Water Law in Texas is a rich, involved, complicated field so we are not surprised that well owners are little confused about some of the Hickory UWCD’s requirements and requests. To start, our name itself is a bit confusing. When we were created by a petition of local landowners in 1982, we only had jurisdiction over the Hickory aquifer, but 20 years later all other aquifers within the District boundaries were added. So, despite the name, the Hickory Underground Water Conservation District #1 oversees ALL groundwater within the boundaries. And for the record, while we are Hickory UWCD #1, there is no #2.
While considered a governing body, the District serves local taxpayers and desires to work in cooperation. Nonetheless, we still have to follow the guidelines set forth by the Texas Water Code, Chapter 36 as well as our set of rules which can be found online at our website <www. hickoryuwcd.org>.
Residents are hearing from us right now because we’re going through records and maps trying to register and permit all the working wells in the District. What does that mean? Registrations are simple one-page forms for low water usage wells. Basically, these are for the domestic and livestock wells – wells that use or produce no more than 25,000 gallons a day or 9,125,000 gallons a year. There is no formal director approval process for a well registration. The well owner simply supplies information on water use needed by the District.
Why do we need this information? We use the quantity of water pumped to estimate how much water is being withdrawn from the aquifer every year. We have monitors across the District measuring water levels, and we track rainfall. The amount of water withdrawn is an important factor in determining what is happening with the groundwater. With this information, we can better understand water in, water out, and how aquifers are affected by these variables.
Permits are a little more complicated. Permits are for larger production such as irrigation, municipal water supply, and industrial use. Permit applications require a bit more information than well registrations and are presented to the District Board of Directors for approval in public hearings. They are required by state law under Chapter 36. Once a well is permitted, owners or operators of all permitted wells must complete annual water use reports in order to keep the permits active. Even if the water is not being currently pumped, a report is required.
We understand the paper work can be a headache, and that’s why we are always ready to help with every step in the process. When we mail out requests for permits and registrations, we do our best to complete as much of the paperwork as possible for you. Never hesitate to reach out to our staff for answers to your questions. You can call 325-597-2785 or email hickoryuwcd@yahoo.com with any questions or comments.