harris-galveston coastal subsidence district jace a. houston groundwater district survey and summary...
TRANSCRIPT
Harris-Galveston Coastal Subsidence District
Jace A. Houston
Groundwater District Surveyand Summary of Regulatory Methods
Texas Groundwater 2004November 18-19, 2004
The Role of Groundwater Districtsin Texas
Judicial doctrines:
• Reasonable use• Correlative rights• Restatement 2d of Torts• Rule of capture
Legislative methods:
• Local, regional or state-wide administration
• Wide variety• Any combination of
doctrines or methods
Rule of capture . . . . . plus . . . . . local groundwater districts.
1. How does Texas regulate (manage) groundwater?
“Regulatory Options andConsiderations for GCDs”
1. The Decision-Making Process- How should science factor into the district’s decisions?- What is the district’s goal for the aquifer? - What factors influence the district’s goals?- Which regulatory method best meets the district’s goals?- What legal standard governs district decisions?
2. Overview of Regulatory Methods- What regulatory options are available to districts?- What factors determine which methods are appropriate?
3. Gulf Coast Aquifer Examples
Traditional Categories of Traditional Categories of Regulatory MethodologiesRegulatory Methodologies
Reasonable UseReasonable Use
Prior AppropriationPrior Appropriation
Correlative RightsCorrelative Rights
Rule of CaptureRule of Capture
Jace’s Categories ofJace’s Categories ofRegulatory MethodologiesRegulatory Methodologies
No spacing or production limitsNo spacing or production limits SpacingSpacing PLs based on acreage or tract sizePLs based on acreage or tract size PLs based on proportionate reductionPLs based on proportionate reduction PLs based on “first in time, first in right”PLs based on “first in time, first in right” PLs based on historical use (& PLs based on historical use (&
grandfathering)grandfathering) PLs based on rate of withdrawalPLs based on rate of withdrawal PLs based on preventing well interference PLs based on preventing well interference
or unreasonable drawdownor unreasonable drawdown
Aquifer
Aquifer
Confining Layer
Clay
Water Line
Aquifer
Aquifer
Confining Layer
Clay
Water Line
Aquifer
Aquifer
Clay
Clay
Water Line
Bad Water Line
Aquifer
Aquifer
Confining Layer
Water Line
Chicot Aquifer
Evangeline Aquifer
Beaumont Clay
Burkeville Clay