The Upper Trinity Groundwater Conservation District and the Parker County Livestock Improvement Association receive the Texas Water Development Board’s Texas Rain Catcher Award

For immediate release. Contact: Media Relations at 512-463-5129

AUSTIN – (September 3, 2020) – The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) announced today the recipients of its annual Texas Rain Catcher Award, a rainwater harvesting competition and recognition program. The Upper Trinity Groundwater Conservation District and the Parker County Livestock Improvement Association were recognized in the agricultural category.

The TWDB's Texas Rain Catcher Award recognizes excellence in the application of rainwater harvesting systems in Texas, promotes rainwater harvesting technology, and educates the public on this critical water-saving practice.

The Parker County Livestock Improvement Association (PCLIA) fairground hosts more than 60 events annually with an estimated 35,000 visitors. In recent years, the fairground has faced a water supply challenge. In 2019, the existing well struggled to keep up with the water demand during the PCLIA’s largest event, the Parker County Youth Livestock Show. Rather than drilling a second well, the PCLIA applied for and received a $50,000 grant from the Upper Trinity Groundwater Conservation District (District) to construct a rainwater harvesting system on the newly built 30,000-square-foot livestock arena.

Featuring a 65,000-gallon tank, the system offsets the demand on the Trinity Aquifer and serves several functions. The collected rainwater primarily provides water for livestock consumption and washing during stock shows and rodeos. During the summertime, the rainwater collection offers a water source for fire trucks, minimizes runoff and erosion, and serves as an educational tool for the District.

The Texas Rain Catcher Award competition began in 2007 and is open to all individuals, companies, organizations, municipalities, and other local and state governmental entities in Texas. It recognizes entities and individuals in the rainwater harvesting community and beyond and establishes award recipients as dedicated water conservation leaders in Texas. The Upper Trinity Groundwater Conservation District and the Parker County Livestock Improvement Association are one of six awardees being recognized statewide this year.

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