Texas Water Development Board approves $1 million to the North Plains Groundwater Conservation District (Dallam, Hansford, Hartley, Lipscomb, Moore, Ochiltree and Sherman counties) for an agricultural water conservation equipment loan program

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AUSTIN – (September 5, 2019) – The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) today approved by resolution financial assistance in the amount of $1 million from the Agricultural Water Conservation Loan Program to the North Plains Groundwater Conservation District (Dallam, Hansford, Hartley, Lipscomb, Moore, Ochiltree and Sherman counties). The District will use the assistance to provide loans to area farmers for irrigation systems and related equipment.

By using the TWDB's Agricultural Water Conservation Loan Program, the District could save approximately $161,000 over the life of the loan.

The District estimates 12 irrigation systems will be purchased by area farmers, resulting in an estimated 8,770 acre-feet of water savings over the life of the loan. The project aims to further water conservation in the state by supporting the implementation of recommended irrigation conservation water management strategies in the 2016 Panhandle Regional Water Plan.

The TWDB is the state agency charged with collecting and disseminating water-related data, assisting with regional planning, and preparing the state water plan for the development of the state's water resources. The TWDB administers cost-effective financial assistance programs for the construction of water supply, wastewater treatment, flood control, and agricultural water conservation projects.