1. Groundwater Management Strategies
For The High Plains of Texas
Jim Conkwright
General Manager
High Plains Underground Water
Conservation District No. 1
Lubbock TX
TAGD Groundwater Summit
August 29, 2012

2. High Plains of Texas
• We live with drought on daily basis.
– Agricultural, industrial, and urban water users continue to adopt
conservation practices.
• Agricultural irrigation only supplements rainfall.
(Less pumping in wet years + more in dry years)
• Reliance on water conservation plays key role in water
planning.
• GCDs in Ogallala region use similar strategies.
– Allowable production rates.
– Shared management plans/conservation strategies.
– Water well spacing requirements.

3. Different Districts =
Different Desired Future Conditions =
Different Strategies
GCDs use a variety of tools in the toolbox to formulate
water conservation strategies to achieve DFCs.
Adopted strategies based upon local decisions.

4. North Plains GCD
GMA # 1 Hemphill Co.
UWCD
40/50 DFC
(Dallam, Sherman, Moore & Hartley in a district)
Panhandle GCD
50/50 DFC
(Rest of GMA # 1 & areas not in a district)
80/50 DFC (Hemphill County)
GMA # 2 High Plains UWCD # 1
50/50 DFC
(HPWD & areas not in a district)
Sandy Land South Plains Garza FW &
UWCD UWCD UWCD
These adopted DFCs for
southern portion of Llano Estacado Mesa
UWCD UWCD
GMA # 2 and areas not in a district
are based upon a continuation of water
level declines resulting Permian Basin UWCD
from estimated production
rates from 1998-2007.

5. HPWD DFC and
Management Strategies
• DFC for Ogallala Aquifer is 50/50.
• 50 % of saturated thickness in 2010
still in storage in 2060.
• Strategies include:
• Spacing rules
• Allowable production rates (APR)
• Water use reporting
• Water banking
• Public education/awareness

6. Take Home Points
• Proactive management needed if
sustainable use of water resources is to be
achieved.
• “One Size Doesn’t Fit All!”
• GCDs must use different management tools
as they formulate strategies for local
management of aquifers.

7. Jim Conkwright
High Plains Underground Water
Conservation District No. 1
2930 Avenue Q
Lubbock TX 79411-2499
(806) 762-0181
jimc@hpwd.com
or
info@hpwd.com