# Upper Trinity Groundwater Rules 2026: What the August 27 Vote Changed

> The Upper Trinity district's 2026 rules: a 5-acre minimum in thin-aquifer areas, wider well spacing and a new high-volume class, effective January 1, 2027.

URL: https://waterwelldrillingweatherford.com/news/upper-trinity-groundwater-rules-2026/

Rules & News

The district that regulates wells in Parker, Hood, Wise and Montague counties adopted its biggest rule changes in years. Here's what takes effect January 1, 2027.

[Water Well Drilling Weatherford](https://waterwelldrillingweatherford.com/) is following the Upper Trinity groundwater rules for 2026 closely, because they change which lots can have a well and where it can go. On **August 27, 2026**, the Upper Trinity Groundwater Conservation District board adopted a package of rule changes after a public hearing. They take effect **January 1, 2027**.

## What changed

**A 5-acre minimum in thin-aquifer areas.** The minimum tract size for a new well rises from 2 acres to 5 acres where the Trinity aquifer is **60 ft thick or less**. It applies to property **subdivided after December 31, 2026**. Plats already in the approval process are grandfathered. The district’s list of affected communities is concentrated in western Wise County: Alvord, Chico, Paradise, Boonsville, Boyd, Bridgeport, Runaway Bay and others. The rule also reaches western portions of Parker, Hood and Montague counties. The district has published an interactive tract-size map showing exactly where it applies.

**Wider spacing for household-size wells.** For wells producing **8–17.36 gallons per minute**, the new spacing is:

- **100 ft from property lines** (up from 50 ft)
- **300 ft from other wells** (the current general rule is 150 ft from other registered wells)

**A new high-volume class.** Wells producing more than **150 gpm** must sit **4,000 ft** from other wells and **1,250 ft** from property lines, with enhanced review and aquifer testing.

**A cap on commercial permits.** Commercial groundwater permits in the Trinity are capped at **250,000 gallons per acre per year**.

## Why now

The district has about 25,000 registered wells. Its general manager, Doug Shaw, summed up the pressure: “There’s more wells drilled in Parker County than anywhere in the state — anywhere in the country.” State driller reports show Parker County logged 1,287 new household wells in 2022 alone, the most of any year since the online reports began in 2001. Where the aquifer is thin, closely spaced wells compete for the same limited water.

## What didn’t change

- **Registration before drilling** is still required ($600 plus a $100 refundable deposit).
- **Existing wells** keep operating. The new spacing applies to new wells.
- **The 2-acre minimum** still applies outside the thin-aquifer areas, and to lots platted before the cutoff.

## What to do if you’re buying or dividing land

1. **Check the tract** on the district’s tract-size map.
2. **If you’re subdividing,** know that land divided after December 31, 2026 in the affected areas needs 5 acres per well lot.
3. **Measure the well site** against the new spacing. On a 2-acre lot, 100 ft from every line leaves little room. See [minimum acreage for a water well](https://waterwelldrillingweatherford.com/learn/minimum-acreage-water-well-parker-county/).
4. **Plan before 2027 if you can.** A well registered and drilled under the current rules is an existing well under the new ones.

For the full current process, see the [Parker County water well permit guide](https://waterwelldrillingweatherford.com/learn/parker-county-water-well-permit/). If you’re weighing a purchase, we’ll check the lot, the registered wells around it and the new rules before you commit.

Sources

1. [Wise County Messenger, 5-acre minimum lots required for new wells in West Wise starting in 2027](https://www.wcmessenger.com/articles/5-acre-minimum-lots-required-for-new-wells-in-west-wise-starting-in-2027/)
2. [Hoodline, western Wise County well rules tighten as thin aquifer forces 5-acre minimum](https://hoodline.com/2026/09/western-wise-county-well-rules-tighten-as-thin-aquifer-forces-5-acre-minimum/)
3. [Citizen Portal, groundwater district proposes 5-acre minimum and pumping caps](https://citizenportal.ai/articles/9108386/texas/parker-county/groundwater-district-proposes-5acre-minimum-new-pumping-caps-public-hearing-set-aug-27)
4. [Upper Trinity GCD, FAQs](https://uppertrinitygcd.com/faqs/)

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## Ask about your well

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