Managing Groundwater in Far West Texas with Local Control Presented at the Texas Groundwater 2004

Managing Groundwater in Far West Texas with

Local Control

Presented at the

Texas Groundwater 2004Towards Sustainability

November 18, 2004Austin, Texas

Presented by

Janet AdamsGeneral Manager

Jeff Davis County Underground Water Conservation DistrictPresidio County Underground Water Conservation Districts

Jeff Davis

• Jeff Davis County Underground Water Conservation District– 2258 square miles– 1993– Economy

• Agricultural• Tourism• Hunting

Presidio County

• Presidio County Underground Water Conservation District– 1999– 3,855 square miles – Economy

• Agricultural• Hunting• Art• Tourism

Water Transfers in 1999-2003

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003

Reeves

Alpine

Acre Feet

PurposedTransfers from Ryan Flat

0

10000

20000

30000

40000

50000

60000

Current

ProposedEl Paso

ProposedRioNuevo

Acre Feet

STATIC LEVELS

-200-180-160-140-120-100-80-60-40-20

0

Well 1 Well 2 Well 3 Well 4

1996

1998

2000

2002

2004

Chapter 36 36.121. Limitation on Rulemaking Power of Districts

Over Wells in Certain Counties Except as provided by Section 36.117, a district that is

created under this chapter on or after September 1, 1991, shall exempt from regulation under this chapter a well and any water produced or to be produced by a well that is located in a county that has a population of 14,000 or less if the water is to be used solely to supply a municipality that has a population of 121,000 or less and the rights to the water produced from the well are owned by a political subdivision that is not a municipality, or by a municipality that has a population of 100,000 or less, and that purchased, owned, or held rights to the water before the date on which the district was created, regardless of the date the well is drilled or the water is produced. The district may not prohibit the political subdivision or municipality from transporting produced water inside or outside the district’s boundaries.

Gallons Pumped in One Year

0100,000,000200,000,000300,000,000400,000,000500,000,000600,000,000700,000,000800,000,000

Gallons Pumped

Total

Regulated

Unregulated

Districts Need

– Sound Science

• Funding

• Time

– Sustainability

• Aquifers different

Groundwater Districts Role

• Permits– Drilling– Production– Export

• Fees – Production– Export

• The Jeff Davis County Underground Water Conservation District and the Presidio County Underground Water Conservation District will strive to develop, promote, and implement water conservation and management strategies to protect water resources for the benefit of the citizens, economy, and environment of the District.

West Texas