Dateline: June 3, 2004

Groundwater district remands decline limit 

WHITE DEER – The Board of Directors of the Panhandle Groundwater Conservation District last Wednesday remanded to the rules committee a proposed decline limit of 1.26 percent a year for the Ogallala Aquifer.

Board members said they wanted to carefully consider all the comments made at the public hearing and ensure that water users clearly understand the rule’s ramifications.

The limit proposal is part of a newly proposed Rule 16 intended to implement the District’s goal of preserving 50 percent of the groundwater in 50 years time.

The District’s hallmark 50/50 Standards says that at least 50 percent of the aquifer must be left in 50 years, starting in 1998.  The standard underpins the management plans of both the District and the Panhandle Water Planning Area.

In other business, the District approved 113 Initial Production Permits and four single well production permits.  The District also approved one Agricultural Conservation Equipment Loan.