High Plains Water District has been measuring water levels since Jan. 3 and has 1,289 well measured thus far with 90 wells to go.
HPWD field technicians have been busy with the annual observation well measurements, with some still in use when first visited. Those will be rechecked.
Castro County had 105 wells measured early in January.
During January, HPWD received 51 administratively complete applications for water well permits, with three permits completed in February.
January permits included four from Castro County. In all, January permits include Cochran County, 19; Deaf Smith, five; Floyd, two; Hale, one; Hockley, one; Lamb, two; Lubbock, three; Lynn, 10; and Parmer, 1. Three in Deaf Smith were Dockum permits.
Approximately 443 water well permit applications have been submitted since the beginning of the fiscal year in October 2022 – 105 more requests than in the same period last year.
The current Drought Monitor for Castro County indicates areas of severe to extreme drought.