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Hon. H. A. Beckwith, Chairman Board of Water Engltieers Austin, Texas Opinion NO. v-1060 Re: Procedure for designating underground.waterreservoirs Dear Sir: .~~~ pursuant . to~Artlcle 7880+3_c,V.C.S./ Your request for an opinion presents 's&en questions concerning the cqnstructilonof Subseotion C, Article 7880:3c;V.C.S.,passed by the 51st Legislature, Acts 1949, page 599, and providing a8 follows: ." -Cf No petitibn for the~creationof a Mstrlct to exer&se.the pOwera land functions set forth 1n~'SubaectionB of .thisSectidn 3c shall be consideredby a CommissionersCourt OF the Board/es the case may be;unless the.area to be Included therein is coterminus.withan undergroundwater resekvolr or,subdiii- slon thereof whhichtheretoforehas been defined and designatedby the Board as an undergroundwater reservoir or subdivision thereof. Such district, in conSorm$ng to a defined reservolr or subdivision,may lnclude.allor parts of a county or coun- ties, municipal corporations.or lltlcal subdivisions,Including but not .llmltedto ,WaterControl atidImprovement Districts. "It shall be the duty OS the Board from time to tlme.and in'any event up- on application,bypetition In the manner provided in Section 10 OS the Acts of 1925, Thirty-ninthLegislature,Chap- ter 25, page 88, after notice and hear-, ing as provided for In Se&ion 15 and Section 21 (as amended), Acts of 1925, Hon. H. A. Beckwith - Page 2 (v-1060)
Thirty-ninthLegislature,Chapter 25, to designate undergroundwater reser- voirs and subdivisionsthereof and thereafteras future conditionsmay require and factual data justify to alter the boundaries thei%6f;provlded, however, such alterationshall not.in- validate the creation-ofany District theretoforecreated wlth.the.powers provided for In this Section 3c." .' For the sake of clarity, we repeat your several questions before our answers thereto. 1. .&es the law provide for two separate
.S&&n B of the Act provides that underground water 'contiervation~ dlsttilctsshall be created wider 'the procedure~usedlr.,q?eat'ingwater Control and Improvement districts. These latter districts.arkiorganlzed ,bypetl- tion "signed by a ~majorityIn number of the holders OS title to lands tbe'reln,and the 0wriers.of.amajority ln value of the iands therein, a8 ~sht$qn by tQe county t&x rolls; provided, JS the number of au@ landowners therein Is more than-fifty,.such petition shall_.be.sufSicientif same is signed by.