Sterling County Underground Water Conservation District
Snapshot Management Plan 2023-2028
Goals, Management Objectives and Performance Standards
Goal 1.0 - §36.1071(a)(1) Providing the Efficient Use of Groundwater
The District strives to gather groundwater data both to improve the understanding of the aquifers and their hydrogeologic properties and to quantify this resource for prudent planning and efficient use.
1.1. Management Objective
The District will measure, record, and accumulate a historic record of static water levels in the monitoring network quarterly.
1.1a. Performance Standard
Monitor network water level measurements will be reported quarterly at regularly scheduled board meetings.
Goal 2.0 - §36.1071(a)(2) Controlling and Preventing Waste of Groundwater
The District strives to minimize potential waste and contamination of the groundwater by monitoring the drilling, spacing, and completion of wells.
2.1. Management Objective
The District will register new wells drilled within the district in accordance with District Rules.
2.1a. Performance Standard
The District will maintain files including information on the drilling, spacing, and completion of all new wells drilled within the District. Newly registered wells will be reported quarterly at regularly scheduled board meetings.
Goal 3.0 - §36.1071(a)(5) Addressing Natural Resource Issues
The District recognizes the reliance of other natural resources on groundwater supplies.
3.1 Management Objective
The District will track the number of wells being permitted and drilled to support oil and gas drilling and production operations.
3.1a. Performance Standard
The District will report the number of tracked wells to the Board quarterly at regularly scheduled board meetings.
3.2 Management Objective
There is the opportunity to participate in discussions, planning, and education concerning the interrelationship of groundwater with other natural resource issues through GMA 7 and the water planning process.
3.2a. Performance Standard
A representative of the District will attend a minimum of 50% of the GMA 7 meetings annually.
Goal 4.0 - §36.1071(a)(6) Addressing Drought Conditions
The District’s lack of surface water supplies and semi-arid climate conditions results in drought monitoring being an important component of informed management. The District strives to remain aware of ever changing climatic conditions.
4.1.Management Objective
The District will monitor the NOAA Climate Prediction Center, http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/ and the TWDB drought page, https://waterdatafortexas.org/drought/.
4.1a. Performance Standard
The drought index will be reported quarterly at regularly scheduled board meetings.
4.2 .Management Objective
The District will maintain a rainfall monitor network.
4.2a. Performance Standard
Data from the rainfall monitoring network will be reported quarterly at regularly scheduled board meetings.
Goal 5.0 - §36.1071(a)(7) Addressing Conservation and Precipitation Enhancement
The District strives to promote water management strategies recommended in the 2021 Region F Regional Water Plan that have the potential to promote local groundwater supplies and maintain financial responsibility.
5.1 Management Objective - Conservation
The District will continue to be a source for available informational materials and programs to improve public awareness of efficient use, wasteful practices and conservation measures.
5.1a. Performance Standard
The District will provide information to the public annually by participating in a show, demonstration, education talk, or other community event.
5.2 Management Objective - Precipitation Enhancement
The District will continue to support and participate in the West Texas Weather Modification Association.
5.2a. Performance Standard
The District will stay current with membership assessment fees. A District representative will attend at least 50% of the regularly scheduled meetings.
Goal 6.0 - §36.1071(a)(8) Addressing the Desired Future Conditions established under §36.108
The District strives to gather groundwater data both to improve the understanding of the aquifers and their hydrogeologic properties and in the establishment and monitoring of achievement of desired future conditions.
6.1 Management Objective
The District will each year measure, record, and accumulate a historic record of static water levels in the well monitoring network.
6.1a. Performance Standard
The District will maintain files including number of water levels measured and static levels information on the well monitoring network. Water level measurements will be reported quarterly at regularly scheduled board meetings. Monitor wells tracked by the TWDB will have their measurements reported to the TWDB annually.
6.2 Management Objective
The District will in every fifth year utilize the historic record of static water levels in the well monitoring network to establish a cumulative water level trend to be compared to the adopted Desired Future Condition.
6.2a. Performance Standard
The District will complete an analysis on the cumulative water level trend every five years and present the evaluation to the Board at a regularly scheduled meeting.
Technical District Information Required by Texas Administrative Code
Estimate of modeled available groundwater in District based on desired future conditions. Texas Water Code § 36.001 defines modeled available groundwater as “the amount of water that the executive administrator determines may be produced on an average annual basis to achieve a desired future condition established under Section 36.108.”
The joint planning process set forth in Texas Water Code § 36.108 must be collectively conducted by all groundwater conservation districts within the same GMA. The District is a member of GMA 7. GMA 7 declared the Dockum and Lipan Aquifers as not relevant for regional planning purposes in the Sterling County Underground Water Conservation District and adopted DFCs for the Edwards/Trinity (Plateau) Aquifer on August 19, 2021. The adopted DFCs were forwarded to the TWDB for development of the MAG calculations. The submittal package for the DFCs can be found here: https://www.twdb.texas.gov/groundwater/management_areas/gma7.asp
A summary of the desired future conditions and the modeled available groundwater are summarized below.
Edwards/Trinity (Plateau) Aquifer: An average drawdown of 7 feet for the Edwards-Trinity (Plateau) aquifer based on the GMA 7 Technical Memorandum 18-01.
Dockum Aquifer: Not relevant for joint planning purposes within the boundaries of Sterling County Underground Water Conservation District.
Lipan Aquifer: Not relevant for joint planning purposes within the boundaries of Sterling County Underground Water Conservation District.
Estimated Modeled Available Groundwater in ac/ft for the Edwards/Trinity (Plateau) Aquifer by district from GAM Run 21-012 MAG.
| Year | ||||||
| 2020 | 2030 | 2040 | 2050 | 2060 | 2070 | |
| Sterling Co. UWCD | 2,495 | 2,495 | 2,495 | 2,495 | 2,495 | 2,495 |
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