explained the HCP process and how a primary permittee can extend coverage to other entities through a certificate of inclusion.
Nut graf: Supporters said the plan would let the city continue lawful water uses while funding and implementing mitigation measures for species such as recently listed freshwater mussels and the Guadalupe darter; the council approved the measure by voice vote.
GBRA staff told the council the agency has already secured federal grants to fund much of the technical work and modeling. "We have received over $2,000,000 in grant funding right now from the federal government to put this sort of a process and this sort of plan in place," Pence said. He estimated the basinwide program would cost about $1,000,000 annually to operate, with GBRA carrying a substantial share and participating entities paying a proportional contribution.
Discussion focused on how the HCP would address hydroelectric operations and wastewater discharges. Pence described how hydro pulsing — holding water to build pressure for turbine generation then releasing it — can dry side-margin habitat and affect mussels; he said standard operating procedures could reduce those impacts. On effluent, he said continuing to return treated wastewater to the river can be beneficial for species during drought but could limit potential revenue from reuse or sale of that effluent.
Councilmember Hernandez moved to authorize the city manager to execute the memorandum of agreement with GBRA; Councilmember Miller seconded. The motion carried by voice vote; the council noted one absence.
Ending: GBRA told the council it has included draft language about Gonzales' activities in its HCP and that formalizing the city's participation now would avoid redoing modeling later if the city chose to opt in. The MOA directs staff to continue technical collaboration as the final HCP and incidental-take permit application are prepared.
