Trustee

Steven J. Raabe, P.E.

Trustee, Matagorda Bay Mitigation Trust

 

Steve Raabe is a native of the Three Oaks community in Wilson County and is a graduate of Poth High School and Texas A&M University.

Mr. Raabe is a Licensed Professional Engineer in the State of Texas and is recently retired from the San Antonio River Authority (SARA).

 

Education and Licenses

• Master of Engineering, Agricultural Engineering, Texas A&M University, 1980
• Bachelor of Science, Agricultural Engineering, Texas A&M University, 1979
• Licensed Professional Engineer #56917, issued January 17, 1985

Memberships

• American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers
• National Society of Professional Engineers
• American Society of Civil Engineers
• Texas Farm Bureau
• Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers
• Beefmaster Breeders United
• Wilson County Agrilife Extension Leadership Advisory Board
• Wilson County Historical Commission
• South Texas Weather Modification Association

Work History

Mr. Raabe has thirty-eight years of project management, water resources planning and engineering experience for the San Antonio River Authority and private consulting engineering companies. Mr. Raabe has developed and facilitated multi-entity water resources and environmental projects, scientific studies and inter-local agreements that emphasize regional cooperation and sharing of governmental resources.

Mr. Raabe has been the administrator since 1998 for the Region L Water Planning Group, a 32 member body responsible for developing a 50-year regional water plan for 21 counties in south central Texas. He managed the creation of the Regional Water Resources Development Group, a cooperative purchasing program comprised of thirteen water utilities, that purchases and leases Edwards Aquifer groundwater rights. Mr. Raabe facilitated the creation of the Regional Water Alliance, comprised of 22 water utilities, to implement the water projects in the Region L water plan.

Mr. Raabe managed the development of an ecological dynamic simulation model by Texas Tech University to simulate the response of marsh vegetation in San Antonio Bay to variations in freshwater inflow and salinity. He managed a comprehensive instream flow study of the San Antonio River in conjunction with the Texas Water Development Board, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and Texas Commission on Environmental Quality that resulted in the establishment of environmental flow standards by the TCEQ. He also managed a study by Texas A&M University on the effect of freshwater inflows on whooping cranes. He initiated a groundwater – surface water interaction study of the lower San Antonio River with the US Geologic Survey and two groundwater districts that provided critical information for the groundwater availability models of the Carrizo-Wilcox and Gulf Coast Aquifers.

Mr. Raabe served as secretary and chair of the Edwards Aquifer Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) Stakeholder Committee which oversees the implementation of the HCP for the protection of the federally-listed spring species potentially affected by the management of the Edwards Aquifer.

Mr. Raabe led the San Antonio River Authority’s efforts to increase collaboration with the soil and water conservation districts and the agricultural community within the River Authorities jurisdiction.

Service

• TCEQ South Texas Watermaster Advisory Committee 2001-2019.
• Advisory Board Member for the Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department at Texas A&M University from 2005-2007.
• Advisory Committee for the Water Resources Science & Technology program at Texas A&M University – San Antonio 2019- present.
• Advisory Committee for the Irrigation Technology Center at Texas A&M University - San Antonio - 2009.
• Steering Committee member and secretary for the Edwards Aquifer Recovery Implementation Program (EARIP), predecessor to the Edwards Aquifer HCP 2007-2012.
• Chair of the Recharge Facility Feasibility subcommittee for the EARIP 2008.
• Chair of the Stakeholder Group for Groundwater Management Area 13 for the Carrizo-Wilcox aquifers.

Mr. Raabe is an amateur historian and has been conducting historical research on southwest Wilson County and the historic Dewees ranch for many years.
Currently he and his wife run a Beefmaster cattle operation west of Poth. They have two daughters who are both married and four beautiful grandchildren.