Brush Country groundwater manager flags low reservoir levels, export-permit gaps for Brooks County residents

Louie Pena, general manager of the Brush Country Ground Water Conservation District, told the Brooks County Commissioners Court on Oct. 21 that the district is monitoring strained supplies and regulatory gaps that could affect local wells.

Pena said the district serves Brooks, Jim Wells, Jim Hogg and part of Hidalgo County and performs well registration, issues transport and export permits, and conducts water testing and research. He noted that Chapter 39 of state law permits the drilling of production wells related to energy (he referenced use tied to uranium, oil and gas) and described how those wells are and are not subject to district registration depending on landowner actions.

Pena emphasized regional drought stress, saying Choke Canyon and Lake Corpus Christi are at historically low levels and that Corpus Christi officials were meeting Oct. 21 to discuss purchasing water from the South Texas Water Authority. He also said the EV Ranch had not applied to the district for an export permit to sell water to Corpus Christi, a step that would be required if water were to be permanently removed from the district under the district's procedures.

In public comment preceding the presentation, Elisa Torres urged the court to consider a meeting on water testing after what she described as increased drilling activity by Mestena Encore. Another commenter, Irma Menchaca, raised concerns that some large properties may not be taxed properly; Angela Perez responded that those properties could be in a different county.

The presentation provided no county action or vote; Pena described monitoring and permitting responsibilities and noted local vulnerability to regional supply decisions. The court did not set a county-wide testing program at the Oct. 21 session; next procedural steps were not specified in the public record.