By Karen Gleason
Most of the 60 people who attended a meeting to discuss a groundwater conservation district at the civic center Friday agreed on one point: No district is currently needed in Val Verde County.
The meeting was hosted by Texas Rep. Eddie Morales (D-Eagle Pass) to obtain input from county residents and landowners before Morales filed a bill in the Texas Legislature to introduce enabling legislation for the future creation of a groundwater conservation district.
Many previous attempts have been made to create a groundwater district here, but those efforts have always failed, mainly as a result of pushback by the owners of large tracts of land outside the Del Rio city limits.
Morales heard from a number of those landowners during his meeting Friday, and all of those who spoke again opposed the creation of groundwater conservation district here.
Morales explained at the start of the meeting that he had not yet filed his bill to enable the creation of a groundwater conservation district in Val Verde County.
Morales said he wanted to investigate filing the bill “before we get into a place of emergency” regarding the region’s groundwater.
“I do believe it is imperative we do something to try to protect this valuable resource for Val Verde County and for future generations,” Morales said.
Throughout his presentation, Morales fielded questions from those attending the meeting.
Most of those who spoke expressed their opposition to the creation of a groundwater conservation district.
Several landowners said they and their families have been wise stewards of the region’s groundwater for many generations and told Morales they believed the desire to create a groundwater district came as the result of fears that local groundwater would be exported to other Texas cities that need it. They pointed out, however, there is no current move to export local groundwater.
The group also discussed the need for an up-to-date, comprehensive study of the county’s groundwater resources.
