District Extends Conservation Reserve Timeline to Save More Water

Dumas - "The Groundwater Conservation Reserve gives well owners an incentive to use less than their allocation each year," said North Plains GCD Board President, Bob Zimmer. "Extending the reserve period delays the incentive to use it or lose it, and helps establish good conservation habits, while staying at or below allowable production limits," said Zimmer.

The North Plains GCD board of directors voted to amend the existing Rule 3.4 pertaining to the district's Groundwater Conservation Reserve (GCR) program. The new version of the rule will increase the time that well owners will have to use "reserved" groundwater from two years to five years. The GCR allows well owners who save water in one year to use a portion of it in future production years. The use of the reserve is limited to a maximum of 6 inches-per-acre of reserve in any production year.

The board proposed the rule change at the November meeting and held public hearings on the matter prior to the January and February board meetings. The board considered and approved the change during the February board meeting, following the public hearing. The board created the GCR in 2009 as a conservation measure that gives well owners the flexibility to adjust to varying rainfall amounts. "The idea is that a well owner can save some water from a wet year to use in a drier year, so they have a reason to conserve to be prepared for what the future might hold, "said Steve Walthour, district general manager.

Zimmer explained that the GCR is available to all well owners, not just agriculture irrigators. "We look at this like saving for an emergency," Zimmer said. "This reserve program could prove to be very important to cities trying to meet demands if we should face continued drought conditions in the future."

Under the original rule that incentive expired at the end of the two-year reserve period. "We were concerned that the rule could create a reason for well owners to use their water at the end of the two years, whether the crop needed it or not," said Zimmer. "We believe the efficient practices that will be necessary to accumulate a reserve over five years will also go a long way toward leaving that reserve in the ground for the future," said Zimmer.

The board received a proposal from David Ford regarding a plan to limit the number of wells that are being drilled in the district. The board took no action and agreed to review the proposal. In other board action, the board approved a well service contract to develop water quality monitoring wells for a joint project with the United States Geological Survey, and ordered elections for directors in Precinct 5-Hansford and Hutchinson Counties, Precinct 6-Ochiltree County and Precinct 7-Lipscomb County.

The board also received a report from United States Department of Agriculture-Natural Resource Conservation Service, State Conservation Agronomist, Willie Durham regarding soil health and how it contributes to water conservation. Other reports included: Leon New's presentation of the 2011 "200-12 Project" report, and Texas AgriLife Irrigation Specialist, Nich Kenny's presentation on the Efficient Profitable Irrigation on Corn project.

For more information on these or any other topics relating to groundwater conservation, call the district at 806-935-6401 or log on to www.northplainsgcd.org.