Groundwater in Texas
Stacey A. Steinbach
Texas Alliance of Groundwater Districts
TACA Environmental Seminar
September 12, 2013
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
texasgroundwater.org
texasgroundwater.org
texasgroundwater.org
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
texasgroundwater.org
texasgroundwater.org
texasgroundwater.org
GCD Snapshot
Groundwater Ownership
TAGD
Starting Point: Rule of Capture • Adopted as Texas law in 1904 East decision • Landowners have right to capture an unlimited
amount of groundwater beneath their property • Called “law of non-liability” and “law of the
biggest pump” • Provides little certainty and protection
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
texasgroundwater.org
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GCD Balancing Test
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
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Conservation, preservation, protection, recharging and
prevention of waste of groundwater and control of
subsidence
Highest practicable level of groundwater
production
History of GCDs • 1917: Conservation Amendment to Texas
Constitution (Article XVI, Section 59) • 1949: Statutory framework for creation of GCDs • 1997: GCDs are the “State’s preferred method of
groundwater management” (SB 1) • 2013: 97 confirmed GCDs; 4 awaiting
confirmation; 2 subsidence districts
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
texasgroundwater.org
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Source: John Dupnik, BSEACD
New GCDs (83rd Lege) • Revived GCD: Calhoun County GCD • New GCDs:
– Reeves County GCD – Deep East Texas GCD (Shelby, San
Augustine, and Sabine Counties)
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
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How GCDs Manage Groundwater • Contribute to scientific understanding of
aquifers (measure water quality/quantity) • Educate and inform the community • Regulate drilling of wells and production of
groundwater per Chapter 36, Water Code
• Participate in joint and regional planning
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
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Water Code Chapter 36 • Well registration/permits • Reporting requirements • Well construction standards • Well spacing requirements • Production limitations
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
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Joint Planning
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
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Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
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GCD GMA DFC TWDB MAG
Joint Planning
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
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GCD GMA DFC TWDB MAG
Joint Planning • GCD – groundwater conservation district • GMA – groundwater management area • DFC – desired future condition • TWDB – Texas Water Development Board • MAG – modeled available groundwater
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
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Joint Planning • Public can
participate in joint planning process
• GCD manages to DFC, reviewed every 5 years
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
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Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
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GCD Snapshot
Groundwater Ownership
TAGD
Important Cases • Houston & Tex. Cent. R.R. Co. v. East • Pecos County WCID No. 1 v. Williams (Comanche Springs) • Sipriano v. Great Spring Waters of America, Inc. (Ozarka) • Barshop v. Medina County UWCD • City of Del Rio v. the Hamilton Trust • Edwards Aquifer Authority v. Day • Edwards Aquifer Authority v. Bragg
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
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Senate Bill 332 (2011) • Landowners own groundwater below the surface as
real property • Landowner entitled to drill for and produce
groundwater, but not a specific amount • GCDs may limit or prohibit drilling based on spacing
or tract size and regulate production of groundwater • EAA/subsidence districts excluded
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
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What We Know • Land ownership includes a constitutionally-protected
interest in groundwater in place that cannot be taken for public use without adequate compensation
• That interest does not preclude regulation by a GCD in accordance with Chapter 36 of the Water Code
• Some limitation of groundwater production does not constitute a compensable taking
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
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What We Don’t Know • How much regulation is too much?
• Is there a distinction between EAA and Chapter 36 GCDs when it comes to a takings claim?
• How will different “uses” be affected?
• Will there be unintended consequences?
• How are damages are calculated? (but see Bragg)
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
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Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
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GCD Snapshot
Groundwater Ownership
TAGD
About TAGD • Non-profit, 501(c)(3) association of member
districts and interested individuals/government entities/corporations
• 82 GCD members and two dozen associate members
• One employee; governed by an Executive Committee of 11 GCD GMs
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
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About TAGD • Provides educational and technical assistance
and training • Tracks legislation and acts as a resource for
districts, the public, lawmakers, and state agencies, as needed
• Assists members in keeping current with state law
• Provides opportunities for communication among GCDs
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
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Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
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GCD Name Legislation Number of Counties Counties
GCD Population
Community Type Largest Use
Board Member Selection
Number of Board Members
Income Source Meter Requirements
Spacing Requirements
Production Limitations
TAGD Member Database Survey of 82 TAGD GCD members with a
review of GCD enabling legislation and rules
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Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
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Number of Counties Per GCD
0 10 20 30 40 50
Five or More
Four
Three
Two
One
Number of GCDs
Num
ber
of C
ount
ies
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Largest Groundwater User
Agriculture 36%
Domestic/ Livestock
16%
Industrial/ Commercial
1%
Municipal Water Supply
36%
Oil & Gas 8%
Combination 3%
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
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Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
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Elected v. Appointed Board
Elected
Appointed
Both
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
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Number of Board Members
0 10 20 30 40 50
5
6-7
8-9
10-11
> 11
Number of GCDs
Num
ber
of B
oard
M
embe
rs
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
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Tax-Based v. Fee-Based GCDs
Fee Tax Both
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
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Emerging Issues – What’s Next? • Long-term permitting • Desalination, brackish groundwater, and
aquifer storage and recovery • Groundwater and oil and gas • Well construction standards and enforcement
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
texasgroundwater.org
texasgroundwater.org
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Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
Texas Alliance OfGroundwater Districts
texasgroundwater.org
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Questions? Stacey A. Steinbach
Texas Alliance of Groundwater Districts [email protected] www.texasgroundwater.org www.slideshare.net/TXTAGD