HARLINGEN — The International Boundary and Water Commission will hold an online webinar this month to plumb public opinion about IBWC projects, including the Delta Water Region Management Project designed to reduce flood damage in Hidalgo County.
The Delta project will provide increased flood control for the most populated areas of Hidalgo County and establish a process to reclaim water for municipal or irrigation use.
The project is designed to be built in three phases, includes an off-line storm water detention pond/reservoir and treatment facility at three locations: Delta Reservoir (Phase 1), Santa Cruz Reservoir (Phase 2) and Carlton Barth Reservoir (Phase 3).
The IBWC notes that Hidalgo County’s population is expected to increase by 120 percent by 2070, thus creating a municipal water supply deficit that is projected to be approximately 171, 000 acre-feet.
By reclaiming storm water in the area, Hidalgo County Drainage District No. 1 has found a new water source that can be sustainable while mitigating the flood hazard for the most populated areas of the region, the IBWC said.
David Fuentes, Commissioner of Hidalgo County Precinct 1, will discuss the Delta Region Water Management Project.
Also, Sally Spener, IBWC secretary, will discuss the 1944 Water Treaty which requires Mexico to deliver Rio Grande water to the United States from six Mexican tributaries in cycles of five years.
The most recent five-year cycle concluded on Oct. 24, with Mexico ceding water it owns in shared Rio Grande system reservoirs over to the United States to meet its treaty obligation.
To join the meeting
WHAT: IBWC public webinar on flood-control projects in Hidalgo County, U.S.-Mexico water treaty
WHEN: Nov. 18, 3-5 p.m.
WHO: IBWC officials, Hidalgo County Precinct 1 Commissioner David Fuentes
HOW TO JOIN:
For online viewers, go here: https://ibwc.gov/Citizens_Forums/CF_Lower_RG.html
To join the IBWC Microsoft Teams meeting, click on “Join Meeting” using the Teams software. If you do not have Teams installed on the device you will use to attend the meeting, it will work through any internet browser
Microsoft Teams can be installed from this link: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/microsoft-teams/group-chat-software
To join by phone, call 915-320-4718. Conference ID is 172 717 877#
To speak at the forum, contact Lori Kuczmanski at [email protected] or call 915-494-6027 by noon on Nov. 18
