UT-BEG project manager says $100,000 would only start study of San Solomon Springs; asks district for detailed budget

Rebecca C. Smyth, M.A., P.G., a hydrogeologist and project manager with the University of Texas Bureau of Economic Geology (UT-BEG), told the Reeves County Groundwater Conservation District at its May 16, 2024 meeting in Pecos that a proposed $100,000 contribution would be "only the beginning" of the funding needed to continue study of the San Solomon Springs watershed.

Smyth said the project has been supported previously by Apache and that those funds — about $2,000,000 used to support two years of neutral study — are nearly exhausted. She said UT-BEG received discretionary state funds, gifts and donations from private landowners and that the bureau was seeking additional matches from its supervisors. "No," Smyth said when asked whether $100,000 would be sufficient, adding that she could provide the district a detailed budget.

Board members asked several operational questions during the presentation. Director Luke Brown said Apache had recently bought more land in the Brown Hills. District staff member Greg told the board UT-BEG and the district use monitor-well and Texas Water Development Board data for flow models and that the springs draw interest beyond the local district because they contribute surface water within the district's boundaries. Director Benjamin Burnham asked about the size of equipment being used; Director Cecil Lee observed that windmill-operated wells that produce about 4 gallons per minute can complicate interpretation of pumping data because their cycles are irregular. Smyth noted some loggers installed in January 2022 were operating at roughly 50% power and estimated replacement loggers cost about $25,000 apiece. She also said the district previously provided a $25,000 grant to UT-BEG last summer.

The board discussed the presentation but took no formal action on additional funding at the meeting. Smyth said she would provide a more detailed budget and timeline for the work if the board wanted further consideration. The board will next meet on June 20, 2024.