Bryan City Council unanimously approves letter asking GMA 12 to use Brazos Valley groundwater model for Simsborough Aquifer

Bryan City Council voted unanimously to send a letter to GMA 12 requesting that the Brazos Valley Groundwater Conservation District’s PS 4-3 groundwater-availability model be incorporated into the initial adoption of the desired future condition (DFC) for the Simsborough Aquifer.

Councilman Salvato moved the action under agenda item 2.b, asking the council to communicate support to GMA 12 for use of the Brazos Valley district model in the Simsborough DFC process. The mayor seconded the motion and opened it for discussion before calling a voice vote.

Members who spoke during the discussion framed the vote as a step to protect long-term municipal and regional water supplies. A councilwoman commended Bryan City staff and the groundwater district for staying “in front of this groundwater issue,” said recent work has advanced sustainability goals and urged continued public education to guard against outside entities seeking to export local groundwater. “We want to keep that on the forefront of our citizens and our staff and our groundwater districts’ minds,” she said.

Another council member emphasized preserving water “for the future, both for the citizens and the… economic development that we know is coming.” Councilman Torres and Councilman Salvato echoed those remarks, praising staff expertise and urging the city to remain proactive.

The mayor framed the council’s involvement as part of an ongoing multi‑month effort and warned that some groundwater districts can operate as allocation bodies rather than conservation entities. He also criticized a proposal attributed in the meeting to Allen Day, saying the council must carefully review plans that could affect long‑term supplies: “I think Mister Allen Day needs to look at himself and what he's proposing… we’re the people who are gonna be suffering in 10 years or 20 years or 30 years or 50 years.”

After discussion, the mayor called for a voice vote; the motion carried unanimously. The council instructed staff to send the letter to GMA 12 supporting incorporation of the Brazos Valley Groundwater Conservation District’s model into the Simsborough Aquifer DFC process. The transcript does not record individual roll-call votes or a specific delivery timeline for the letter.

The council’s action is procedural (sending a letter); it does not itself change a DFC or formally adopt technical models. Further action by GMA 12 or related groundwater districts would be required to change regulatory DFCs.