An Overview of the Operational Characteristics of Selected Irrigation Districts in the Texas Lower Rio Grande Valley: Brownsville Irrigation District
Abstract
Population expansion and water shortfalls have placed the Texas Lower Rio
Grande Valley (Valley) center stage in water publicity. The unique characteristics and
lack of public knowledge on how irrigation districts divert and convey water from the
Rio Grande to municipal, industrial, and agriculture consumers have precipitated
questions regarding the operations and makeup of these districts. Differences between
and similarities across irrigation districts can be partially attributed to the topography,
water-delivery infrastructure system, past financial decisions, and each irrigation
district’s population demographics and clientele base. The Brownsville Irrigation
District (BID), with its unusual use of a natural resaca system and advanced technology
directing flow-control mechanisms, is one of the 29 distinct irrigation districts in the
Valley. This study presents a comprehensive analysis of BID that includes a brief
historical background, a description of the District, and discussion of the District’s
current operations. Specific information in the report details not only the use of
technology within the District, but also how the District diverts and delivers its
allocated water from the Rio Grande, how it is used (i.e., municipal, industry, and
agriculture), and mechanisms for allocation within and outside the District.
The uniqueness of the Lower Rio Grande Valley irrigation districts requires an
understanding of their origins and operating mannerisms in order to explain their
overall institutional effects. Through unlocking some of the conundrum associated
with these individual irrigation districts, policymakers and other interested
stakeholders should have a better perception of the culture and evolution that surround
these unique districts, thereby facilitating improved policy-making decisions affecting
the region’s water supply and usage.
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Citation
Stubbs, Megan J.; Rister, M. Edward; Sturdivant, Allen W.; Lacewell, Ronald D. (2004). An Overview of the Operational Characteristics of Selected Irrigation Districts in the Texas Lower Rio Grande Valley: Brownsville Irrigation District. Texas Water Resources Institute. Available electronically from https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /6102.