PLUM CREEKCONSERVATION
DISTRICT

Plum Creek Conservation District
N E W S L E T T E R
V O L U M E

1N U M B E R

3S U M M E R

2 0 1 2

PCCD’s New Amended Rules
INSIDETHISISSUE:PCCD Amended Rules
Page 1Site 5 Rehab Project
Page 1

Operation &Maintenance
Page 2

Leona Monitoring Well
Page 2
2012 Water Levels
Page 3Students Learn about
Aquifers
Page 3P AGE

The PCCD has amended its
rules to comply with the
new water related laws
which were passed in the
82nd legislative session andto address other localgroundwater issues. On
June 19, PCCD held ahearing and then adopted
the rules at their July board
meeting. The rules, in part,address Senate Bill 737
which requires ground wa-ter conservation districtboards to consider additional items when permitting a water well. These
additional considerations
include Modeled Available
Groundwater,annualgroundwaterproduced,
exempt water use, yearly
precipitation and production patterns. In addition,
the new rules have established a new permit catego-Operation &MaintenanceOperation & Maintenance

2On Jan 25th , 2012, areas in our district experienced severe flooding resulting in several waterrescues, road closures, and school closings. Many of our sites had considerable amounts ofdebris wash into and around our dams. As you can see from the pictures, this was quit extensive. Currently, we have begun to clean up these sites one by one, focusing first on the dams
that have required the most work. To date we have cleaned up a total of 12 flood control structures and will be continuing to schedule cleanups on the other dams as permitted.
Annual Programs:

ry called a Non Exempt Agricultural Use Well Registration.
This is a registration/permit for
landowners seeking agricultural and/or livestock water use
for less than 100 acre feet ofwater per year. A copy of therules are available on our website. If you have any questions
on any of the changes, feel free
to contact us.

In May of this year, PCCD
had completed its annual
fertilize and weed control
program on a majority of its
flood control structures.
Keeping a healthy turf on
our dams is critical for erosion prevention and for allowing the dams to function
as engineered in times ofsevere flooding.

Site # 5 Rehab Project
The rehabilitation of PCCD’s Site 5 has been underway since late 2011 and is anticipated to befinished at the end of August, 2012. Site 5 was originally built in 1963 in the then rural farmlands of Hays County. Now, the dam is surrounded by development in the rapidly growing cityof Kyle. The rehab has consisted primarily of raising the dam 3.5 ft., adding fill to increase its
size, and installing an additional 24” principal spillway to work in conjunction with the current
principal spillway. When completed, it will comply with current dam performance standards
and safety criteria for high hazard dams.

Leona Monitoring Well

Leona Monitoring Well

PCCD has recently installed a transducer which will measure Leona Aquifer water levels on a 24/7 basis. The monitoring well , dug in 2010, is situated on thefringe of the Leona aquifer that is one of 7 aquifers in PCCD. The Leona Aquifer,a shallow aquifer consisting primarily of gravel, stretches approximately 25 miles
from Kyle southeast through Lockhart. Scattered through our district are approximately 73 Leona water wells. During the drought of 2008, several individuals reported their Leona wells going dry. In 2011, State Well 6703706 experienced its
lowest level since being measured in 1964. Data from this well will allow us tolook at how water levels respond and correlate with precipitation patterns in thearea and to assist landowners with information in dealing with drought conditions.
June 2012 Water Levels
for Westmoreland Well
0.0

1.0
2.0

3.0

Feet
4.0

Water Level

5.0
6.0

DATE
* water levels measured in feet below land

Lucy Knight, Lockhart

HereStampPO Box 328Lockhart, Texas 78644

1403 FM 20 East

Robert Wilson, Consulting Attorney

Korey Schuelke, Field Technician

Ben Twidwell, Luling

Fax: 512-398-7776
E-mail: info@pccd.org

1403 FM 20 East

Students Learn About Aquifers
PCCD has been involved in a number of community events promoting water conservation. In the month ofMay we participated in a science expo at Hernandez Elementary School. In early June, PCCD participatedin the 1st annual Agricultural/ Resource Exhibit at Chisholm Trail Roundup in Lockhart and in late June weparticipated in the Luling Foundation
Field Day. During these events, literature
on water conservation was distributed,
samples of aquifer sands were displayed,
and the basic principles of hydrogeology
were explained by using an edible aquifer( ice cream sundae). Kids enjoyed eating
ice cream while learning about aquifers.
The components of an aquifer were represented by the layers of an ice cream sundae. Ice cream and crushed ice represented
the saturated and non saturated portions of
an aquifer, Sprite represented water which
was poured into the glass simulating recharge from a rain event, and next, a straw
was stuck in the ice cream representing awater well being drilled. Finally, chocolate syrup was poured onto the ice cream simulating a contamination spill. By doing this, students realized how susceptible aquifers are to contamination and how important it is for us to protect this precious resource.

Daniel Meyer, Assistant Manager

Peter Reinecke, Secretary-Treasurer, Luling
Phone: 512-398-2383-57.25-90.25-50.00-20.80-91.11-98.00-94.65-72.10-65.15-121.70-52.15-81.00Karen Bassett, SecretaryCargileKuhn
Kosarek
LarsenLipscombLockhart #8
Longoria
McCormickMoore
PlattRodriguez
Wells

James O. Lipscomb, Vice-President, Lockhart

2012 Measurements

Lockhart, Texas 78644

Well

Johnie Halliburton, Executive Manager- 11.41- 89.51-129.43

James A. Holt Jr., President, Kyle6720409
6712530
6713101

PO Box 328

2012 Measurements

Directors

State Well

Plum Creek Conservation District

Of the 12 wells that PCCD has measured in thespring and summer of 2012, the overall average water level has decreased .14 feet. Many ofthese wells shown in the table have beenmeasured for 2 years now. In addition, during
the month of May, the USGS measured 3wells, 6720409, 6712530, and 6713101. Thewater levels for these wells increased an average of 1.12 ft. from last year’s readings.

Staff

Spring/Summer 2012 Water Levels

Place

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Plum Creek Conservation District

P AGE

The Plum Creek Conservation District’s Newsletter is available via email. If you or someone you know would like toreceive our Newsletter via email rather than US Mail then contact our office at (512) 398-2383.

3Wm Feathergail Wilson, PG, Consulting Geologist

NUMBER

Fred Rothert, Kyle

1Web Site: www.pccd.org

V OLUME