WOOD COUNTY, Texas (KLTV) - Wood County officials are exploring the creation of a groundwater conservation district to protect the county's aquifer as demand for water increases across Texas.

County Judge Kevin White said the district would involve collaboration among 13 to 16 counties in Northeast Texas."We're basically looking at our participation in the creation of a groundwater conservation district," White said.

"The state of Texas leads counties very little avenues to protect groundwater. And that is basically the only route that we have."Current regulationsWhite said the county currently has no authority to regulate groundwater extraction because state law treats it as a private property issue."The state of Texas doesn't allow us to, you know, it's a private property issue of how much water you want to sell," White said.