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Well Registration

The following is intended to provide general guidance to registrants and is not a substitute for the specific requirements of the Prairielands Groundwater Conservation District Rules. This information should not be relied upon by a registrant in lieu of review and understanding of the District Rules.

Registration Process

Step 1 – Submit Application for Well Registration and deposits/fees to the District. (non-refundable $500 Well Registration Fee per well.)
Step 2 – District Manager reviews the Application for Well Registration and determines it to be administratively complete within five business days after the date of receipt of an Application for Well Registration and applicable fees are received.
Step 3 – Once the Application for Well Registration is approved or denied, the General Manager will inform the registrant in writing of the approval or denial, as well as whether the well meets the exemptions provided in the District’s Rules or whether it is subject to the metering, fee payment, permitting, and reporting requirements by phone, fax, or email.
Step 4 – A registrant has 180 days from the date of approval of its application to drill and complete the new well. Once drilling is complete, the driller’s completion report is due to the District within 60 days of completion.
Step 5 – Once the driller’s completion report is received by the District, the well registration process will be completed.

Water Production Reports and Fees (Non-exempt wells only)

Effective January 1, 2021, all fees for groundwater production in a calendar year shall be paid to the District by one of the following methods:

(1) annual pre-payment of the entire water use fee for the ensuing calendar year, based on the total amount of groundwater authorized to be produced under the applicable permit, with such payment being due in advance on January 1

(2) quarterly payments of the water use fee for the ensuing quarter, based on one quarter (1/4th) of the total amount of groundwater authorized to be produced annually under the applicable permit, with such payments being due in advance on the first day of the months of January, April, July, and October; or

(3) monthly payments of the water use fee for the ensuing month, based on one twelfth (1/12th) of the total amount of groundwater authorized to be produced annually under the applicable permit, with such payments being due in advance on the first day of each month. A five (5) percent surcharge shall also be paid monthly as required under Subsection (b) of this rule.

Beginning January 1, 2022, in order to encourage groundwater conservation, eligible permittees have the opportunity to receive a refund for payment of unused water use fees from the previous calendar year of up to twenty (20) percent of the amount of groundwater authorized by permit to be produced. Permittees are eligible for the refund if the actual amount of a well owner’s annual groundwater production during the previous calendar year was up to 20 percent or less than the amount authorized in the permit. The amount of any refund due to a permittee will be determined by the District each calendar year after receipt of the Water Production Report due by January 15th.

Permitting Process

All non-exempt wells must obtain a permit. Existing non-exempt wells (wells with an approved registration prior to January 1, 2019) will obtain a Historic Use Permit. New wells will obtain an Operating Permit.

Failure to Make Payments

If a well is determined to be in violation of the District Rules for failure to make payment of Water Use Fees or Groundwater Transport Fees on or before the 60th day following the date such fees are due pursuant to Rule 7.3(a) or 7.4(b), the well owner or operator shall be subject to a civil penalty not to exceed three times the amount of the outstanding Water Use Fees or Groundwater Transport Fees due to owing, in addition to a late fee penalty, and may also be subject to additional enforcement mechanisms provided by law or by order of the Board.