Topic · Page 6
Home & Property
Local Notes
Home & Property notes
Hays County · Groundwater District
Check the well rules before buying in western Hays County
The Hays Trinity district maps wells, handles well forms, and posts current drought rules for western Hays County.
Hays County · Flood Risk
Flash Flood Alley starts with thin soil and steep creek country
Hill Country rain runs off rock and into narrow creeks. Flood risk does not stop at the Blanco River's banks.
Hays County · Growth & Demographics
Hays County grew into a hinge between Austin and the Hill Country
The county nearly doubled in size from the 2010 count to the 2025 estimate. That growth changed both towns and rural land.
Hays County · Flood Hazard
The 2015 Blanco flood is the local high-water lesson
The 2015 flood swept away homes and broke public works, so riverfront land deserves a close flood check.
Hays County · Groundwater & Aquifer
The Edwards Aquifer comes to the surface at San Marcos Springs
Cracks and caves in the limestone move water toward San Marcos Springs and the river above them.
Hays County · Floodplain
The floodplain line is not the edge of Hays County permit review
County review can apply to land work outside a mapped floodplain. A small rule for indoor remodels is an important exception.
Henderson County · Flood Risk
A Cedar Creek address needs a building-level flood check
FEMA flood zones follow mapped land, while the lender decides whether the building securing a loan triggers an insurance requirement.
Henderson County · Septic / OSSF
A Henderson County septic system usually needs approval first
A new or changed on-site sewage facility normally needs county approval, and the 10-acre exception requires much more than acreage.
Henderson County · Rural development
A rural land split should start with Henderson County review
State law requires plats for many nonexempt divisions outside cities, while narrow exemptions depend on the exact tract and transaction.
Hidalgo County · Colonia Roads
Colonia Road and Drainage Work Has Its Own County Program History
Hidalgo County's Border Colonia Access Program page explains why colonia roads and drainage deserve extra due diligence.
Hidalgo County · Drainage Infrastructure
Drainage Districts Manage the County's Flood Channels
Hidalgo County's drainage districts are special government entities that operate and maintain the major canals and channels that keep floodwater moving.
Hidalgo County · Flooding
Flood Risk Is Relatively High in Hidalgo County
Federal data shows Hidalgo County carries a relatively high natural hazard risk, with flooding as a major concern.
Hidalgo County · Colonias
Hidalgo County Colonias Have a Self-Help Center Program
Hidalgo County's colonia self-help page names target colonias and lists housing and cleanup activities.
Hidalgo County · Windstorm Insurance
Hidalgo County Is Not in the State Windstorm Insurance Zone
The Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA) does not cover Hidalgo County, so you must get windstorm coverage through a private insurer.
Hidalgo County · Irrigation
Irrigation Districts Deliver Water Across the County
A network of irrigation districts, some dating to the 1910s, delivers Rio Grande water to farms and communities throughout Hidalgo County.
Hidalgo County · Groundwater
Part of the County Has a Groundwater Conservation District
The Red Sands Groundwater Conservation District covers about 114 square miles in north-central Hidalgo County and regulates well drilling there.
Hidalgo County · Water Rights
Rio Grande Water Rights Are Managed by a State Watermaster
A state-appointed Rio Grande Watermaster controls who draws from the Rio Grande, including the many irrigation districts in Hidalgo County.
Hidalgo County · Land Records
Search Hidalgo County Land Records Through the Clerk
Hidalgo County land records are available through the county clerk's official records system.
Hidalgo County · Floodways
The Rio Grande Has a System of Engineered Floodways
A network of engineered floodways runs through the Lower Rio Grande Valley to carry overflow away from communities.
Hidalgo County · Record Alerts
Use Hidalgo County Clerk Records to Watch Property Filings
Hidalgo County Clerk records are available online, giving owners a practical place to watch for deeds, liens, and other recorded property documents.
Hill County · Flood Risk
FEMA released preliminary flood maps for Hill County in 2025 for public comment
In January 2025, FEMA invited Hill County property owners to review and appeal preliminary updated flood hazard maps before they take effect.
