AUSTIN, Texas — The fight for groundwater continues in the Lost Pines Groundwater Conservation District.
Some ranchers are concerned about pumping going on in their area.
The Lost Pines Groundwater Conservation District (GCD), covering both Bastrop County and Lee County, will consider a permit for Thomas Turfgrass, a sod company operating in Bastrop County.
The company leaders want to aggregate their wells and pump additional water. Neighbors say what they're already pumping has impacted the groundwater supply.
Conservation districts has some authority over how much a large volume permit pumper can pull from the aquifer.
Hydrologist William Hutchison, Ph.D., P.E., P.G., told the board this permit is different than most large-volume permits handled by the Lost Pines GCD because this deals with a company using irrigation. Normally, large pumpers are for continuous pumping, such as city-use.
The amount of water pulled under the permit will vary based on rain, with no set predictability on how much water would be pulled from the aquifer for any given year. Estimating its impact now and with future permits is challenging.
Ranchers and company leaders spoke in public testimony during the Lost Pines GCD board meeting on Wednesday. The board had a draft permit ready for vote and decided to postpone to review new information.
No date has been set on when the vote will take place.