In Texas, water use for fracking stirs concerns

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CARRIZO SPRINGS — In this South Texas stretch of mesquite trees and cactus, where the land is sometimes too dry to grow crops, the local aquifer is being strained in the search for oil. The reason is hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, a drilling process that requires massive amounts of water.

“We just can't sustain it,” Hugh Fitzsimons, a Dimmit County bison rancher who serves on the board of his local groundwater district, said last month as he drove his pickup down a dusty road.

From 2009 to 2012, water production from one well on his ranch fell by two-thirds, a problem Fitzsimons linked to nearby wells pumping water for fracking operations. A study commissioned by his groundwater district found that in a five-county area that includes Dimmit, fracking reduces the amount of water in the Carrizo-Wilcox Aquifer by the equivalent of one-third of the aquifer's recharge. Recharge means the average amount of water an aquifer regains each year from precipitation and other factors.


Read more: http://www.mysanantonio.com/business/article/In-Texas-water-use-for-fracking-stirs-concerns-4352462.php#ixzz2NU7qGIwg

[Buzz Clik]

1. Water law in Texas is pretty complex. It's all very localized.

If the local water districts have mapped out their water needs carefully, they can shut out fracking. If not, they may be screwn.

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3. Big money talks

And Texas Water boards have little power to stop big oil.

[LeftInTX]

4. Ground water is poorly regulated. Surface water is regulated.

The ground water is "rule of capture", in that you own the water that you can pump. (free for all - lazy fair)

Surface water is regulated or "owned" by the state.

However, if someone is experiencing ground water shortages due to a neighbor over pumping, they can take legal action. However, the legal action is very expensive, time consuming and legally a bit risky.

[GitRDun]

2. Too funny! NOT!

If only there were more adults in government. This is yet another prime example of the "cost" of business borne by the general public....and yet the focus is always on cutting food, heat for the poor, sick elderly etc. I have lost hope that we'll wake up before it is too late. The finding and development costs of gas in these multi million gallon of water fracked wells is $6/mcf. The market is $3 so these "free market" businesses will fight tooth and nail to prevent absorbing yet another cost...and yet we call the poor, infirmed and elderly the freeloaders.