Dimmit County Was Part of the Texas Winter Garden Region

Before irrigation arrived, Dimmit County ran on cattle and sheep. Then well drillers found artesian water — water that rises under its own pressure. By 1900 there were about 25 artesian wells near Carrizo Springs, and by 1909 roughly 200 wells were flowing across the county. The first well, drilled in 1884, produced about 40 gallons per minute. Farmers used that water to grow onions, lettuce, carrots, and tomatoes during the winter months, when most of the country was frozen.

Peak irrigated acreage reached around 40,000 acres by 1956. But heavy pumping pulled down the water table over time, and groundwater depletion cut production sharply by the 1960s. Today, some irrigated farming continues under Wintergarden Groundwater Conservation District rules. Ranching is still common across the county.