The Clearwater Underground Water Conservation District (CUWCD) was created in 1989 by the 71st Texas Legislature (HB 3172). Although the legislation authorizing the District passed in 1989, the District did not exist until it was confirmed by the voters of Bell County in an election held in August 1999. At that time, voters elected a board of five directors. Directors are now elected by county precincts in staggered terms of 4 years, and funding for the District comes from ad valorem taxes.
The District is governed by Chapter 36 of the Texas Water Code (TWC). Chapter 36 states that groundwater districts are the preferred method for groundwater management, and it gives the District the authority to issue permits and set regulations for managing the underground water resources. From this authority, the District has adopted Rules and Regulations and a Management Plan.
Our Purpose
Our Goals and Objectives
Our Authority
The District’s jurisdiction includes all of Bell County – approximately 1,055 square miles. There are two major aquifers located within the District, the Edwards (BFZ) aquifer and the Trinity. Since its inception, the District has funded scientific research to understand the hydrogeology that makes the water flow. This information allows the District to make decisions on water availability.
The Clearwater Underground Water Conservation District is part of a Groundwater Management Area (GMA) known as GMA 8 that was created by the state. This GMA is among 16 GMAs throughout the state which hold joint planning meetings to comply with state law in Chapter 36 of the State Water Code, and more specifically HB1763 of the 79th Legislature.
Stretching from the piney woods of Grimes County in the southeast to the rolling plains of Kent County in the northwest, the Brazos G Regional Water Planning Area includes all or parts of 37 counties. Over 90 percent of the region lies within the Brazos River Basin, with the Brazos River being the region’s primary source of water. The largest economic sectors in the region are service, manufacturing, and retail trade. Major cities in the region include Abilene, Bryan, College Station, Killeen, Round Rock, Temple, and Waco.
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