Help us protect the groundwater that keeps our communities, farms, ranches and businesses going.
If you have a water well on your property that has not yet been registered or permitted, we want to hear from you.
That may sound like a simple request, but it is actually an important part of protecting our groundwater for the future.
The Hickory Underground Water Conservation District No. 1 was created because the people of this area believed groundwater was important enough to deserve local protection. In 1982, local citizens petitioned the State of Texas to create the District. When the question went to the voters, 94% voted in favor of creating the District.
In other words, this District was created by the people who live here, to serve the people who live here.
And that's still our job.
Why does my well matter?
Groundwater doesn't recognize property lines.
What one person pumps can affect the groundwater available to a neighbor, a farmer, a rancher, a business or a community down the road.
That's why the District is required to look at the groundwater system as a whole and plan for its future. One of the tools we use is a Desired Future Condition, or DFC — a locally established goal for what we want our groundwater resources to look like in the future.
To manage groundwater responsibly and determine whether we're on track to meet those goals, we need good information about how much groundwater is actually being used.
And that's where you come in.
Registration or permitting isn't about taking your water.
We know that people can be understandably cautious when they hear the words “register your well” or “get a permit.”
We're not asking you to give up your groundwater.
We're asking you to document the well you already have so that we can understand our groundwater resources and manage them responsibly.
In our District, many domestic and livestock wells are exempt from permitting, but we ask that those wells still be registered with us.
Larger-use wells — such as irrigation, municipal, commercial and industrial wells — generally require a permit when they exceed the applicable exemption.
That information helps us build a much more accurate picture of groundwater use across the District.
Think of it this way...
If we don't know where the wells are, what they're being used for, or how much water is being produced from permitted wells, we're trying to manage a groundwater system with pieces of the puzzle missing.
You can help us put those pieces together.
Your well information helps the District:
understand how groundwater is being used;
monitor changes in groundwater levels;
make better management decisions;
evaluate whether we're meeting our Desired Future Conditions;
plan for future water needs; and
protect the groundwater resource for the people who will need it years from now.
This is your groundwater District.
You don't have to live in a city to have a voice in how groundwater is managed.
You don't have to be a large water user.
And you don't have to wait until there's a problem.
If you have a well, let us know about it.
If your well is a domestic or livestock well that is exempt from permitting, register it with us.
If your well is a larger-use well that requires a permit, make sure it is properly permitted.
The more complete our information is, the better we can do the job the people of this area asked us to do back in 1982.
We work for you. Help us protect what belongs to all of us.
Have questions about your well? Give us a call. We're here to help.
Hickory Underground Water Conservation District No. 1
111 East Main Street • Brady, Texas 76825
(325) 597-2785
hickoryuwcd@hickoryuwcd.org