Water Supply

Water Is Scarce and Saline in Loving County

Loving County gets about 10 inches of rain a year, and past irrigation projects failed because groundwater here is often too salty to use.

Loving County Home & Property

This is one of the driest places in Texas. The county averages just over 10 inches of rainfall a year. Early settlers tried to irrigate farmland using the Pecos River and local wells, but the water was too saline. Those projects failed repeatedly.

If you plan to drill a well, the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) maintains a groundwater database with records of wells drilled in the area. You can search for nearby well logs to get an idea of water depth and quality before you drill. Water supply in Loving County is a serious practical concern for any property owner. Check the TWDB groundwater data viewer for local well records.

Source to confirm: Texas State Historical Association — Loving County

More Loving County notes

Property Tax

Who Handles Property Taxes in Loving County

Loving County has both an appraisal district and a tax assessor-collector, but the county tax office does not collect property taxes locally.

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Mineral Rights

Mineral Rights and Surface Rights Can Be Separate

In Loving County, buying land does not always mean you own the oil and gas beneath it — the mineral estate may already belong to someone else.

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Hunting & Wildlife

Hunting in Loving County: Mostly Private Land

Loving County sits in the Trans-Pecos region where mule deer and pronghorn live, but nearly all land is private — access requires landowner permission.

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County History

Loving County Was Organized Twice — Oil Made It Stick

Loving County was first organized in 1893 under fraudulent circumstances and collapsed; it was reorganized in 1931 after oil was discovered, and its population has remained among the smallest of any county in the country.

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