In this edition of news from HPWD:

• 2025 Replicated Agronomic Cotton Evaluation Complete
• HPWD Offers 5th Grade Water Education Program
• This is Texas Water Campaign
• New Seller's Disclosure Form Required 
• Conservation Reminder
• Waste Reminder
• Administratively Complete Permit Applications
• Upcoming Events
• Texas Water News and Drought Update

2025 Replicated Agronomic Cotton Evaluation Complete

At the June HPWD Board meeting, Dr. Ken Legé presented findings from the 2025 Replicated Agronomic Cotton Evaluations (RACE) trials.   Dr. Legé is an Assistant Professor & Extension Cotton Specialist with Texas A&M University. Supported by Plains Cotton Growers, Cotton Incorporated, and various industry partners, the RACE program represents Texas A&M AgriLife Extension’s largest and most visible field demonstration.

Through HPWD funding, the project supported enhancements, maintenance, and telemetry costs for a network of publicly accessible weather stations. Currently, 21 weather stations are installed across the HPWD service area. These stations play a critical role in improving the evaluation of water-use-efficient cotton varieties.

Dr. Legé highlighted the importance of environmental data, as weather conditions significantly impact crop performance. In addition to environmental measurements, RACE trials collect agronomic and economic data, including lint yield, fiber quality, lint value, seed value, and net returns above seed costs.

Results from the trials demonstrate the substantial impact of variety selection on water efficiency. Data indicate that choosing the right variety can add nearly eight pounds of lint per acre, per inch of water. With the HPWD area receiving an average of 10.09 inches of rainfall from planting to harvest in 2025, selecting the variety with the highest water-use efficiency (WUE) would translate into an additional 81 pounds of lint per acre.

Dr. Legé also announced that the 2025 Texas High Plains RACE Trial Report is now available on the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Lubbock website. Additionally, all RACE trial plot plans are publicly accessible online, including the newly released 2026 RACE Trial Plot Plans.

HPWD Offers 5th Grade Water Education Program

This spring, HPWD collaborated with Tinker LLC to review and update a fifth-grade curriculum focused on water conservation and regional groundwater resources. Following the development and revision phase, the program was introduced to participating teachers and schools and launched as a pilot initiative during the 2026 spring semester. A total of eight schools, thirteen teachers, and 316 fifth-grade students participated in the pilot program using the updated materials.

The Water Education Program is aligned with Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) standards and includes digital resources and water conservation kits for each student. Additionally, both students and teachers are eligible for prizes.

At the conclusion of the program, students and teachers completed evaluations. Feedback indicated that participants enjoyed the program, would use it again, and made changes to their water-use habits based on what they learned.

The program is offered at no cost to schools within HPWD’s 16-county service area. Recruitment for the 2026–27 school year is expected to begin in late August or early September.

Education Outreach

HPWD works to strengthen its role as a reliable and trusted source of water conservation education for schools and families throughout our region.

We visit schools, homeschool groups, and community festivals to offer hands-on learning experiences about groundwater and conservation.

If you would like to schedule a program or presentation for a school, civic club, or community group, please contact Jennifer McClendon at our office.

 This is Texas Water Campaign

This is Texas Water was created to help Texans better understand their water, where it comes from, how much their community will need in the future, and the water infrastructure and planning needed to help ensure our state never sees a day without it.

In 2023, the 88th Texas Legislature directed the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) to develop and fund this campaign through the Texas Water Fund. In 2024, the Texas Water Foundation (TWF) was selected to help develop and implement this campaign.

About this Campaign

Aging infrastructure and growing demand are affecting the water Texans rely on every day. As communities grow, long-term planning and public understanding of water systems become increasingly important to supporting reliable water supplies for future generations.

• Watch the anthem video here and follow the campaign on Instagram.
• Visit thisistexaswater.org for more information and use the ZIP code lookup tool to find your primary water source, projected community water needs, and actions being taken to prevent shortages.

New Seller's Disclosure Form Required

The Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) Form 61-0, Seller’s Disclosure about Groundwater and Surface Water Rights, a new seller’s disclosure form, becomes mandatory July 1, 2026. 

If you're involved in a real estate transaction, review the new TREC NO. 61-0 Water Disclosure Notice. This new disclosure form helps ensure transparency by having sellers share important information about groundwater and surface water rights related to a property.

Download TREC No. 61-0 form here.

It's designed to:

• Improve transparency by providing buyers with key information about water rights.
• Reduce risk and help avoid potential disputes after closing.
• Support compliance by helping sellers meet their disclosure obligations.

Water rights matter. The Water Disclosure Notice should keep your transaction informed, compliant, and on solid ground.

Important Information to Note in the Sections:

Section 1: Definitions

• Texas has explicit definitions of groundwater and surface water that the seller should be aware of.
• The presence of a water well does not guarantee access or rights to water. Property paperwork will confirm whether water rights were severed, leased to another entity, or held by the surface owner or the subsurface owner.

Section 2: Information Related to Groundwater and Water Wells

• Go to the GCD Database to confirm if any of the property is in a Groundwater Conservation District.
• Confirm the existence of any water wells within the property boundaries. If the property is in HPWD, use our interactive map to help identify wells located on the property. To confirm whether the well is permitted, you can call the office at (806)762-0181 for assistance.

Conservation Reminder

Garden Hose Spray Nozzle Saves Water and Money
A standard garden hose can waste 5–7 gallons of water per minute when left running.
By using a simple shut-off spray nozzle, you can control water flow, reduce waste, and start saving water—and money—instantly.

HPWD offers helpful information on Waterwise Landscaping.

The “Water My Yard” program uses scientific data from weather stations to determine how much water plants need, based on local conditions.

For weekly watering advice on lawns and crops, sign up for Water My Yard.

Waste Reminder

Water waste is prohibited pursuant to Chapter 36 of the Texas Water Code and HPWD rules. What is waste? This month we will look at Chapter 36.001(8)(G),  which defines waste as the following:

(8)(G) for water produced from an artesian well, "waste" also has the meaning assigned by Section 11.205.

Sec. 11.205. WASTING WATER FROM ARTESIAN WELL. Unless the water from an artesian well is used for a purpose and in a manner in which it may be lawfully used on the owner's land, it is waste and unlawful to willfully cause or knowingly permit the water to run off the owner's land or to percolate through the stratum above which the water is found.

If you need assistance or have questions about preventing water waste, contact the High Plains Water District office at (806) 762-0181.

Administratively Complete Permit Applications 

 Upcoming Events

View the HPWD Calendar of events.

 Reminder of Events

GMDA 2026 Summer Conference

2026 Summer Conference, Lubbock, Texas - Groundwater Management Districts Association

Water Supply and Infrastructure Grants (WSIG)
TWDB (Texas Water Development Board) is accepting applications for the Water Supply and Infrastructure Grants (WSIG), a one-time opportunity offering 100% grant funding for eligible water supply and infrastructure projects. Visit TWBD's website for more information.
Application Deadline: July 30, 2026.

Texas Water News and Drought Updates 

• Hundreds of data centers are coming to Texas. Here's what you need to know.
• AI growth raises concerns for Panhandle agriculture
• Air Force continues PFAS cleanup near former Reese air base
• Texas agency to set rules for using treated fracking wastewater on farmland
• The drought conditions map and monthly outlook have been updated.