Water & Wells
All water wells in Deaf Smith County tap the Ogallala Aquifer
The Ogallala Aquifer is the only major freshwater source under most of the county, and a state groundwater district controls who can drill and how much they can pump.
The Ogallala is a giant underground reservoir that underlies all of Deaf Smith County. About 95 percent of water pumped from it goes to irrigated farming. Water levels have dropped significantly over decades of heavy use. That matters if you own land here: irrigation supply is not guaranteed to last forever, and the depth to water varies across the county.
Most or all of Deaf Smith County falls within the High Plains Underground Water Conservation District No. 1 (HPWD). Before you drill any new water well, you need a permit from HPWD if your land is in their district. The district also enforces spacing rules between wells. If you are buying rural land and plan to irrigate or need a domestic well, check with HPWD to confirm coverage for that specific area and learn about current permit requirements. Their website is hpwd.org.
Source to confirm: Texas Water Development Board — Ogallala Aquifer