Irion County Water Conservation District November 9 2026

Agenda Analysis | Meeting Review | Meeting Documents | Commentary | Last Meeting

My experience fighting the 765 kV transmission lines has convinced me that citizens and landowners must be more proactive about protecting the natural environment. That includes protecting underground water.

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A. Agenda Analysis

1. Industrial Water Use Permit Request, Items 5-8: This is a request by Mr. Lange for 4 separate permits for 688 acre feet of water each. That is the equivalent of 2,752 acre feet of water per year, or 896.7 million gallons of water per year. That's a lot of water!

2. Location: I first saw this posting on Facebook's Irion County News. That post raised immediate concerns because, according to the Texas Water Development Board, the water use for the entire City of Mertzon typically runs 110 to 140 acre feet per year, or 35.8 million to 45.6 million gallons per year. There's no way the City could withstand such a drawdown if the permit location is in or adjacent to Mertzon.

   But, the agenda gives a specific location for the permit: Abstract 1016, Section 18, Block 27, H&TC RR CO Survey. Using the Railroad Commission's GIS map, I came up with a location 10+ miles away from the City of Mertzon. Here are screenshots of the location according to the RRC:
   

   

3. If I am incorrect about this location, please reach out to me. Also, see my Commentary below.

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The view of Spring Creek from the bridge at Brim's in Mertzon.

B. Meeting Review

Pending

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C. Commentary

1. Where ever the permit location, folks in Irion and Tom Green counties should be alarmed at the quantity of water proposed in these permits. At peak production of 896.7 million gallons of water production a year, these 4 permits compare to to the following data center annual use: Medium/Enterprise Facility: 110-180 million gallons per year;

   Large Hyperscale campus: 365 million to 1.1 billion gallons per year; and,

   Largest Mega Campuses: 1.0 to 1.8 billion gallons of water per year. If not for use by a data center, the water might aso be used to frac oil wells. A 10,000 foot lateral well uses approx. 30-50 acre feet of water. So, if limited to frac use, this water could be used to develop 60-90 wells per year. (If drilling permits so far for 2026 are considered for Irion County, the permit request is for far more water than the oil industry needs.)

2. My research suggests the real impact of these permits, if granted, will be on the Middle Concho and Twin Buttes Reservoir. I am obviously not a hydrogeologist. I'll suspend judgment on their impact on Mertzon and Spring Creek- and what the water will be used for - until the meeting.

3. Pending

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Copyright 2026 G. Noelke