Groundwater / Well Permits
Drilling a Water Well? Check the Hickory District First
Parts of San Saba County fall inside the Hickory Underground Water Conservation District, which regulates well drilling and requires registration of new wells.
The Hickory Underground Water Conservation District No. 1 covers parts of San Saba County. It manages the Hickory Aquifer. The Hickory Aquifer is a sandstone layer underground that many rural landowners use for drinking water.
If your land is inside the district, you must register any new well with the district. That is true even for wells that do not need a full permit. The district office is in Brady, in McCulloch County. Staff there can tell you whether your land falls inside the boundary.
Drillers must file well logs within 60 days of finishing a well. The district also has rules about moving water outside its boundaries. Before you drill, call the district at 325-597-2785 or check its website. Rules were last updated in early 2026, so always confirm the current rules directly with the district.
Source to confirm: Hickory Underground Water Conservation District No. 1