What the NPGCD Does
Identifying future concerns and finding solutions related to water resources before they become problems.
The District issues water well permits, collects groundwater information, performs water quality analyses and provides a number of well system tests and other services. Extensive databases are used to store, retrieve, and analyze groundwater information for the District.
The purpose of the North Plains Groundwater Conservation District is achieved through rules, educational programs, District-provided services, and through the cooperation of local, state, and federal agencies.
Throughout the history of the North Plains Groundwater Conservation District, the board of directors and staff have been committed to identifying future concerns and finding solutions before they become problems. The District continues to be aware of regulations of other local, state, and federal agencies which affect groundwater use or groundwater management. The District acts as a liaison between these agencies and the residents of the District. It is the goal of the District to provide the best management of groundwater resources and make every effort to insure that an abundant supply of potable water will be available for future generations.
Groundwater Production Units
A Groundwater Production Unit (GPU) is needed for everyone owning groundwater rights in the North Plains Groundwater Conservation District. The District requests an Affidavit of Ownership be completed for recently purchased groundwater rights and can assist producers with creating GPU’s for contiguous acreage to maximize the Annual Allowable Production of 1.5 acre-feet per acre.
Permits and Registration
All wells in the District must be registered or have a test hole permit or well permit issued by the District. No water well drilling can begin until the proper documentation and applicable fees have been accepted and approved by the District.
Rig supply wells and domestic and livestock wells incapable of producing over 17.5 GPM are considered exempt wells. They are required to be registered, but are exempt from permitting requirements. Use the Exempt Request Form below.
All other wells must request a New Well Request Form and/or Test Hole Permit Form. Once a permit is signed and all fees paid ($1000 for Well Permits, $200 for Test Hole Permits), the District can usually approve and complete the permits within 7 business days. A Well Permit is valid for 150 days and a Test Hole Permit is valid for 60 days.
Anyone requesting a Well Permit, Test Hole Permit, Property Line Spacing Easement, Declaration of Groundwater Production Unit or Well Reclassification Form must either be the owner of the groundwater rights or the owners authorized agent. An Agent Authorization Form must be completed, signed in front of a notary and on file in the District office.
Metering and Production
All owners of non-exempt wells are required to report the annual groundwater production from those wells by March 1 of the following year. A Establishing a New Metering Method Form must be completed and filed with the District to ensure Annual Production Reports have accurate metering information.
An owner may use an alternative metering method for all wells in existence before October 14, 2003 to report groundwater withdrawals from a GPU until the owner applies for a permit to construct a well or amend an existing Well Permit on the GPU. At that time the owner is required to install and report annual production from flow meters at the pump on the new well and all other sells within 365 days after the date the permit was issued. Owners of GPU’s of less than 640 acres and not contiguous with the owners other GPU’s may request to be allowed to install a flow meter at a central collection point.
The District has a meter reimbursement program available to agricultural irrigation producers which will reimburse 50 percent of the cost of the flow meter. Information, requirements and applications for the program can be found at Meter Reimbursement Program.
NPGCD Field Services
Field Services on offer to the residents of the Northern Texas Panhandle
The following field services, with the exception of some special water quality analyses, are provided free to persons within the North Plains Groundwater Conservation District. These services are not routinely offered for those outside our District, however, if you are interested, please contact our office at 806-935-6401.
Services currently provided to those within the NPGCD include:
- flow (GPM)/ pumping level (draw down)/static level,
- water quality, coliform bacteria and water sample collection.
NPGCD will not provide field services to well owners or operators of wells within the NPGCD if the wells are not in compliance with district rules.
- The board of directors may adopt a fee schedule which sets the amount of fees to be charged for any services provided within the NPGCD.
- NPGCD shall charge fees for all services provided outside of the boundaries of the NPGCD.
