Kids, Kows & More 2012 (Brownfield)

Kids, Kows & More went very well this year. The purpose of K,K & M is to provide awareness on many different entities and get students thinking about where their food, fiber and water comes from. Fourth graders from Terry County, came to Brownfield to learn about agricultural products and natural resources of the area. The topics on deck included lean beef, cotton, dairy products, vegetables, insects, water, soil and viticulture. Students observed demonstrations and learned information about each of the topics presented throughout the day.

Our water presentation was based around how much water the world possesses. The lesson to be learned was that only one percent of total water on Earth is fresh water. Students were amazed to learn this fact and asked some great questions regarding salt and fresh water. I'm so glad they ask great questions because they really keep me on my toes! We also addressed the topic of groundwater and the Ogallala Aquifer by relating the percent of fresh water to our own way of living in Terry Count.

Overall, the day was full of activities that got Terry County fourth graders thinking and wondering about the agriculture and natural resources we rely on in our daily lives. I can't wait until next year!

The 2012 Yoakum County Conservation Jamboree

The Conservation Jamboree is a day devoted to awareness about the industries that keep this region thriving. Its' purpose is to encourage students to think about and appreciate the resources we have here. 

This year's Conservation Jamboree was a great success! Approximately 155 students, from Plains and Denver City, explored the many industries of this area during the one day event. Students received first-hand information on rain percolation, farm equipment, electricity, branding, cotton gins, bugs, bees, water conservation, spices, soil types and peanuts. Each station gave ten presentations throughout the day.

The water conservation activity revolved around water use. White boards were provided with dry erase markers and students had to guess how many gallons it took to produce things like an apple, a car, one pound of chicken, etc. The kids really enjoyed the activity and took away the concept that we do use a lot of water in items we utilize daily.

In addition to receiving great information, students also had the chance to win door prizes by simply guessing how many items were in a certain container. Items ranged from bubble gum to cheese puff balls. Each station provided a different item for students to guess. If a student guessed the correct amount, they were awarded the full container of goodies at the end of the day.

Overall, the day was full of knowledge and fun for the students of Yoakum County. I can't wait until next year when it comes around again!

Calendar Contest Presentations, Ag & Oil Day and the Terry County Outdoor Classroom

It has been awhile since I've been able to catch you all up on what's been happening around here. We have been so busy! I'll give you a recap of the past two weeks.

Calendar Contest, Seminole & Stanton

Firstly, the Llano Estacado UWCD and the Permian Basin UWCD have their water conservation calendar contests in the fall. The other two districts, Sandy Land UWCD and South Plains UWCD, have theirs in the spring. With that being said, I had the privilege of visiting seven school districts in the time frame of two weeks. The schools in the LEUWCD consist of Loop, Seagraves and Seminole. Seminole is the largest school in this district having approximately 418 students between fourth and fifth grade! The kids were great and always paid very close attention to the water conservation message. If the kids win the contest with their artwork, they receive a cash prize, so that is always another way to maintain their attention. :)

The PBUWCD schools consist of  Elbow (Forsan's Elementary), Grady, Sands and Stanton. Stanton is the largest school in this district having roughly 135 students between fourth and fifth grade. Once again, the students in these schools were great listeners. The best part about the water conservation calendar contest is spreading awareness and getting students to really think about their water use.

Ag & Oil Day in Seminole

Ag & Oil Day was a great event this year. For those of you who haven't attended, you are missing out on some great information about the agricultural and oil industries! Anyway, the event is open to the public, but schools from surrounding areas also attend. Student presentations take place in the park. This year students went to several stations ranging from homemade peanut butter to chuck wagon history lessons.

The presentation I did was a game called "How much water does it take?" Students got into groups surrounding a small white lap board that they could write on with dry erase markers. I held up pictures of an apple, a pair of jeans and several other objects. Then I asked them to write down how many gallons of water it would take to make that certain object. The best answer of the day was 2,000,000,000 gallons of water. We do use a lot of water daily, but not quite that much!

Here are some pictures from that day:

Terry County Outdoor Classroom, Brownfield

This wrapped up the crazy past two weeks really well. The Outdoor Classroom is hosted by the County Extension office each year. Students get a look into the world of natural resources, wildlife and water. Approximately 150 kids attended this year's festivities at Oak Grove Elementary, where the event takes place. It is normally a two day event, but due to weather, tomorrow's portion will be cancelled. Tomorrow would normally be the field trip day where students would get to go to a buffalo ranch and see springs.

For today's presentation, I decided to have a hands on activity talking about the Ogallala Aquifer conditions in Terry County. The main purpose of this activity was to help the kids understand our water supply and how we utilize groundwater daily. Students were given a small-scale aquifer model with a plastic pipe, acting as a well. With a syringe, students extracted as much water as they could from the "aquifer" and then we discussed the technicalities and repercussions of taking more water up than is replenished in the aquifer. Overall, it was a great success.

Here are some pictures from today:

A Recap of the first Texas Groundwater Summit

The Texas Alliance of Groundwater Districts hosted the first Texas Groundwater Summit this past week in Austin, where approximately 300 people came together to speak about and listen in on pertinent water issues. Several topics were discussed during the conference. Staff members from the Llano Estacado, Permian Basin, Sandy Land and South Plains Underground Water Conservation Districts, attended sessions addressing key topics regarding drought, upcoming state legislative affairs and general concerns about the sustainability of groundwater in Texas. Many stakeholders from the municipal, industrial, agricultural and commercial industries were in attendance, as well. 

With the 83rd Legislative Session revving up in January 2013, key issues to look for regarding water will mostly deal with funding. Of course, the long-term timeline for water planning, in every part of the state, is another important issue for everyone involved in the water industry. 

Overall, the conference was insightful for managing and maintaining the future of groundwater in Texas. 

New school year, new water-saving habits

With school ready to kick off, the Southern Ogallala Conservation & Outreach Program would like to wish a great year upon all students in the 2012-2013 school year. Getting back in the swing of class can be tough, but we also want to encourage getting in the swing of water-saving. Water conservation can be practiced anywhere and at any time. Make water conservation a habit and take action to save water. Below are some great tips to help you save water at home and at school!

What does drinking water really do for your body?

Drinking water is great for your body! Check out these top 17 functions and health benefits of keeping your body hydrated. 

(Click to enlarge.)

Pictures from Denver City Library

I wrote the post about this event yesterday, but hadn't gotten the pictures yet. Here is some of the fun from the Denver City Library Water Olympics. Sorry for the delay on these! Pictures courtesy of the Yoakum County Library in Denver City. Thank you Maria!

Walk side ways! 

This guy was really good at not spilling water out of the mini shovel!

Throw the water balloons!

The final water balloon.