Needmore closer to 289 million gallons per year

Needmore Ranch’s requested permit for 289,000,000 gallons of water per year from the Trinity Aquifer will head to the Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer Conservation District Board of Directors for potential approval.

The company received a temporary permit in 2015 for the water under House Bill 3405 and has requested that the permit be made permanent. The house bill was originally passed with the intention of giving Electro Purification an avenue to request a permit from the Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer Conservation District. While EP elected to attempt to obtain a regular permit, Needmore elected to use the provisions outlined in the bill.

The Trinity Edwards Spring Protection Association (TESPA) contested the case with the State Office Of Administrative Hearing, which ruled in favor of Needmore last week.

TESPA argued that Needmore did not qualify for a temporary permit under HB 3405 because the well they planned to use was not operational at the time HB 3405 was put into effect. Needmore argued that HB 3405 did not allow for the case to be contested at all, which SOAH agreed with.

TESPA has stated concerns that both EP’s and Needmore’s intended pumping will “intersect” causing a greater drawdown on the aquifer. Aquifer tests showed that Needmore Ranch’s pumping at the full amount created a 14 foot drawdown of the aquifer nearly two miles away with BSEACD models predicting the drawdown could be as great as 140 feet at two miles away with seven years of consecutive pumping.

In a similar manor to the Electro Purification permit, Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer Conservation District staff has recommended approval of the permit with special conditions intended to prevent negative impacts on surrounding wells. Needmore’s special conditions differ from EP’s.

Needmore’s permit is for agricultural use.

If the drawdown of the aquifer reaches certain trigger points, Needmore would be required to abide by a set standard of curtailments limiting the amount of water pumped.

A date has not been set for when BSEACD will consider approval of Needmore’s permit.