North Plains Water News

September 2024

NPGCD Adopts New Tax Rate for 2024

After notice and hearing, the board of directors met on September 10, 2024 and took action to adopt the District’s budget for fiscal year October 1, 2024 thru September 30, 2025 and the 2024 Tax Rate. With projected income of $3,962,537.09 and projected expenses of $3,962,488.00 the board took action to increase the property tax rate to $.032161 per $100 valuation, which is effectively a 13.52% increase in the tax rate. This tax rate does NOT exceed the voter approval tax rate and therefore no election is required. The adopted tax rate will raise more taxes for the maintenance and operations than last year’s tax rate. The tax rate will increase taxes on a $100,000 home by approximately $3.78. Action was taken with unanimous approval of the board of directors.

If you have any questions regarding the adopted budget or the tax rate, please feel free to contact the Janet Guthrie, General Manager at 806-935-6401.

Welcome Angie!

The district would like to welcome Angie Cabeen to the field team!

When asked about this opportunity Angie stated, "first and foremost, I want to thank God, my personal Lord and Savior, without him I wouldn't be in this position I am now!"

Angie joined the district in back in August. She grew up in Dumas graduating from Dumas high school in 2011. Angie says she's, "looking forward to the adventures this job will bring and she looks forward to meeting everyone in the district".

No November Elections

This year, the NPGCD had three (3) Board of Directors' positions up for election. In order to run, a candidate must be a resident and a registered voter in the precinct that the person desires to represent. The next District election was going to be held on Tuesday, November 5, 2024 to fill the vacancy in Lipscomb County (Precinct 7), Texas, as well as for the officers in Ochiltree (Precinct 6), Texas, Hansford and Hutchinson Counties (Precinct 5), Texas.

The incumbents, Bob Zimmer of Precinct 5 Hutchinson and Hansford Counties and Daniel Krienke Precinct 6 Ochiltree County, did not draw opponents prior to the August 19, 2024 filing deadline.

Gene Born of Precinct 7 Lipscomb County retired in February, so his seat was vacant. Fortunately for the District, his son Clinton Born decided to throw his hat in the ring, and he too did not draw an opponent before the filing deadline.

The Board Members and their respective precinct are as follows:

Allan Frerich - Dallam County
Mark Howard - Hartley County
Justin Crownover - Sherman County
Harold Grall - Moore County
Bob Zimmer - Hutchinson & Hansford County
Danny Krienke - Ochiltree County
Clinton Born - Lipscomb County

The Board’s responsibilities include, but are not limited to, adopting and monitoring the district’s annual budget, setting an annual tax rate and other fees to fund the budget, setting district goals, developing and implementing the district’s management plan, adopting and enforcing district rules, ensuring the district operates within its statutory authority, and developing and implementing policies and other orders.

Annual Report

North Plains GCD - WCC Demonstration Update

Options for Limited Water

In the face of declining well yields and limited water, combined with the growing need for animal feed, the district decided to bring forage sorghum into the rotation to evaluate water use and profitability, compared to the traditional corn – cotton rotation. Forage sorghum (for silage production) was partnered with grain corn or cotton on each pivot and the irrigation amounts were carefully monitored. Now that we have finished irrigation for the season, we can see that by adding the forage sorghum into the mix, water use was reduced considerably. By splitting the acreage between corn and sorghum, the total irrigation application on the west pivot was reduced by almost 6”, when compared to an all-corn crop. This is a huge saving and may offer a solution for growers who are now struggling to fully irrigate corn, but the big question remains - how does this pencil out regarding returns?

Irrigation application since 1/7/24

The reason that the Water Conservation Center (WCC) was in a corn/cotton rotation in the first place, was to spread the water out so that it is not all needed at once by one type of crop. If you focus on this traditional corn/cotton crop mix then in 2024, the average water use would have been 19.2” across the two pivots. However, by including forage sorghum, this overall usage was reduced to 16.6” per acre. Not only is irrigation reduced but the forage sorghum provides an alternative to cotton, if the grower prefers producing silage over cotton for a variety reasons. Many farmers are also not set up to grow cotton, or the elevation in some areas reduces the yield potential. Since these fields have not yet been harvested, we will need to wait for the results, however the large differences in irrigation applications show that there are options that might just make your water stretch that little bit further! Stay tuned for more updates…

Important Links...

North Plains Groundwater Conservation District

(806) 935-6401

info@northplainsgcd.org

northplainsgcd.org

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