Hockley County · Mineral Rights
Oil and Gas Production Has Shaped Hockley County Since the 1930s
Oil was discovered in Hockley County in 1937, and the county remains active oil country, so mineral rights, surface use agreements, and active wells can affect land you buy.
Hockley County · Groundwater
Water Wells in Hockley County Come from the Ogallala Aquifer
Most water in Hockley County is pumped from the Ogallala, a large but slowly depleting underground aquifer that feeds farms and rural homes across the High Plains.
Hood County · Flood Risk
Check FEMA Flood Maps Before Buying Near the Brazos
A building-level FEMA map check can affect financing, insurance, and county floodplain review near Hood County waterways and Lake Granbury.
Hood County · Septic Permits
No City Sewer? Your Hood County Septic System Needs a Permit
Start a rural septic project with Hood County Environmental Health, then confirm that it is the authorized office for the address.
Hood County · Building Rules
Outside city limits, Hood County has no general house permit
A home outside city limits may not need a general county building permit. Septic, road, flood, and well rules still apply.
Hood County · Water Wells
Register the well first; the operating permit depends on the well
Upper Trinity requires registration before drilling, while an operating-permit exemption depends on the well and tract.
Hood County · Property Records
The clerk's index is a starting point, not a title search
The Hood County Clerk maintains recorded property instruments and a public index, but the office does not certify a complete lien or title search.
Hopkins County · Flood Hazard
A Hopkins flood check needs both the parcel and the road home
A FEMA parcel map answers one flood question, while the route and nearby low crossings answer another.
Hopkins County · Water Wells
A Hopkins well has no local groundwater-district desk
Hopkins County joins regional groundwater planning but currently sits outside a local groundwater conservation district.
Hopkins County · Land and Soil
Hopkins soil can change from wet alluvium to sandy upland
Official soil profiles near Sulphur Springs show why a broad prairie or post-oak label is not enough for one tract.
Houston County · Rural addressing
A new rural 911 address starts where the driveway meets the road
A new structure in unincorporated Houston County uses DETCOG's address form, while questions about an existing address start with the county coordinator.
Houston County · Flood maps
A river nearby does not settle a Houston County parcel's flood zone
The Trinity and Neches shape Houston County's edges, but FEMA's address search brings up the effective flood map around one property.
Howard County · Groundwater Rules
A Groundwater District Regulates Water Wells in Most of Howard County
Most of Howard County falls under the Permian Basin Underground Water Conservation District, which requires permits and spacing rules for new water wells.
Howard County · Flood Risk
Check FEMA Flood Maps Before Buying Property in Howard County
Even in dry West Texas, low-lying areas near draws and creeks in Howard County can be in FEMA flood zones that affect insurance and building rules.
Howard County · Mineral Rights
Oil and Gas Activity Is Common in Howard County, So Know Who Owns the Minerals
Howard County sits in the Permian Basin, where active oil and gas drilling is common, and mineral rights are often owned separately from the surface land.
Hudspeth County · Water Rights
A local district regulates groundwater pumping
The Hudspeth County Underground Water Conservation District No. 1 requires permits for most irrigation wells and tracks how much groundwater is pumped.
Hunt County · Flood Risk
A flood map is the first stop before building
Hunt County uses current FEMA flood maps and requires county approval for covered work in mapped flood-hazard areas.
Hunt County · Mineral Rights
Check mineral rights even when Hunt County land looks like farm country
The Handbook lists gas, oil, and sand among Hunt County resources, and RRC records are the place to check well history.
Hunt County · Private Wells
Hunt County wells do not have a local groundwater district
TWDB currently lists Hunt County aquifers under no groundwater district, while state well records and water-quality guidance still apply.
Hunt County · OSSF / Septic
Septic systems outside city limits need a permit
A new or replaced septic system in rural Hunt County starts with the Health Department's OSSF permit process.
