Drought Is a Long-Term Reality in Tom Green County

Tom Green County is in semi-arid West Texas. The county gets an average of 18.2 inches of rain per year. That is less than half of what Houston receives, and well below Austin's roughly 34-inch average. Drought hits this area often. When it does, reservoirs drop and groundwater supplies can shrink a lot.

If you are buying land with a private water well, ask the seller for well logs and water test results. Those records show how deep the well goes and how it has performed. You can also check recent aquifer levels through the Texas Water Development Board's groundwater database.

The Drought Monitor website tracks current drought conditions for Tom Green County. It is updated every week. Checking it before you buy land or sink a new well is a smart first step.