Panhandle Water Planning Group

The Panhandle Water Planning Group (PWPG) was formed and charged with preparing the regional long-range plan for the Panhandle. The Planning Commission is proud to have been selected by the Panhandle Water Planning Group as the Designated Political Subdivision for the planning efforts and have also been selected to assist in the process by conducting the primary Public Information efforts. Local Government Services (LGS) staff assists the PWPG in managing historical records, fiscal activities, contractor and sub-contractor work, meeting notifications, and the maintenance of the group’s website.

The PWPG adopted the first Panhandle Regional Water Plan in 2001. The Regional Water Plan includes and exhaustive analysis of water availability, water user groups, and water management strategies along with legislative and conservation recommendations. The 2001 plan was one of only two in the state recommended for approval without amendment, revision, or change. The PWPG adopted a comprehensive plan update in 2006 with major revisions in the Groundwater Availability Modeling methodology and groundwater management strategies due to technological advancements and a general improvement in understanding the Ogallala Aquifer.

From 2007 to 2009 the PWPG worked extensively on an Ogallala Recharge Study to identify how quickly the Ogallala Aquifer is recharging in the Eastern Panhandle. Unfortunately, the results of this study depict only a .25 to .33 inch recharge rate in most soil types in the region. While these results are somewhat disappointing, they will be highly valuable in future water planning.

The PWPG is currently past the midway point of developing the Regional Water Plan for 2011. The engineering firm of Freese and Nichols Inc. has again been contracted to assist in the technical development of the plan. Draft chapters relating to water availability, agriculture usage, agriculture and municipal demand, legislative recommendations, and the regional planning process are available at Panhandlewater.org for review. The Initially Prepared Plan must be adopted by March 1, 2010 prior to a review by the Texas Water Development Board. The Initially Prepared Plan will then be available for public review and comment for over a month before being considered for final adoption. All PWPG meetings are open to the public and follow the Texas Open Meetings Act. If you would like to be added to an interested parties list to receive direct notification of upcoming meetings please see contact information to the right.

• Panhandle Water Planning Group

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• Groundwater Management Area #1 (GMA#1)

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• Panhandlewater.org

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• Contact