Senate Staff Visits Local Groundwater Districts

On a beautiful winter day, several staff members from Texas Senator Troy Fraser and Texas Senator Kel Seliger’s offices met together with three local Groundwater Districts within the Texas Panhandle to discuss joint groundwater issues. The trip was coordinated by Executive Director of Government and Public Affairs Jason Skaggs from Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA), and State Legislative Director Billy Howe from Farm Bureau (TFB), to investigate how Groundwater Districts are honoring private property rights in their management of groundwater.  TFB Director Billy Bob Brown and incoming TSCRA President Joe Parker were also in attendance.

The tour began in Canadian, Texas, with a presentation from the Hemphill Underground Water Conservation District (HUWCD) Board President Jim Haley and General Manager Janet Guthrie explaining all the actions HUWCD is taking to help preserve their water. The focus of their presentation was water use patterns and opportunities they have for conservation of both surface and groundwater to preserve spring flow and ecotourism.   Guthrie further discussed what driving factors were considered by their District Board in establishing the 80 percent of the current water left in 50 years Desired Future Condition (DFC) for Hemphill County.  Guthrie provided a scenic drive to Lake Marvin and a Historic Ranch House to see some examples of what they are trying to preserve.

The group then travelled on to Dumas, Texas, where they were met by North Plains Groundwater Conservation District (NPGCD) Board President Danny Krienke, General Manager Steve Walthour, and Hyrdrologist Dale Hallmark.  Krienke and Walthour continued to discuss local groundwater issues which included some of the programs ongoing in their area, and details of their “200/12” program. The “200/12” program was a study conducted during the growing season in three areas of their District to investigate whether 200 bushels of corn can be economically grown in the NPGCD area.  They also explained that the people in the four western counties of their District which include Dallam, Sherman, Hartley and Moore counties, felt that they could only accomplish a 40 percent left in 50 years DFC without adversely affecting the local economy.

After visiting the NPGCD area, the group continued out to the 6666 Ranch headquarters north of Panhandle, Texas, where Ranch Manager Joe Leathers gave a guided tour of the ranch to observe firsthand their ongoing conservation practices.  Leathers explained to the group that water conservation has become an integral part of their everyday management on the ranch.

C. E. Williams, Panhandle Groundwater Conservation District (PGCD) General Manager, also gave a presentation about PGCD’s management plan and goals, and how PGCD arrived at the 50 percent left in 50 years DFC. He told the group the 50/50 Management Standard was born at the District in an effort to balance the needs to produce water today, and the desire to conserve the most water possible for future generations.  He pointed out the need for sound data and how data drives our decisions.

The group was presented with an overall representation of the Texas Panhandle and the groundwater issues in our area.  They were also shown a close-up view of how each Groundwater District operates and the importance of each District’s views when it comes to considering state-wide problems. Howe explained that TFB supports the management of groundwater by local districts, and he also said, “One of the best ways for Austin legislative staff to get a first-hand view of the great job these districts do is to visit a district and see for themselves. Every time Texas Farm Bureau has helped to coordinate one of the tours, the staff comes away with an appreciation of how local groundwater management is working in Texas.”