By Jim Steiert

Frank discussion of a rapidly diminishing water future for the Panhandle and South Plains will highlight a Stewarding Our Aquifer Field Day presented by Ogallala Commons on Tuesday, September 17 at 9 am at the Plains Cotton Growers Room at the Fibermax Center for Discovery, 1121 Canyon Lake Drive, Lubbock. 

“This field day follows up our Stewarding Our Water Future Conference held in March, where we were introduced to the groundwater conservation being done by Ogallala Land and Water Conservancy at Clovis and their impact on future water availability in Curry and Roosevelt counties of eastern New Mexico,” notes Dr. Darryl Birkenfeld, Ogallala Commons Deputy Director from Nazareth.

The morning kicks off with immediate urgency with the opening presentation at 9:40 am, themed “A Community Vision for Preserving the Ogallala Aquifer.” Dr. Ladona K. Clayton, Executive Director of Ogallala Land and Water Conservancy in Clovis, New Mexico, is the leadoff speaker.

She will address the Conservancy’s scheme to retire as much irrigation in Curry County as possible to slake the thirst of Cannon Air Force Base and Clovis. “We’re facing an extreme water crisis in east central New Mexico. This is related to irrigation from the Ogallala aquifer. Groundwater is our number one concern,” she says.

Ms. Clayton addressed a stunningly grim water future for the High Plains at the recent Eastern New

Mexico Water Conservation Summit in Clovis August 2. She has emphasized the hard reality that a massive drawdown of groundwater by irrigated agriculture—the major consumer of the finite Ogallala aquifer underlying eastern New Mexico and the Texas Panhandle and South Plains—will have to end if there is to be water left for towns and cities.

She explains that under a Phase 1 water rights lease by OLWC an initial 10 land-owners ceased irrigation in a paleo-channel near Clovis that has 53 wells. The lease has retired irrigation production of 12,903 acre feet of groundwater annually, or 36,578 acre feet over a three-year contract. 

At 10:10 am a panel of three ag producers from the Panhandle and South Plains will respond to Dr. Clayton and voice their perspectives in a session entitled, “An Aquifer Preservation Model for the Texas Panhandle-South Plains.” The panel session will include questions and discussion from the audience.

Panelists will include Dr. Chris Grotegut of Tierra Esperanza Farms at Hereford, a forward-thinking farmer and rancher who has proven that irrigation retirement is possible and can lead to Ogallala aquifer recovery. Dr. Grotegut is an agriculture representative on the Llano Estacado (Region O) Regional Water Planning Group, and serves on the High Plains Underground Water Conservation District Advisory Board. 

Another panelist is Lacy Cotter Vardeman of Cotter Key Farms, Slaton. Mrs. Cotter Vardeman is a fifth-generation farmer and rancher with a passion for conservation. Her efforts encompass a conservation-oriented attitude applied to growing Angus cattle, farming cotton, preserving ephemeral playas in Bailey and Lubbock counties, and bringing back springs in Bailey County.

Lincoln Devault of Farwell, a Parmer County farmer and another agriculture representative on the Llano Estacado Regional Water Planning Group, rounds out the panel members. He has come to appreciate the value of playas in recharging the Ogallala aquifer, and the importance of saving Ogallala aquifer water for communities including Farwell. 

Following the panel discussion Jim Bertram, retired City Planner from Ransom Canyon, will give an overview of how the City of Lubbock Canyon Lakes Project came about nearly 50 years ago. Mr. Bertram will present via a Zoom recording.

After a quick sandwich lunch at 12:20 pm, a field excursion will depart to tour along Canyon Drive and to view and visit lakes in the Jim Bertram Canyon Lakes Complex. The excursion will end at 2 pm.

Registration for the field day is $25 per person (including the cost of lunch and snacks). Sign-ups can be done by contacting Darryl Birkenfeld at darryl@ogallalacommons.org or by phone at 806.945.2255). Registration can be also be paid at the door. 

TO DISCUSS AQUIFER: Dr. Chris Grotegut of Hereford, Lacy Vardeman of Slaton/Muleshoe, and Lincoln Devault of Farwell  will voice their perspectives in a session entitled, “An Aquifer Preservation Model for the Texas Panhandle-South Plains” during a Stewarding Our Aquifer Field Day presented by Ogallala Commons on Tuesday, September 17 at 9 a.m. at the Plains Cotton Growers Room at the Fibermax Center for Discovery, 1121 Canyon Lake Drive, Lubbock.