TITLE: Commemorating the 60th anniversary of the North Plains Groundwater Conservation District.

SUMMARY: Commemorating the 60th anniversary of the North Plains Groundwater Conservation District.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, The directors and staff of the North Plains Groundwater Conservation District celebrated the 60th anniversary of its establishment on January 21, 2015, and this significant milestone offers a fitting opportunity to recognize the contributions of the district to the northern Panhandle region; and WHEREAS, In 1955, voters approved the State Board of Water Engineers' creation of the North Plains Groundwater Conservation District for the purpose of managing groundwater resources north of the Canadian River; the district was originally composed of Hartley, Moore, Sherman, Hansford, Hutchinson, and Ochiltree Counties, and eventually Lipscomb and Dallam Counties joined the region; and WHEREAS, In addition to confirming that rules and standards are met, the North Plains Groundwater Conservation District collects and maintains data, performs water quality analyses, issues well permits, and creates educational opportunities for stakeholders and area schools; for the past nine years, the district has organized Save The Planet's Water Festivals, which have helped more than 5,000 students and teachers learn about and recognize their role in the stewardship of natural resources; and WHEREAS, In 2010, the board of directors introduced the 200-12 Reduced Irrigation on Corn Demonstration Project to help save irrigation water while maintaining crop yields; the 200-12 Project has been recognized by the Texas Water Conservation Advisory Council with the 2011 Blue Legacy Award for Agriculture and by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and the Office of the Governor with the 2012 Texas Environmental Excellence Award for Agriculture; and WHEREAS, Currently, the organization is led by general manager Steve Walthour, and it further benefits from the dedicated work of its staff and engineers, Jerry Green, Dale Hallmark, Kristen Lane, Patsy Long, Karen Mannis, Leon New, Mike Pitts, Pauletta Rhoades, Sherry Robinett, Curtis Schwertner, Paul Sigle, Shari Stanford, Casey Tice, Odell Ward, Kirk Welch, and Laura West; also deserving of acknowledgment are members of the district board, Gene Born, Justin Crownover, Harold Grall, Mark Howard, Danny Krienke, Zac Yoder, and Bob Zimmer, whose direction and oversight have been invaluable to the district's operation; and WHEREAS, For six decades, the North Plains Groundwater Conservation District has worked to provide prudent and effective administration of regional groundwater supplies, thereby ensuring the availability of this precious resource for Texans today and for generations to come; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas Legislature hereby commemorate the 60th anniversary of the North Plains Groundwater Conservation District and extend to the district's manager, staff, engineers, and board members sincere best wishes for continued success; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for the district board and staff as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. Price Straus Guerra Otto Allen Guillen Paddie Alonzo Gutierrez Parker Alvarado Harless Paul Anchia Hernandez Pe a Anderson of Dallas Herrero Phelan Anderson of McLennan Howard Phillips Ashby Huberty Pickett Aycock Hughes Price Bell Hunter Raney Blanco Isaac Raymond Bohac Israel Reynolds Bonnen of Brazoria Johnson Riddle Bonnen of Galveston Kacal Rinaldi Burkett Keffer Rodriguez of Bexar Burns Keough Rodriguez of Travis Burrows King of Hemphill Romero, Jr. Button King of Parker Rose Canales King of Taylor Sanford Capriglione King of Uvalde Schaefer Clardy Klick Schofield Coleman Koop Shaheen Collier Krause Sheets Cook Kuempel Sheffield Craddick Landgraf Simmons Crownover Larson Simpson Dale Laubenberg Smith Darby Leach Smithee Davis of Dallas Longoria Spitzer Davis of Harris Lozano Springer Deshotel Lucio III Stephenson Dukes M rquez Stickland Dutton Martinez Thompson of Brazoria Elkins Martinez Fischer Thompson of Harris Faircloth McClendon Tinderholt Fallon Men ndez Turner of Collin Farias Metcalf Turner of Harris Farney Meyer Turner of Tarrant Farrar Miles VanDeaver Fletcher Miller of Comal Villalba Flynn Miller of Fort Bend Vo Frank Moody Walle Frullo Morrison White of Bell Galindo Mu oz, Jr. White of Tyler Geren Murphy Workman Giddings Murr Wray Goldman Naishtat Wu Gonzales Nev rez Zedler Gonz lez Oliveira Zerwas Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 498 was adopted by the House on February 19, 2015, by a non-record vote. Chief Clerk of the House