Question

From an ownership perspective, in Texas, groundwater:

A) Is owned by the state.
B) Is owned by the surface landowner.
C) Is owned by a combination of the state and surface landowner.
D) Is owned by the federal government.

Answer 1

In Texas, ownership of groundwater belongs to the surface landowner, with the state providing regulation over its usage.

Step-by-step explanation:

From an ownership perspective, in Texas, groundwater is owned by the surface landowner. This legal framework is based on the rule of capture, which grants ownership of the groundwater to the owner of the land under which the water is located. In Texas, groundwater is not owned by the state, nor by the federal government, and while the state regulates the use of groundwater, the right to the water itself belongs to the landowner. In Texas, groundwater from an ownership perspective is owned by the surface landowner. Groundwater is the water located in small spaces between mineral grains and fractures in subsurface earth materials. It originates from rain or snowmelt, infiltrates the ground, and moves downward until it reaches the saturated zone.