WaterSupply – Corpus Christi Groundwater Plan Faces Permit Delays
WaterSupply – The City of Corpus Christi’s strategy to secure additional water supplies has encountered a significant procedural hurdle, raising concerns about whether new groundwater resources will be available before drought conditions intensify later this year.
City officials had anticipated that final operational permits for the proposed Evangeline groundwater project would receive approval from the San Patricio County Groundwater Conservation District in early February. That approval was considered a key step toward launching construction on a project designed to produce up to 24 million gallons of groundwater per day.
However, formal protests filed against the permits are now expected to slow the review process, potentially postponing the project timeline by several weeks or longer.
Permit Challenges Could Shift Emergency Timeline
The delay comes at a critical time for Corpus Christi, where water levels in primary reservoirs remain historically low. City projections indicate that without additional supply sources, a Level 1 water emergency could be declared as early as November. Such a designation is issued when officials determine there is roughly a 180-day window before water demand may exceed available supply.
If that threshold is reached, mandatory reductions in water use could follow.
While developers have already secured a production permit for the Evangeline well field, additional approvals related to drilling and water transport remain outstanding. These permits must be finalized before the city can move forward with a proposed $169 million agreement to acquire groundwater rights.
City Manager Peter Zanoni expressed confidence that the project will ultimately proceed but acknowledged the risks tied to procedural delays.
Sinton Raises Concerns Over Aquifer Impact
The planned well field spans approximately 23,000 acres near the City of Sinton, whose municipal water system relies entirely on the same aquifer targeted for extraction.
Sinton officials have repeatedly voiced apprehension that large-scale pumping could affect both water quality and long-term supply for their community of about 5,500 residents. City Manager John Hobson has previously indicated that Sinton would formally oppose the remaining permits, a position that has now materialized through official filings.
Other parties challenging the permits include St. Paul Water Supply Corp., a local agricultural producer, and a Corpus Christi resident.
The filing of protests triggers a preliminary hearing process to determine whether the challengers have legal standing. City officials estimate that this phase alone could take between 30 and 60 days, though it may extend beyond that timeframe.
Zanoni noted that months of outreach and discussions were conducted with regional leaders and community members in an effort to address concerns. Hobson, however, has argued that the protests are not responsible for the region’s vulnerability, suggesting that long-term planning decisions placed the area at risk.
Additional Well Fields Under Development
To offset potential delays in the Evangeline project, Corpus Christi has expanded groundwater operations in Nueces County. The Eastern well field, located along the Nueces River, is currently producing up to 10 million gallons per day. A Western well field is also planned, though it remains inactive pending approval of a bed and banks permit from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
That permit would authorize the conveyance of groundwater into the river system. City officials have stated the Western field would need to be operational by May to help avoid a fall emergency declaration.
A third well field is also under consideration. The Corpus Christi City Council is scheduled to review a proposal to spend $28 million on groundwater rights tied to property owned by the Ed Rachal Foundation. If approved, the expansion could add between 10 and 20 million gallons per day to the city’s supply portfolio.
Drought Pressures Continue to Mount
Complicating matters further, allocations from Lake Texana—delivered through the Mary Rhodes Pipeline—may be reduced this spring if reservoir levels fall below 50 percent capacity. A 10 percent cut to the city’s contracted volume would add further strain to an already tight system.
Recent estimates have also adjusted expectations for the Evangeline project’s first phase. Instead of delivering 12 million gallons per day by November, revised contractor projections indicate only about 4 million gallons may be available initially, with capacity increasing gradually over time.
As of early February, combined storage at Lake Corpus Christi and Choke Canyon Reservoir stood at roughly 9.5 percent, underscoring the urgency of expanding supply options.
City leaders continue to pursue mediation with protestors while advancing parallel groundwater initiatives. Officials maintain that a combination of new well fields and phased Evangeline production could help delay emergency measures, even as regulatory and legal processes unfold.