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 ABOUT
THE HIGH PLAINS UNDERGROUND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT NO. 1
 The original boundaries of the High Plains Underground Water Conservation District No. 1 were delineated in March 1951 by the Texas State Board of Water Engineers.
On September 19, 1951, the people in 13 Southern High Plains counties voted to create the District in accordance with the Underground Water Conservation Districts Act passed by the Texas Legislature in 1949 (currently
codified as Chapters 35 and 36 of the Water Code, Vernon's Civil Statutes of
Texas).
Today, after several annexation elections, the High Plains Water District
consists of all of Bailey, Cochran, Hale, Lubbock, Lynn, and Parmer Counties, as
well as part of Armstrong, Castro, Crosby, Deaf Smith, Floyd, Hockley, Lamb,
Potter, and Randall Counties. An area of 10,728 square miles or 6,869,910 acres
is served by the District.
STRUCTURE
Citizens throughout the High Plains Water District service area
are represented by a grassroots network of 80 officials. The water
district is governed by a five-member elected Board of Directors. The Board of
Directors oversees all operations, programs, and activities of the Water
District, including final approval of water well permit applications.
In addition, a five-member County Advisory Committee is
appointed to four-year terms from each of the 15 counties within the district. County
Advisory Committees make recommendations to Directors
concerning programs and activities that they believe will be beneficial for the
county they serve, and advise the Board and District staff on water-related
issues in their communities requiring District attention.
FUNDING
At the election to create the District, people also voted to establish a maximum ad valorem tax rate of 5¢ per $100 valuation to support the District's programs and activities. The Board of Directors sets the tax rate annually. Since 1982, the tax rate has been set at less than 1¢ per $100 valuation. The current tax rate
is $0.00794 per $100 valuation ($7.94 per $100,000 valuation).
FUNCTIONS AND POWERS
"The Water District was not created to do away with the rights of the individual but rather...to maintain those...rights and...provide for orderly development and wise use of our own water."
--Allan White, Editor, The Cross Section, March 1956
The powers and functions of ground water districts are specified
in Chapter 36 of the Texas Water Code.
Additional information about the High Plains Water District's programs and activities is available
by contacting
General Manager Jim Conkwright at (806) 762-0181 or by e-mail at jimc@hpwd.com.
This page last updated
10/19/2007
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