Data Management, GIS and a New Groundwater Conservation District

Texas is a large state with a significant rural population, large areas of moderate rainfall, and limited sites well suited for reservoir construction. Therefore, much of Texas depends upon groundwater for supply. Texas also has a growing population, and as the demand for water increases, the need for efficient groundwater management will also increase. Currently, Texas law is exemplified by the “Rule of Capture” and Groundwater Conservation Districts are the preferred method of groundwater management. These Groundwater Conservation Districts offer local or regional control for groundwater management, in contrast to statewide regulations. However, state law has mandated that all the 254 counties in Texas will be part of a ground water management district by 2010. This emphasis resulted in the creation of new Groundwater Conservation Districts where little experience and expertise related to groundwater management exist. The governing boards of these districts seldom contain hydrogeologists or groundwater engineers. Therefore, there is need for collecting and organizing district specific data on local aquifers, well hydraulics and groundwater/surface water interactions coupled with a need for communication and education among stakeholders. Because groundwater management problems (and solutions) are largely spatial in nature and often complex, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are well suited to help groundwater professionals communicate with the public and work with the wide variance in background among decision makers associated with Groundwater Conservation Districts.  The value of geo-visualization and GIS in groundwater management are exemplified in some of the unique challenges of the newly formed Southern Trinity Groundwater Conservation District.