The Middle Trinity Groundwater Conservation District discussed monitoring wells, the 2026 and 2027 budgets and proposed budgets from appraisal districts during the regular board meeting Thursday, July 2 in the Stephenville office.
Under Chapter 36 of the Texas Water Code, MTGCD manages the registration and permitting of wells within Erath, Comanche, Coryell and Bosque counties to ensure the conservation of groundwater in the aquifers underneath them. The district also offers services to well owners such as water quality tests.
General Manager Patrick Wagner reported on improving data within the district, saying in his report that Texas Water Development Board has approved to help study the vertical connectivity of the Hensell and Hosston aquifers and how they influence each other. Sixteen monitoring devices are to be approved and Wagner is examining where to place them for the best data.
Wagner also reported KT Groundwater has nearly completed an aquifer status tool that will allow the user to check the status of wells and water levels, comparing current recorded levels with what the groundwater availability model indicates they should be.
The commitment to study and reporting was referenced as Wagner presented a preliminary 2027 budget proposal for the board to review. Boardmember Frank Volleman had been concerned with the district spending money in reserves in approving the budget last year but offered during the July 2 meeting, “I think we’re all on the same page this time,” as he noted the funds being spent on science. Volleman said the need for the best data was apparent considering the widespread concern of data centers and other businesses going after groundwater.
The proposed budget included around $366,000 for aquifer monitoring (a portion of that coming from a grant) and funds for another full-time employee while some items like building maintenance were reduced.
The budget will be discussed during the next meeting Aug. 13 at 1:15 p.m. and then approved in the Sept. 3 meeting.
The board members (minus the absent Fred Parker) unanimously voted on line-item changes to the FY26 budget including increases for public notices and moving $25,000 to the legal budget.
The board unanimously disapproved the purchase of the Stephenville BMY office on the Glasgow Loop (across from Triple Crown) by the Erath County Appraisal District. Entities represented by ECAD were able to vote on allowing the purchases which would increase fees through the reduction of collected taxes received by the entity. If five entities disapproved, the sale would be denied. Following several disapprovals last week, Chief Appraiser Jonathan Pringle told the Citizen that ECAD was not moving forward with the purchase. MTGCD disapproved the sale and the presented budget which included the purchase.
The board unanimously approved budgets from Bosque, Comanche and Coryell which all presented slight decreases in taxes collected for the next fiscal year.
Boardmembers unanimously approved to assist Fort Hood with an old well on the Coryell County base. The base is looking to add a new well and MTGCD has the option of taking over the old one as a monitoring well once Wagner goes through some training on base conduct and protocol.
Field Tech Johnny Wells reported 13 water quality tests conducted in June with six in Comanche and seven in Erath. He reported one well in each county high in total dissolved solids. The Erath well high in TDS was a hand-dug well only about 25-30 feet down. The field tech also had checked monitoring wells in Comanche with 12 up from last measurements, 10 down and 18 unchanged.