North Plains Groundwater Conservation District supports youth education by helping students learn about groundwater, conservation, and the importance of protecting local water resources.

Through programs such as the Children’s Water Festival, the District provides opportunities for students to explore where their water comes from, how it is used, and why conservation matters in the Texas Panhandle.

These educational efforts are designed to encourage water awareness at an early age and help students better understand the role groundwater plays in their homes, schools, communities, and local agriculture.

Irrigated agriculture plays an important role in the economy and long-term stability of communities throughout the North Plains Groundwater Conservation District. Because agricultural water use is closely tied to groundwater conservation, the District places a strong emphasis on education, outreach, and practical conservation strategies for producers.

The District’s agricultural water conservation programs are designed to support responsible groundwater use while helping producers evaluate irrigation practices, improve efficiency, and plan for future water availability. This section provides an overview of the initiatives, tools, and resources that continue to guide the District’s conservation efforts and support innovation in irrigated agriculture.

The Water Conservation Center (WCC) near Etter TX aims to demonstrate simple techniques and water saving ideas to local farmers that can help them increase their profitability and sustainability in the face of declining water availability. The demonstrations are done on a field scale, using commercial equipment to highlight to producers the economics of water saving ideas and just how accessible real improvements can be on their farm.

The Master Irrigator Program is an irrigation management curriculum made up of 24 hours of intensive irrigation education conducted over four one-day sessions to show producers how to maximize advanced conservation irrigation management and conservation practices that work together to save water, conserve energy, build soil health and enhance farm profitability.

Thanks to a grant from the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) the North Plains Groundwater Conservation District provides funding to irrigators to offset up to half the equipment cost of water meters.

The District is now accepting applications from irrigators in the district for the meter reimbursement program on meters purchased and installed on or after August 15, 2024. An initial grant was awarded to the District by the TWDB on the basis that meters are an accepted and effective management tool for producers and for groundwater conservation districts. Since June of 2014, the District has received $4,390,900.00 in grants for meters.

North Plains Groundwater Conservation District may be available to provide educational presentations for schools, community groups, civic organizations, and other local audiences. Presentation topics may include groundwater conservation, water-wise practices, local water resources, and related District programs.

To ask about scheduling a presentation, please contact Baylee Barnes at 806-935-6401 or bbarnes@northplainsgcd.org.