Check the aquifer and district before buying an Armstrong County well

A rural tract in Armstrong County may depend on a well. The Ogallala is a major water source in the region. The Texas Water Development Board says it underlies 36,293 square miles across 49 Texas counties. About 95 percent of the water pumped from the Ogallala in Texas goes to farm irrigation.

The aquifer is being used faster than it refills. Water levels have dropped in many areas over the past several decades. As the water drops deeper, pumping costs go up. Aquifer-wide water-quality patterns do not establish the quality of a particular well. Test the water on the tract.

Parts of Armstrong County fall under the Panhandle Groundwater Conservation District. That district covers Carson, Donley, Gray, Roberts, and Wheeler counties, plus parts of Armstrong, Hutchinson, and Potter counties. Every well within its boundary needs registration or a permit. Larger permitted wells need both operating and drilling permits. Before buying land with a well, ask for a well log, get the water tested, and check the current well depth and water level with the groundwater district.