CLICK ON THE ABOVE BUTTON TO NOTIFY US OF OPEN, ABANDONED WATER WELLS WITHIN THE DISTRICT.  (THIS IS STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL.)

The High Plains Underground Water Conservation District No. 1 works to close open, unused irrigation wells ("open holes") to protect the Ogallala aquifer from pollution and to prevent a tragic loss of human or animal life.

Uncapped well openings provide a direct conduit for contaminants to enter the ground water stored in the Ogallala Formation. Rainfall runoff can carry pollutants into open wells, especially if the casing and pump base have been removed. Open holes also provide tempting disposal sites for paints, motor oil, and other unwanted substances. Once ground water in an aquifer is contaminated, it becomes extremely difficult and very expensive to return it to a state suitable for human and/or livestock use.

During the 1980s, there were three separate incidents involving a child falling into an open, abandoned well in the West Texas area. Luckily, all three were rescued unharmed. Investigation of open holes usually results from telephone calls from the public, permit validations, and field observations in the process of conducting other Water District business.

State law and High Plains Water District rules state that "Every owner and operator of land within the district upon which is located any open or uncovered well is, and shall be, required to close or cap the same permanently with a covering capable of sustaining weight of not less than four hundred (400) pounds, except when said well is in actual use by the owner and operator thereof and no owner or operator shall permit or allow any open or uncovered well to exist in violation of this requirement."

District field technicians carry two sizes of well plugs in their pickups.  If an open, abandoned water well is located, the field technician will close the well, note its location, and contact the landowner/operator.  The landowner/operator has the option to pay $75 for the well plug installed by the water district OR remove the plug and cap the well themselves.  In both instances, district field personnel will return to the site to make sure the well is properly closed.

From time to time, the district's General Manager may select a specific county for a "drive out." District personnel drive along each road and turnrow to visually inspect each well site as shown on a topographic map of that county. These wells are examined to see if a pump has been installed, if the pump has been removed, if the pump is removed and the well is open, or if it has been properly capped. Also, wells are examined for cave-ins that could allow runoff water to enter the well.

Approximately 25 open, improperly covered or deteriorated wells were reported and inspected by district personnel in 2006.

Additional information about this program is available by contacting Water Well Permits and Field Support Group Supervisor Patty Bryant at (806) 762-0181 or by e-mail at permit@hpwd.com

 Click here to read or download TDLR's Landowners' Guide To Plugging Abandoned Water Wells

This page last updated on 07/02/2007