June 27, 2002 -- Critical data on Texas water supplies is now easier to access with the creation of a new Internet site.
Efficient management and distribution of critical water data and information is vital to the future of Texas in its efforts to ensure long-term, drought-resistant water supplies.
Government and private interests, as well as the general public, need easy access to accurate information in order to make educated water planning and financing related decisions.
For more than 40 years, the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) has collected and stored a variety of relevant information, including data on population and water demand planning, water availability, water/drought monitoring, water conservation information, and financial program information in various databases, spreadsheets, and other electronic formats.
Accessibility to this data will now be easier with the centralization of this data into a new internet-based platform.
The Water Information Integration & Dissemination (WIID) initiative is a four-year program utilizing internet-based mapping technology to significantly improve internal and external access to water-related data. The first phase of the WIID focuses on data integration within the TWDB and development of web-based access to critical information.
In addition to internal data integration and dissemination, the TWDB will work with the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to develop a common strategy for interagency data integration and web-based access to information. This cooperative work will be implemented during the second phase of the WIID occurring sometime during the FY 2004-2005 biennium.
The initial portal of the first phase of this enhanced coordinated system for locating and accessing TWDB water data is currently limited to groundwater information only. From one convenient location, Internet users can access information on approximately 126,000 wells that are registered in the TWDB groundwater database. Well drillers may also use the site to submit required reports through the Texas Well Report Submission and Retrieval System.
To locate registered wells in a certain area, users simply click on the appropriate location grid on the state map, or search by place or county. Search tips are included to assist in finding needed data. Links to other WIID-related sites are also featured in the initial portal. Additional information and upgrades will be made to the WIID system as more tools are developed.
The initial WIID information on groundwater is now available on the Internet for use by TWDB customers. To access the WIID system, visit the home page at http://wiiddev.twdb.state.tx.us. Comments on the new program are welcomed.
For more information about the WIID, please contact Anh Selissen at 512- 473-7080 or by email at [email protected].
