The Parks and Wildlife Department, the commission, and the board must run an instream flow data program, conduct related studies, share oversight, and follow deadlines and review steps.
Sec. 16.059. COLLECTION OF INSTREAM FLOW DATA; CONDUCT OF STUDIES. (a) The Parks and Wildlife Department, the commission, and the board, in cooperation with other appropriate governmental agencies, shall jointly establish and continuously maintain an instream flow data collection and evaluation program and shall conduct studies and analyses to determine appropriate methodologies for determining flow conditions in the state's rivers and streams necessary to support a sound ecological environment. Any stream that consists only of floodwaters and is dry more than 75 percent of the year is exempt from this section. (b) The Parks and Wildlife Department, the commission, and the board shall each designate an employee to share equally in the oversight of the program studies. Other responsibilities shall be divided between the Parks and Wildlife Department, the commission, and the board to maximize present in-house capabilities of personnel and equipment and to minimize costs to the state. (c) The Parks and Wildlife Department, the commission, and the board shall each have reasonable access to all data, studies, analyses, information, and reports produced by the other agencies. (d) The priority studies shall be completed not later than December 31, 2016. The Parks and Wildlife Department, the commission, and the board shall establish a work plan that prioritizes the studies and that sets interim deadlines providing for publication of flow determinations for individual rivers and streams on a reasonably consistent basis throughout the prescribed study period. Before publication, completed studies shall be submitted for comment to the commission, the board, and the Parks and Wildlife Department. (e) Results of studies completed under this section shall be considered by the commission in its review of any management plan, water right, or interbasin transfer. (f) The board may authorize the use of money from the research and planning fund established under Chapter 15 to accomplish the purposes of this section. The money shall be used by the board in cooperation with the commission and the Parks and Wildlife Department for interagency contracts with cooperating agencies and universities and contracts with private sector establishments, as necessary, to accomplish the purposes of this section. Added by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 966, Sec. 4.17, eff. Sept. 1, 2001. Amended by: Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1351 (H.B. 3), Sec. 1.23, eff. September 1, 2007. Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1430 (S.B. 3), Sec. 1.23, eff. September 1, 2007.