High Plains Underground Water Conservation District No. 1 - Tailwater Abatement Program
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The service described in this document is available only to persons residing within the 16-county High Plains Underground Water Conservation District No. 1 service area. CLICK THE ABOVE BUTTON TO REPORT WATER ESCAPING FROM FIELDS AS IRRIGATION TAILWATER. (THIS IS COMPLETELY CONFIDENTIAL.)
The loss of irrigation water ("tailwater") from the land on which it is produced is a violation of Texas state law and the rules of the High Plains Underground Water Conservation District No. 1.
In the early days of the Water District, irrigation water losses from farm fields were commonplace. Irrigation technology was in its infancy. So, open, unlined ditches were the only method used to transfer water from the well to the crop rows. Most open, unlined ditches have been replaced by underground tile (commonly known as mortar joint concrete pipe). During the early 1960s, many irrigators believed tailwater losses were insignificant and that it would not be economically feasible to recover this water. The Water District measured irrigation tailwater using "V" notch weirs throughout the District in the mid-1960s. Signs were placed next to each weir to show how much water was flowing through the weir. The District learned that the average loss was about 20 percent of the water being pumped. To overcome these losses, the District actively promoted the use of tailwater return pits for many years. At the same time, we also promoted the modification of playa basins to collect rainfall runoff for irrigation. A 1990 inventory showed 1,444 tailwater reuse pits and 1,289 modified playas in the Water District. Use of these systems declined in the mid-1980s as center pivot sprinkler use became more wide-spread. The public is very concerned about ground water waste. In many instances, they use their cellular phones to report tailwater waste as it occurs.
However, if documentation indicates that wasting water is a habitual practice, a lawsuit will be filed by the Water District seeking an injunction against the landowner and operator. If the judge issues an injunction against the landowner and operator to "cease and desist" wasting water, the Water District is responsible to advise the court of any citizen complaint that irrigation tailwater continues to occur or if Water District personnel observe further incidents. The court then orders the landowner and operator to appear to answer a contempt of court charge, which carries a maximum fine of $500 for each occurrence and a maximum sentence of six months in the county jail. If major improvements are needed to eliminate the tailwater losses, Water District policy gives landowners and operators the opportunity to submit a written plan to permanently eliminate the waste within a year. Once a plan is agreed upon, no legal action will be taken during the one-year period, providing that the landowner and operator are making a sincere effort to control the tailwater waste. Use of better management practices, such as surge irrigation, Low Energy Precision Application (LEPA) center pivot sprinkler systems, and laser land leveling have helped eliminate most tailwater waste within the Water District. Additional information is available by contacting Manager Jim Conkwright at (806) 762-0181 or via e-mail at jimc@hpwd.com. This page last updated 02/28/2011 |
TAILWATER ABATEMENT PROGRAM
The High Plains Water District rules define water waste as it relates to irrigation tailwater as "willfully or negligently causing, suffering, or permitting underground water to escape into any river, creek, natural watercourse, depression, lake, reservoir, drain, sewer, street, highway, road or road ditch, or onto any land other than that of the owner of the well; or ground water pumped for irrigation that escapes as irrigation tailwater onto land other than that of the owner of the well unless permission has been granted by the occupant of the land receiving the discharge..."
Tailwater waste is investigated
the day it is reported to the District headquarters office
in Lubbock. The Water District carefully documents incidents of irrigation tailwater with photographs and written reports and notifies the owner and operator of the problem. In most instances, this is all that is needed to correct the problem.