Water district seeks models for future groundwater use

One is based on “correlative rights” and another builds on “first-come, first-serve” permits issued by the district, board members said during a meeting Monday. After much discussion, board president John Simmons asked vice president Wayne Brown, director Clyde Waters and technical consultant Randy Williams to form a committee to develop the two models of future groundwater use. 

“Find out if this one (model) works better for everyone in the county, or if this one (model) works better for everyone in the county — that is your goal,” Simmons said during the meeting at the Burnet City Council Chambers. 

Correlative rights are an entitlement “to so much water based on how much land you own,” Brown told The Daily Tribune. 

Besides weighing rights and permits, Williams could work on an “engineering model” to measure how many acre-feet of water may be available for future domestic use from Burnet County aquifers, Waters said. 

An acre-foot of water means the amount of water necessary to cover one acre of land to the depth of one foot or 325,851 gallons of water. 

No perfect model of future water use may be possible, Waters added. 

“I don’t think we are smart enough to come up with a one-size-fits-all model,” Waters said. “We’re going to hurt some peoples’ feelings.” 

Eventually, the district aims to implement and enforce rules for future water use in tandem with a “water budget” developed by the Texas Water Development Board, officials said. 

More than three years ago, the Legislature created the district to “conserve, preserve, protect and recharge the groundwater resources” of the county, and the district was confirmed by election Sept. 21, 2005. 

“They have to follow the same rules they adopt,” said District General Manager Richard Bowers. “They know they will impact them and their neighbors.” 

raymond@thepicayune.com