The Cross Section, Volume 22, Number 1, January 1976 Page: 4
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Page 4 THE CROSS SECTION January, 1976
HIGH PLAINS IRRIGATED AGRICULTULJ
LEADS STATE IN PRODUCTIONby BUTCH DAVIS
The High Plains continues to domi-
nate Texas irrigated agriculture as re-
ported in recent publications of the
Texas Water Development Board* and
the Texas Agricultural Extension Ser-
vice**.
In 1974, a staggering 5,900,000 ir-
rigated acres (two-thirds of the State's
total) were located in the 39-county
Texas High Plains region. However,
being superior is not without sacrifice,
since these counties were responsible
for more than 78 percent of all ground-
water pumped within the State during
that year.
High Plains Acreage High
The 15 counties located totally or in
part within the area served by the High
Plains Underground Water Conserva-
tion District No. 1 contain an impres-
sive 2,950,000 irrigated acres (one-
third of the State's total).
Furthermore, farmers in these 15
counties cultivated approximately 50
percent of the irrigated cotton, 43 per-
cent of the irrigated grain sorghum, 54
percent of the irrigated corn and 33
percent of the irrigated wheat acreage
harvested in Texas.
Since the irrigation water used in
these counties is "mined' from the Og-allala aquifer (pumpage greatly exceeds
the rate of natural recharge), almost
every farmer has felt the "pinch" of a
decreasing water supply. This situa-
tion, coupled with educational pro-
grams conceived and carried on by the
District, has resulted in more and more
irrigators becoming "water conserva-
tion conscious".
Underground Pipeline Extensive
This was exemplified in 1974 by the
expanded use of underground pipeline
to replace open ditches (in 1974 there
were 11,200 miles of underground
pipeline in these 15 counties-enough
to outline the State of Texas nearly
three times).
Additionally, published reports indi-
cate a one-year increase of 200 new
tailwater recovery systems and lake
pumps, and an increase of 500 sprink-
ler systems. All these improvements
result in decreased water use and in-
creased groundwater conservation.
Without irrigation, the High Plains
would cease to be as important to Tex-
as agriculture as it is today. The future
calls for a continuous expansion of wa-
ter conservation practices to assure the
continued economic success of the
area.
*Inventories of Irrigation in Texas 1958,
1964, 1969 and 1974, Texas Water Devel-
opment Board Report 196, based on inven-
tories made cooperatively by the Soil Con-
servation Service, U. S. Department of
Agriculture, the Texas State Soil and Water
Conservation Board and the Texas Water
Development Board.
**J974 High Plains Irrigation Survey, com-
piled by Leon New, Area Irrigation Spe-
cialist, Texas Agricultural Extension Ser-
vice, Lubbock, Texas, from county irriga-
tion surveys and other information obtained
from County Extension Agents.ELECTION ... continued from page 1
HOCKLEY
Billy Ray Carter, Levelland
Leon Young Ropesville
Robert Phillips, Levelland
LAMB
P. A. Washington, Springlake
Jack Stubblefield, Spade
Larry Lockwood, Littlefield
LUBBOCK
Don Bell, Wolfforth
Ronald Schilling, Slaton
Granville Igo, Shallowater
LYNN
S. B. Rice, Wilson
W. R. Steen, Wilson
Wendell Morrow, WilsonGeorge W. McCleskey, Lubbock at-
torney and President of Water, Inc.,
and John H. Garrett of Houston were
appointed to six-year terms on the
Texas Water Development Board
(TWDB) January 16 by Governor
Dolph Briscoe.
McCleskey, the Law Member of the
Board, and Garrett, Public Member,
replaced Carl Illig of Houston and
John H. McCoy of New Boston, whose
terms expired in January.
A. L. Black Named Chairman
Governor Briscoe also appointed
Friona farmer and rancher A. L.
Black as President of the TWDB.
Black, a former President of Water,
Inc., was first appointed to the TWDB
in March, 1974, for a six-year term.
He replaces McCoy as Chairman.
Upon his appointment, McCleskey
resigned his position as President of
Water, Inc., and J. W. Buchanan of
Dumas, First Vice President, assumed
that position until officers are elected
at the annual meeting to be held Feb-
ruary 14 at Hereford.
McCleskey also resigned as Chair-
man of the Lubbock Chamber of Com-
merce Water Committee January 16.
An attorney for the High Plains Water
District, as well as counsel for the Tax-
payer in the case of U. S. vs. Shurbet,
which established groundwater deple-
tion allowance for irrigation farmers
within the Water District, McCleskey
has been very involved in water mat-
ters.
He is a Member of the Advisory
Board of the West Texas Water Insti-tuL Member of the Lieutenant Gov-
erncr's Water Resources Advisory
Committee, past Chairman of the Wa-
ter Committee of the West Texas
Chamber of Commerce, President of
Watter, Inc., in 1974, and Director of
the Canadian River Municipal Water
Authority from 1971 until 1976.
Garrett has been President of Rich-
mond Road and Engineering Company
sin e 1970, Vice President of that firm
fro 1967 until 1970 and General
Superintendent in Chargc of the High-
way Division from 1957 until 1967.
He has been appointed by the Hous-
ton County Commissioners' Court as
Port Commissioner and to the Houston
Area Rapid Transit Commission. He
wa a Member of the Houston Area
Cit zens Advisory Committee to the
Teas Constitutional Revision Com-
mi-ion and was appointed by Gover-
nor Briscoe as Chairman of the Public
Employees Study Commission.
Garrett Active in Public Role
garrett is also a Director of the
Fir$t National Bank of Deer Park, Di-
rector of the Madison-Southern Na-
tional Bank of Houston and Director
of Spaw-Glass, Inc. (commercial and
industrial contractors).
McCleskey's and Garrett's appoint-
mens must be confirmed by the Sen-
ate at its next general session, prob-
ably in January, 1977. They join W.
E. Tinsley of Austin (Finance Mem-
ber . Milton Potts of Livingston (Pub-
lic Member), Robert B. Gilmore of
Dalas (Engineer Member) and Black
(Farmer-Rancher Member) on the
I WDi'.JOHN H. GARRETT GEORGE W. McCLESKEY
TWO DIRECTORS NAMED TO TWDBTWCA CONVENTION SET
FOR FEBRUARY 25-27
The 32nd Annual Texas Water
Conservation Association Conven-
tion has been scheduled for Febru-
ary 25 through 27 at the La Quinta
Royale Motor Inn in Corpus
Christi.
Major addresses will be by Bob
Armstrong, Commissioner of the
General Land Office of Texas; Dr.
Thomas G. Gebhard, Director,
Public Utilities Commission of Tex-
as, and Stanley W. Legro, Assistant
Administrator for Enforcement,
United States Environmental Pro-
tection Agency.
Anyone wishing to obtain infor-
mation concerning the convention
program should contact the District
at 2930 Avenue Q, Lubbock
79405, or the Texas Water Conser-
vation Association, 202 San Jacinto
Building, Austin 78701.C " N 131 I~Li1 N OII 0SJO~
1ILWd~d SSV13 CINOO3S
January, 1976
Page 4
T HE C ROSS SECTION
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High Plains Underground Water Conservation District No. 1 (Tex.). The Cross Section, Volume 22, Number 1, January 1976, periodical, January 1976; Lubbock, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1533010/m1/4/?q=%22~1%22~1: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.