Office of Conservation

Ground Water Resources ready to assist farmers in continuing dry weather

The Ground Water Resources Program of the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources’ Office of Conservation is alerting state agriculture interests to potential options as summer heat builds and near-drought conditions are being reported in the state.

The U.S. Drought Monitor is currently reporting abnormally dry surface conditions due to lack of sufficient rainfall in the recent past for much of Louisiana. The “abnormally dry” designation is the last step before drought on the Drought Monitor’s intensity listing. 

The state’s growing season is in full swing for many crops, and summertime is when maximum water evaporation occurs. To add to those standard conditions, temperatures in many parts of the state have reached or neared 100 degrees Fahrenheit in recent days.

“We understand the stresses and potential damage that abnormally dry and drought conditions pose to the agricultural community,” said Department of Natural Resources Secretary Scott Angelle, who also chairs the state Ground Water Resources Commission. “Our staff is prepared to provide guidance to the portions of our agricultural community who may be looking to a new well to help if the dry conditions persist.”

Options may include:

• A new well – which requires well owners to provide Conservation at least 60 days notice prior to the anticipated date of well installation for agency evaluation and approval.  However, once approved by Conservation, well owners may immediately begin drilling the proposed well without waiting for the full 60 day prior notification term to expire.

• A replacement well – which requires well owners to provide notice to Conservation within 60 days after well installation if certain criteria are met, such as being located in same area and installed within the same aquifer over an equivalent interval with the same purpose and water usage rate of the original well to be replaced.

• A drought relief well – which allows water well owners to provide notice to Conservation within 60 days after installation of temporary agricultural wells that are drilled during the time of an official drought, and which are used only while the official drought exists.  Following the end of drought conditions where the well is located, any other use of a former drought relief well must be approved by Conservation.

The Commissioner of Conservation urges water well owners to comply with the agency’s ground water regulations and reminds water well owners that ground water regulations under the agency’s authority are enforceable by Louisiana statutory law.  Water well owners in violation of water well notification requirements under the Office of Conservation may be assessed civil penalties, where applicable.

Staffers with the Ground Water Resources Program are ready and able to assist existing or potentially new water well owners with questions and guidance on ground water well notification requirements of the agency for new, replacement or drought relief wells.  For more information, you may contact Conservation Ground Water Resources staff at (225) 342-8244 or visit our website at http://dnr.louisiana.gov/groundwater/. A copy of the most recent order on the use of drought relief wells by the Commissioner of Conservation can also be found at that web site.