It is no coincidence that communities thrive where water is abundant. We depend on it for drinking, recreation, energy, cleaning, irrigation and industry. Simply put, we cannot live without it. But living with it can be just as challenging, especially when creeks and rivers turn into raging torrents.

The San Antonio region faces periods of drought and periods of flood, cycles determined by weather patterns and our geographic location. Deciding how best to manage too little water or too much water is a responsibility to which area governments devote significant resources, constantly planning for the future by implementing newer and better technology, bolstering flood control measures, studying water flow and water runoff and many other measures.

BRWM program deliverables include:

Planning Documents.  The partners emphasize the importance of thorough planning to guide the management, implementation, selection and funding of projects undertaken by the Regional Management Program.

• Definition of a Regional Project:  Defined in ILA as a project with a drainage area greater than 960 acres; the Regional Management Program will focus on projects that serve larger areas of the watershed and provide multiple benefits.  Local projects remain the responsibility of the individual jurisdiction.

• Management Guidance Document:  A document to define service responsibilities and service levels currently performed by the partner entities.

• Watershed Master Plan: This key program document will establish goals, objectives, performance standards and best management practices to guide the management and implementation of the Regional Management Program, while establishing uniform design and operations standard for projects.  The master plan will also address the need to link the Regional Management Program with existing local ordinances, and state and federal laws to achieve consistency. 

• Annual Editions of the Five Year Capital Improvement Plans:  The plan will identify regional projects and their estimated implementation budgets for next five year period based upon  technical merit.

• Annual Capital Improvement Plan:  A more detailed plan identifying projects to be funded for the upcoming budget year and the annual project costs for funding by County, City, SARA and others.

Data.  In addition to these planning documents, the program will generate the following data and technical tools

• Technical models:  Hydrologic, hydraulic, and water quality models tied to a geographic information system for use in identifying regional flood control, drainage, storm water and water quality projects to be included in the Five Year Capital Improvement Plans and Annual Capital Improvement Plan.

• Strategic financial models:  A management tool used to support the collaborative decisions of participants in the Regional Management Program.

• Networked databases:  To inventory and network existing and future databases and link information for use by all participating entities.