City of Amarillo secures 15,700 acres of land for future water rights

By unanimous vote, the Amarillo City Council on Tuesday approved the contract for the purchase of 15,768 acres of water rights in Roberts County, which will improve the future water supply for the city of Amarillo by about 8% overall.

The move was emphasized by the city as a long-term investment for the future needs of the residents of the area, with the groundwater in the region in high demand and multiple municipalities looking to expand their water reserves.

According to Floyd Hartman, the city of Amarillo assistant city manager, the groundwater in the area will not have the infrastructure to be able to use the water in the region until about 2065, with the need for pumping stations, storage tanks as well as pipelines to get that water to the city of Amarillo. The acquisition of the water rights is expected to add about 800,000-acre feet of water to the city’s supply of available groundwater.

The cost for the infrastructure for the usage of this water and with all the costs involved could approach $1 billion, according to the engineers in the water master plan. Still, no details were available on which entities would be responsible for covering all future costs.

“This purchase of water rights is significant for Amarillo for many reasons. It protects the Amarillo water supply for future generations, helps strengthen the economic viability of the region and recognizes the importance of agriculture to the area,” Hartman said. “This is water located in northern Roberts County, water rights on the Mesa Vista ranch. It is an opportunity for some of the best water rights in the Panhandle.”

Hartman stated in the meeting that the city’s deal to pay $1,875 per acre for these water rights was great compared to many other deals of its type. Overall, the cost of securing the water rights is expected to be $29,565,000 and will be paid for out of about a 2% future increase in the city’s water and sewer fund. The city already has $12 million set aside for the project, with the rest coming from the increase in rates for water and sewage.

“We’re signing the contract and we have to close the loan, but the plan, then it would go into our inventory,” Hartman said. “We would develop that probably in 2065, would be the master plan. So, you will see we are planning well ahead of the need and the demand.”

Adding that this purchase would extend Amarillo’s water supply at least 30 years, Hartman said that this was a conservative estimate and could have a greater impact on reservoirs. He stressed that this purchase was a great investment with so many regions looking to expand rights.

“It is grazing ranch land, more than typical irrigated farmland. But the history of Amarillo and CRMWA purchasing water rights in Roberts County has made it where our acres are contiguous, and that gives us the opportunity to protect that from other water user groups. But it also allows those user groups to go to other places in the Panhandle and thrive. So, it eliminates the competition.”

Travis Chester made a deal with the city for the water rights to his land. He had been negotiating to sell the water rights for a while, but ultimately went with Amarillo due to his family ties to the city.

“It is obviously a great deal for myself and my family, but it is a historic deal for the city. And I mean, it secures Amarillo’s water supply for the future. I mean, it is a great deal for everybody,” Chester said Tuesday.

Mayor Ginger Nelson, who was also present for the announcement, talked about how with the city’s future growth with all the companies moving here, the city had to be forward-thinking about securing the future water supply for those residents.

“We are quite proud today to be gathered here today to celebrate a unique opportunity for the city of Amarillo," Nelson said. “We are thinking about our long-term future; we are thinking about the basic needs that we need for our city to grow and thrive. Citizens of Amarillo should have comfort that we are always looking for opportunities to secure water rights and to protect what is a very precious resource in the Texas Panhandle. And that is our water and our access to future water.”

This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: City of Amarillo secures 15,700 acres of land for future water rights