Texas Soil and Water Stewardship Week starts April 28
Some of the members of the Llano County Soil and Water Conservation District board and staff posed for a photo at the Commissioners Court meeting on April 22 following a countywide proclamation that Texas Soil and Water Stewardship Week is April 28-May 5. Pictured are board Director Joe Wells (left), Chairman Steve Haverlah, office manager Rachel Buamann, and Director Joe Freeman. Behind them are the five members of the Commissioners Court: Jerry Don Moss (left), Linda Raschke, Judge Ron Cunningham, Peter Jones, and Mike Sandoval. Staff photo by Dakota Morrissiey
The Llano County Commissioners Court recognized the importance of managing natural resources with a countywide proclamation declaring April 28 through May 5 as Texas Soil and Water Stewardship Week.
The court unanimously approved the proclamation during its regular meeting on Monday, April 22, and publicly acknowledged the work of the county’s Soil and Water Conservation District Board of Directors and staff.
Texas Soil and Water Stewardship Week is a statewide initiative bringing awareness to the proper management and conservation of water and soil for farming, ranching, and foresting.
Llano County’s Soil and Water Conservation District is an extension of the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board, which administers and advises on soil and water conservation law in conjunction with the 216 independent conservation districts in the state.
The county’s district is managed by a board of five elected directors that each oversee one of five zones in which they live. The directors must be actively involved in agriculture and are voted in by agricultural landowners in their zone.
The water management aspect of the director’s responsibilities was a focal point during the court’s Monday meeting. Board Chairman Steve Haverlah announced the district’s “Water Wise” conference on Aug. 20 following the approval of the stewardship week proclamation.
“We want to give people information so they’re not just drilling wells and pumping ponds full of water for viewing purposes,” he told the court.
County Judge Ron Cunningham agreed and hit home the importance of landowners, especially new ones in the county, learning how to properly manage their water.
“There’s people that move here and think that they’re going to do just what Steve was talking about,” he said. “They’re gonna pick a pretty spot under a pretty tree and dig a well and think they’re going to have 20 gallons a minute, and that’s not the case.”
To learn more about the Llano County Soil and Water Conservation District and stay up to date on its upcoming meetings and events, visit its Facebook page or contact the board with questions at llanocounty@swcd.texas.gov or 325-247-5154.