One of the main goals of the Prairielands Groundwater Conservation District (PGCD) has always been to educate the public about groundwater and water conservation.

To accomplish this, the PGCD Board of Directors outfitted a 36-foot long utility trailer as an interactive “museum on wheels.” The first phase installation of exhibits was completed in October and officially presented to directors, staff, and guests at the October 19 monthly board meeting.

Exhibits in this initial floor plan include a model of our region’s aquifers with working storm clouds, streams, and wells; a large water well model displaying the various parts and operating features; water conservation in the home display that will also test students’ math skills; and a video station.

Additional exhibits and displays are already in the planning and design process, and are slated for installation in 2016. When completed, the interior of the trailer will look and feel like you’re walking through an underground tunnel.

The project was developed by staff in conjunction with Robert Reid Studios/Azle Models of Springtown, TX, who built and installed the various exhibits.

The trailer is available for presentations at civic events, meetings, festivals, and schools. To schedule an event, contact PGCD at (817) 556-2299.

The Prairielands Groundwater Conservation District office will be closed Monday, October 12, in observance of Columbus Day.

The District will resume business on Tuesday, October 13.

Representatives from Prairielands Groundwater Conservation District brought their water conservation message to Whitney Elementary School on Wednesday, May 6, as part of their ongoing public awareness program in Hill County. Kindergarten, first and second grade students learned the how they could conserve water around their homes at two learning stations during their physical education class period.  

Students had a fun and informative time learning that even though they are children there are still ways they can help to conserve water.  Parents can make changes to the home such as the purchase of water-conserving appliances and fixtures like low-water-use toilets but by doing simple things such as turning off the tap while brushing their teeth or making behavior changes such as not using the toilet as a trashcan, even kids can reduce the amount of water that is, essentially, wasted at home.

“Out of all the water conservation tips we talk about, turning off the water while they brush their teeth is probably the one main behavior change children their age can do, on their own, to save water,” said Karen Siddall, public relations and education administrator for the Prairielands Groundwater Conservation District. “Students were given a new toothbrush to take home as a reminder to put some of what they learned into practice.”

In addition to water conservation tips, students also learned important water nutrition information from the Texas AgriLife Extension Service in Hill County. Children were surprised to see the differences in the amount of sugar found in common beverages, and how their consumption can affect their bodies.

In addition, Texas Master Gardeners demonstrated how rainfall affects our watershed at one station, and 4-H volunteers, Renee McPeek and her son, Brazos, presented the water cycle and helped students create their very own “Water Cycle” bracelet to take home.

Even after our recent and most welcome rains, we still need to conserve our water resources. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eg5pLIM98m8

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality designated a large area over the Trinity Aquifer from the Red River to Central Texas as a Priority Groundwater Management Area (PGMA) due to the critical groundwater declines facing the area.

The Prairielands Groundwater Conservation District was created in 2009 by the 81st Texas Legislature with a directive to conserve, protect and enhance the groundwater resources of Ellis, Johnson, Hill and Somervell Counties in Texas.

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When the Prairielands Groundwater Conservation District was established in Ellis, Hill, Johnson, and Somervell counties, each county fronted a portion of the necessary start-up funding to employ staff, establish an office, and develop the initial aquifer studies on which the district would eventually base their permanent rules.  This funding has been repaid in a series of installments to each county over five years using fees collected from non-exempt wells. At the January district board meeting, the Prairielands GCD Board of Directors unanimously voted to make the final repayments to the counties more than six months ahead of schedule.

Beginning in early February, District Manager Jim Conkwright personally visited and presented each of the four counties’ county judges with a check fulfilling the repayment agreement.