How to get a well permit from a groundwater conservation district
General information, not a substitute for the advice of an attorney.
Who grants it: The groundwater conservation district covering the parcel (the report names it, or says none covers the county).
When it applies: Drilling a new well, or increasing production from an existing one, inside a district (Water Code chapter 36). Outside a district, state well-driller rules still apply through TDLR.
What the application asks for, and where to find it
| The application asks for | Where you find it | How |
|---|---|---|
| Well location and parcel | This site: the land report | The land report: coordinates, and the property ID from the Lease page. |
| Proposed use and volume | Your engineer | Construction water (dust, concrete) and O&M needs; the district sets production limits by acreage or aquifer. |
| Aquifer, depth and casing plan | Your engineer | From the licensed driller; the district's rules name the aquifers it manages. |
| Owner of the surface and of the groundwater | The landowner | Groundwater can be severed from the surface; ask the owner and check the title commitment (the report's Lease page lists it under "Ask the owner"). |
| Spacing from neighbouring wells | The agency's website | The district's rules and its well database; the district tells you the spacing rule. |
| Applicant details and driller licence | You (the applicant) | Your entity and the driller's TDLR licence number. |
What the "where you find it" column means
- This site: the land report
- Run the spot on the land report; the value is on the page named, with its agency source.
- Appraisal district (tax assessor)
- The county appraisal district record: property ID, legal description, acreage, owner of record, agricultural valuation. The report's Lease page links it; the Permits page lists the district's phone.
- The landowner
- Only the owner can supply it: signed authorization, deed reference, existing leases, access, their contact details.
- Your engineer
- From your civil or electrical engineer: site plan, disturbed acreage, drainage, the electrical one-line, nameplate and inverter data, structure heights.
- Surveyor or title company
- Boundary survey, legal description for recording, easements of record, title commitment.
- The agency's website
- The agency publishes it: forms, fee schedules, community numbers, district offices, portal accounts.
- You (the applicant)
- Your entity details: legal name, address, signatory, contacts, FEIN, insurance.
How to file it
- Find the district with the TWDB district list; the report's Permits page links the district's own page.
- Read the district rules (spacing, production, metering) and request the permit application.
- File with the well plan; most districts hear new production permits at a board meeting.
- Meter and report as the permit says.
The pages you will use
Official pages cited
How-to guidance from the agency pages linked above, not legal advice; forms, fees and offices change, so confirm with the office before filing. The land report fills in the site facts; the rest comes from the sources named in each row.
Related questions
General information from the sources linked above, not legal, tax, or financial advice.
Sources and helpful links
- TWDB district list twdb.texas.gov
- Texas Water Code chapter 36 statutes.capitol.texas.gov
More official contacts and resources: Helpful links.