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A public meeting/hearing will be held July
15 at 7 p.m. at the Cole Community Center, 300
16th Street in Canyon to give local residents an
opportunity to offer comments about the proposed
annexation of the remaining portion of Randall
County into the High Plains Underground Water
Conservation District No. 1.
“Management of underground water has
become more political and complex during the past
few years, “said Jim Conkwright, High Plains Water
District manager. “Randall County landowners
have expressed interest in joining the Water
District to assure local control and management of
their groundwater resources.”
The High Plains Water District currently
serves the northwestern and southeastern portions
of Randall County. The proposed annexation
territory includes portions of the City of Amarillo,
the City of Canyon, Lake Tanglewood, Palo Duro
Canyon State Park, and Timbercreek Canyon.
Under the provisions of Chapter 36 of
the Texas Water Code, groundwater conservation
districts “provide for the conservation,
preservation, protection, recharging, and
prevention of waste of the underground water
reservoirs.” Created in 1951, the High Plains
Water District is the first groundwater conservation
district formed in Texas.
In order to add territory to an
underground water conservation district, a petition
must be signed by a majority of persons holding
title to the land within the proposed annexation
area. If more than 50 persons hold title to the land
within the proposed annexation area, then a
petition with a minimum of 50 signatures is
required.
A petition containing 107 signatures was
received by the High Plains Water District Board of
Directors at their June 15 regular meeting. Using
the appropriate appraisal district records, the
Water District has confirmed that more than 50
valid landowners signed a petition for the county in
which they owned land.
“The Board of Directors appreciates the
efforts of local landowners to obtain these
signatures,” Conkwright said.
The July 15 public hearing has been
ordered by the High Plains Water District Board to
determine if annexation of the proposed Randall
County territory would benefit the landowners in
the area and the Water District.
A second hearing is scheduled for
August 17 at 9:15 a.m. in the A. Wayne Wyatt
Board Room at the High Plains Underground Water
Conservation District No. 1 office, 2930 Avenue Q,
in Lubbock. At that time, the five-member Board of
Directors will take comments for residents of the
existing Water District regarding the proposed
annexation of the remainder of Randall County.
The High Plains Water District Board of
Directors may order a Nov. 2, 2010 annexation
election if it is determined that the annexation is
beneficial.
Randall County residents may obtain
additional information about the proposed
annexation by contacting Jim Conkwright or Sherry
Stephens at (806) 762-0181.
-30- Web posted at
1:20 p.m., June 23, 2010.
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