The Middle Trinity Groundwater Conservation District will host a public hearing on proposed rule changes May 9 at 1 p.m. before its next monthly meeting.
The hearing was approved by directors during the regular meeting Thursday, April 4. The rules changes are being aimed at combating issues the district has been having with rogue drillers with one driller operating within the district found to be drilling wells without seeking registration and violating spacing requirements.
MTGCD is the governing body responsible for cataloguing well registration, ensuring the proper installation of wells and upholding the conservation of groundwater within the district’s member counties (Erath, Comanche, Bosque and Coryell).
During the March meeting, A proposed revision to the well registration and permit application process was announced that would deny permits from drillers (or their affiliates) if the driller is: ■ delinquent in paying any fee or judgment by the district;
■ has a rules violation with the district that has not been settled;
■ or has not paid a civil penalty or otherwise failed to comply with an order resulting from the judgment of a violation of a District permit, order or rule. In the April meeting MTGCD general manager Patrick Wagner said he is also suggesting that any changes to the driller after getting approval must be announced to the district so they can ensure drillers in good standing are carrying out work.
The drought report revealed that all four counties were not in drought status while Field Tech Johnny Wells reported taking measurements of monitoring wells in Coryell during March. Results were positive with 12 up, 6 down and 5 about the same as last reading. Wells also plugged one well and performed 9 water quality tests which came back clean.
Wells also reported taking measurements on wells in the Selden community which didn’t reveal a lot of movement in the past month, following concerns of drawdown from a neighboring excavation site.
MTGCD Education/Public Relations Director Stephanie Keith revealed that many of the plants in the Ditch Water Discovery center are doing great with wildflowers beginning to bloom. The solar paneling is also installed and doing well, and the district was presented with a sign from U.S. Fish and Wildlife for their cooperation in the site.