High Plains Underground Water Conservation District starting their annual water level tests

LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) - We were warned over the summer to be cautious of our water usage, but that’s not the only season we should conserve water.

“It’s not inexhaustible the water supply, so conservation is important,” Jason Coleman, Manager of the High Plains Water Conservation District said.

The High Plains Underground Water Conservation District has started its annual trip around the south plains. Agents will measure water levels in underground aquifers to determine just how much longer we can rely on those critical resources.

“We go out and measure approximately 1,400 wells and we see areas that are endangered or have high declines,” Billy Barron a field technician said. “Those areas of ‘high decline’ may lead to tapped-out wells.”

Stephanie Brady, Communications Director for High Plains says we should all treat these sources of water like the valuable resources they are.

“The majority of our area has a fairly stable decline. It’s not extreme, but there are areas that are,” she said.

The High Plains Water District predicts current water supplies will drop more than 18% over the next 40 years while the demand for water will rise by 9%.

“You always want to conserve water whether you’re in the city or out in the country. Do your part and conserve water because we want to have it in our area for years and years to come,” Brady said.

The agents at the High Plains Water Conservation District say you can get your wells checked any time of the year at no cost. They also stress the importance of conserving water all year round so we never have to worry about a depleted supply.

Check out the interactive map on their website to see when wells in your area will be checked.

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