Tex. Codes » Water Code · TITLE 2. WATER ADMINISTRATION · SUBTITLE E. GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT · CHAPTER 36. GROUNDWATER CONSERVATION DISTRICTS
Texas Codes

Tex. Water Code § 36.116 (2026)

Regulation Of Spacing And Production

✓ current as of May 2026
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Sec. 36.116. REGULATION OF SPACING AND PRODUCTION. (a) In order to minimize as far as practicable the drawdown of the water table or the reduction of artesian pressure, to control subsidence, to prevent interference between wells, to prevent degradation of water quality, or to prevent waste, a district by rule may regulate:

(1) the spacing of water wells by:

(A) requiring all water wells to be spaced a certain distance from property lines or adjoining wells;

(B) requiring wells with a certain production capacity, pump size, or other characteristic related to the construction or operation of and production from a well to be spaced a certain distance from property lines or adjoining wells; or

(C) imposing spacing requirements adopted by the board; and

(2) the production of groundwater by:

(A) setting production limits on wells;

(B) limiting the amount of water produced based on acreage or tract size;

(C) limiting the amount of water that may be produced from a defined number of acres assigned to an authorized well site;

(D) limiting the maximum amount of water that may be produced on the basis of acre-feet per acre or gallons per minute per well site per acre;

(E) managed depletion; or

(F) any combination of the methods listed above in Paragraphs (A) through (E).

(b) In promulgating any rules limiting groundwater production, the district may preserve historic or existing use before the effective date of the rules to the maximum extent practicable consistent with the district's management plan under Section 36.1071 and as provided by Section 36.113.

(c) In regulating the production of groundwater based on tract size or acreage, a district may consider the service needs or service area of a retail public utility. For the purposes of this subsection, "retail public utility" shall have the meaning provided by Section 13.002.

(d) For better management of the groundwater resources located in a district or if a district determines that conditions in or use of an aquifer differ substantially from one geographic area of the district to another, the district may adopt different rules for:

(1) each aquifer, subdivision of an aquifer, or geologic strata located in whole or in part within the boundaries of the district; or

(2) each geographic area overlying an aquifer or subdivision of an aquifer located in whole or in part within the boundaries of the district.

(e) In regulating the production of groundwater under Subsection (a)(2), a district:

(1) shall select a method that is appropriate based on the hydrogeological conditions of the aquifer or aquifers in the district; and

(2) may limit the amount of water produced based on contiguous surface acreage.

Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 933, Sec. 2, eff. Sept. 1, 1995. Amended by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1164, Sec. 1, eff. June 15, 2001; Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 966, Sec. 2.50, eff. Sept. 1, 2001; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1242, Sec. 1, eff. June 20, 2003; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1276, Sec. 18.006, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.

Amended by:

Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 970 (H.B. 1763), Sec. 12, eff. September 1, 2005.

Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 17 (S.B. 727), Sec. 5, eff. April 29, 2011.

Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 415 (H.B. 2767), Sec. 6, eff. June 10, 2015.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 7 cases (3 in the last 5 years), 2006–2025 · leading case: Guitar Holding Co. v. Hudspeth Cnty. Underground Water Conservation Dist. No. 1, 263 S.W.3d 910 (Tex. 2008).
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Guitar Holding Co. v. Hudspeth Cnty. Underground Water Conservation Dist. No. 1, 263 S.W.3d 910 (Tex. 2008). · cites it 4× “TEX. WATER CODE § 36.116(b). The District submits that the provision does not address the purposes to which the production is applied but rather implies a quantity by telling districts that they may "preserve historic or existing use .”
Guitar Holding Co. v. Hudspeth Cnty. Underground Water Conservation Dist. No. 1, 209 S.W.3d 146 (Tex. App. 2006). · cites it 8× “Laws 3247, 3258, now codified at Tex.Water Code Ann. § 36.116(a)(2). 5 . Section 36.”
The Edwards Aquifer Auth. & the State of Texas v. Burrell Day & Joel McDaniel, 369 S.W.3d 814 (Tex. 2012). “Texas Water Code § 36.116(b). 154 . Guitar Holding Co.”
BLF Land, LLC v. Frerich (N.D. Tex. 2024). · cites it 3× “” TEX. WATER CODE § 36.116(a). These public-oriented justifications for regulating groundwater production sufficiently justify the District’s rules as applied to Plaintiffs.”
Pub. Util. Comm'n of Texas & North Fort Bend Water Auth. v. City of Fulshear, Texas (Tex. App. 2025). “30 TEX. WATER CODE § 36.116(a)(2)...........”
Pub. Util. Comm'n of Texas & North Fort Bend Water Auth. v. City of Fulshear, Texas (Tex. App. 2025). “Tex. Water Code § 36.116(a)(2). Under the Water Code, groundwater conservation districts are expressly authorized to assess production fees based on the amount of groundwater withdrawn from a well.”
Texas Comm'n on Env't Quality & Post Oak Clean Green, Inc. v. Guadalupe Cnty. Groundwater Conservation Dist. (Tex. App. 2015). “116(a) reflects that prevent- ing degradation of water quality is something a district may accomplish by regulating “the spacing of water wells” or “the production of groundwater,” Tex. Water Code § 36.116(a)(1), (2), as by ensuring, for instance, that overproduction does not…”
— Tex. Water Code § 36.116(a) — 1 case
BLF Land, LLC v. Frerich (N.D. Tex. 2024). “” TEX. WATER CODE § 36.116(a). These public-oriented justifications for regulating groundwater production sufficiently justify the District’s rules as applied to Plaintiffs.”
— Tex. Water Code § 36.116(a)(1) — 1 case
Texas Comm'n on Env't Quality & Post Oak Clean Green, Inc. v. Guadalupe Cnty. Groundwater Conservation Dist. (Tex. App. 2015). “116(a) reflects that prevent- ing degradation of water quality is something a district may accomplish by regulating “the spacing of water wells” or “the production of groundwater,” Tex. Water Code § 36.116(a)(1), (2), as by ensuring, for instance, that overproduction does not…”
— Tex. Water Code § 36.116(a)(2) — 3 cases
Guitar Holding Co. v. Hudspeth Cnty. Underground Water Conservation Dist. No. 1, 209 S.W.3d 146 (Tex. App. 2006). “Laws 3247, 3258, now codified at Tex.Water Code Ann. § 36.116(a)(2). 5 . Section 36.”
Pub. Util. Comm'n of Texas & North Fort Bend Water Auth. v. City of Fulshear, Texas (Tex. App. 2025). “30 TEX. WATER CODE § 36.116(a)(2)...........”
Pub. Util. Comm'n of Texas & North Fort Bend Water Auth. v. City of Fulshear, Texas (Tex. App. 2025). “Tex. Water Code § 36.116(a)(2). Under the Water Code, groundwater conservation districts are expressly authorized to assess production fees based on the amount of groundwater withdrawn from a well.”
— Tex. Water Code § 36.116(a)(2)(A) — 1 case
Guitar Holding Co. v. Hudspeth Cnty. Underground Water Conservation Dist. No. 1, 209 S.W.3d 146 (Tex. App. 2006). “Laws 3247, 3258, now codified at Tex.Water Code Ann. § 36.116(a)(2). 5 . Section 36.”
— Tex. Water Code § 36.116(a)(2)(B) — 1 case
BLF Land, LLC v. Frerich (N.D. Tex. 2024). “” TEX. WATER CODE § 36.116(a). These public-oriented justifications for regulating groundwater production sufficiently justify the District’s rules as applied to Plaintiffs.”
— Tex. Water Code § 36.116(b) — 3 cases
Guitar Holding Co. v. Hudspeth Cnty. Underground Water Conservation Dist. No. 1, 263 S.W.3d 910 (Tex. 2008). “TEX. WATER CODE § 36.116(b). The District submits that the provision does not address the purposes to which the production is applied but rather implies a quantity by telling districts that they may "preserve historic or existing use .”
The Edwards Aquifer Auth. & the State of Texas v. Burrell Day & Joel McDaniel, 369 S.W.3d 814 (Tex. 2012). “Texas Water Code § 36.116(b). 154 . Guitar Holding Co.”
Guitar Holding Co. v. Hudspeth Cnty. Underground Water Conservation Dist. No. 1, 209 S.W.3d 146 (Tex. App. 2006). “Laws 3247, 3258, now codified at Tex.Water Code Ann. § 36.116(a)(2). 5 . Section 36.”
— Tex. Water Code § 36.116(b)(2001) — 1 case
Guitar Holding Co. v. Hudspeth Cnty. Underground Water Conservation Dist. No. 1, 209 S.W.3d 146 (Tex. App. 2006). “Laws 3247, 3258, now codified at Tex.Water Code Ann. § 36.116(a)(2). 5 . Section 36.”
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