Bay City Tribune

Matagorda County rice farmers' chances for a second crop in 2010 looks better after recent rainfall in the Texas Hill Country.

When the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality adopted the 2003 Water Management Plan, it set the trigger level for LCRA's combined water storage at 1.4 million acre-feet to cause a reduction in releases for irrigation.

As of 7 a.m. on Feb. 1, water storage was at 1.336 million acre-feet, falling just under the trigger point for the possibility of rice irrigation curtailment.

Emlea Chanslor, LCRA spokesperson, said because the stored water levels had not topped the 1.4 million trigger level on or before Monday, Feb. 1, the terms of the irrigation contracts were not subject to change.

However, as the rain continues to fall throughout the week in the Highland Lakes area, if projections show that the storage is above 1.4 million acre-feet in July, the LCRA can reconsider irrigation water for first and second crop, Chanslor said.

Kyle Jensen, LCRA river operations manager, said irrigation acreage was allocated on stored water levels that were significantly lower than current levels.

"We're fortunate to have these higher lake levels," said Jensen.

"We're in the process if scheduling a meeting with advisory groups to take a second look at the allocation numbers."

Jensen said they would rely on the consensus of farmers to tell them if they would rather see more irrigation acreage allocated for first crop or if they choose to hold out for a greater chance at second crop irrigation.

Matagorda County rice farmers showed great concern over LCRA mandating a firm date for starting and stopping the pumps during the LCRA customer meeting on Jan. 14.

Local rice farmers expressed a desire for LCRA to set a specific time period for starting and stopping the pumps instead of listing specific start and stop dates.

Jensen said the LCRA board approved language in the irrigation contract that provided two more weeks of "wiggle room" in case rainy weather prevents farmers from getting their crops in the ground in time for them to fully mature by the pump stop date of Aug. 15.

Haskell Simon, local rice farmer and water issues expert, reminded Matagorda County commissioners Monday morning just how much the outlook for rice farmers in 2010 has improved over the last five months.

"On Aug. 28 we were told that the storage was going to be something like 600,000 acre-feet of combined storage in the lakes," said Simon.

"At that level there would be no water for rice irrigation in Matagorda County an $80 million industry."

"It looks like with the rains this week, we may have indeed dodged a bullet."