Hunt County · Water Supply
Your water provider changes the Hunt County answer
Hunt County sits in Region D, where the five-year plan tracks each utility's supplies and drought-of-record needs.
Hutchinson County · Water Supply
Hutchinson County Draws Water from the Ogallala Aquifer
Hutchinson County sits in Ogallala country, and the Canadian River line helps decide which groundwater district you call about a well.
Hutchinson County · Mineral Rights
Oil and Gas Are a Big Deal in Hutchinson County
In Hutchinson County, the land and the minerals under it may not come with the same deed. Check the title work before you assume oil and gas rights are included.
Irion County · Water Wells
A Local District Manages Groundwater in Irion County
If you plan to drill a water well in Irion County, you must deal with the Irion County Water Conservation District before you start.
Jack County · Mineral Rights
Bryson's Oil Strike Changed the Work, but Not the Population Slide
Oil found near Bryson in 1923 brought field work and Depression-era income, but it did not reverse Jack County's long rural population decline.
Jackson County · Windstorm Insurance
Jackson County is not in the TWIA windstorm insurance zone
Unlike its coastal neighbors, Jackson County is not covered by the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association, so you will need a standard private insurer for wind coverage.
Jasper County · Flood maps
Check the flood map before buying low ground near Jasper County water
Jasper County has the Neches River, Angelina River, Sam Rayburn Reservoir, and Lake B.A. Steinhagen, so low land deserves an official FEMA map check.
Jasper County · Mineral rights
Oil and gas production has a long history in Jasper County
Jasper County has produced oil since 1928, so buyers of land here may encounter split estates where someone else owns the mineral rights beneath the surface.
Jeff Davis County · Water Wells
A local district regulates groundwater wells
Before you drill a well on rural land here, the county's own groundwater district may want a permit and a say in how it's built.
Jefferson County · Windstorm Certificate
Buying a Coastal Home? Check the Windstorm Certificate
Covered construction or repairs started on or after January 1, 1988 generally need a certificate of compliance for TWIA eligibility, though limited exceptions apply.
Jefferson County · Flood Risk
Check the FEMA Flood Map Before You Buy or Build
Flood risk and insurance rules depend on the exact building and loan. Use FEMA's current address map before buying, borrowing, or building.
Jefferson County · Coastal Windstorm Coverage
Check Whether Your Home Policy Covers Wind and Hail
Texas law does not require every owner to carry wind insurance, but a coastal home policy may leave out wind and hail, and a mortgage lender may require separate coverage.
Jefferson County · Septic and OSSF Rules
Jefferson County Environmental Control Issues Septic Permits
For a septic system under Jefferson County Environmental Control jurisdiction, confirm the site and permit requirements before construction; maintenance requirements depend on the system.
Jefferson County · Air Quality
Jefferson County Meets Federal Ozone Standards, But Heavy Industry Is Present
The Beaumont-Port Arthur area meets the 2015 federal ozone standard. But the county has major petrochemical plants and refineries that TCEQ monitors.
Jefferson County · Unincorporated Area Rules
Unincorporated Land Needs a County Development Check
Before changing land in unincorporated Jefferson County, contact Environmental Control; the county's definition of development reaches beyond building a house.
Jim Hogg County · Groundwater
Your Water Well Falls Under the Brush Country District
Jim Hogg County has no public water in rural areas, so most properties rely on private wells regulated by the Brush Country Groundwater Conservation District.
Jim Wells County · Mineral Rights
A Jim Wells drilling map does not show mineral ownership
Surface and mineral ownership may be severed; deeds and leases answer that question, while the RRC map shows wells and permits.
Jim Wells County · Water Wells
Brush Country's well boundary uses Alice's 2009 city limits
The district covers mapped Jim Wells land outside Alice's January 1, 2009 limits and the older Kenedy County district boundary.
Jim Wells County · Flood Risk
Jim Wells County's effective flood maps date to August 2017
Map the building, not only the parcel: a secured structure in a Special Flood Hazard Area can trigger federal insurance rules.