Aquifers

Region O Water Planning Group

The Llano Estacado Regional Water Planning Group is an appointed volunteer group charged with the responsibility of developing a regional water plan for the area designated as "Region O" by the Texas Water Development Board in Austin. The High Plains Underground Water Conservation District is the local political subdivision serving as administrator for the regional water planning group. 

"Region O"

What is the Group's Purpose?

The mission statement for the Llano Estacado Regional Water Planning Group is "to develop, promote, and implement water conservation, augmentation, and management strategies to provide adequate water supplies for the Llano Estacado Water Planning Region of the High Plains of Texas and to stabilize or improve the economic and social viability and longevity of the region through these activities."

Background

Starting in 1994, a group of more than 130 water leaders worked to develop the High Plains Ogallala Aquifer Regional Water Management Plan. 

This group included representatives of municipal water authorities, Texas Tech and Texas A&M Universities, the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS), state agencies, agricultural producer groups, industrial, commercial, and institutional water users, livestock feeders/producers, groundwater conservation districts, elected officials, and interested citizens.

After passage of Senate Bill 1 during the 75th Texas Legislature, the Ogallala Aquifer Regional Water Management Plan group was dissolved and replaced with the current regional water planning group organization.

Llano Estacado Regional Waer Planning Group

In accordance with Senate Bill 1 and other related legislation, the Llano Estacado Regional Water Planning Group consists of voting members (25 maximum) representing the following stakeholders:

  • Agriculture
  • County Government
  • Electrical Generation
  • Environment
  • Groundwater Management Areas 2 & 6
  • Municipalities
  • Oil and Gas Industry
  • Public
  • River Authorities
  • Small Business
  • Underground Water Conservation Districts
  • Water Utilities

Web Site

Additional information about the Llano Estacado Regional Water Planning Group is available at www.llanoplan.org. The site includes the 2011 Llano Estacado Regional Water Management Plan, an executive summary of the plan, the minutes of all regional water planning group meetings/committee meetings held to date, the current executive committee/membership, and links to other regional water planning groups in Texas.