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Conserve where you can and pray for rain. That’s the message this week from Greenbelt Municipal & Industrial Water Authority, which is giving notice that it is in Stage 2 of its drought contingency plan and is nearing Stage 3.

The plan in both stages seeks to reduce consumption of water, but Greenbelt General Manager Bobbie Kidd says the real concern is weather.

“The problem is not usage. It’s pure lack of rainfall and this hot, dry wind,” Kidd said.
Greenbelt says the reservoir looses a huge amount of water – almost equal to what is consumed – to simple evaporation, which is worse in hot, windy weather.

Usage meanwhile is falling due to a declining population in the member cities that Greenbelt serves, Kidd said.

That doesn’t mean people should not conserve water wherever they can, because, as Kidd points out, “Every bit helps.”

Greenbelt Lake has been in Stage 2 for three years, although it did come out of it briefly last year when wet weather brought the lake level up five feet. Now the lake is just barely one foot above the Stage 3 level.

On Monday, the lake depth was at 52.07 feet. Stage 3 kicks in when the lake falls to 51 feet, and the plan calls for the authority to reduce the levels in municipal storage tanks, which Kidd said reduces water pressure and therefore reduces usage. Greenbelt’s board would decide whether to implement that rule though.

“It may not come to that,” Kidd said. “The lake’s not changing real fast, and if we can catch some rain, the lake will come up fast.”

For now the biggest concern is that lower lake levels will impact recreation at Greenbelt, which
has two boat ramps open. Kidd says those ramps probably can’t be extended any further.

“That could impact money in [Clarendon] if recreation suffers,” Kidd said, but he noted that forecasts are calling for a cooler, wetter summer later this year. But until the weather pattern changes, Kidd advises, “Don’t waste any.”

Lifejackets are now in the hands of 287 Donley County students from HeadStart through 5th grade thanks to the combined efforts of the Associated Ambulance Authority and Greenbelt Water Authority.
Hedley elementary students received their jackets last Thursday, and Clarendon students got theirs on Monday. Both sets of students learned about water safety from EMS, volunteer firemen, and representatives from the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department.

Ambulance director Anna Howard said the project began last year when the ambulance service received a $1,190.90 grant from the Panhandle Regional Advisory Council for injury prevention.

“We originally were just planning to have some lifejackets on hand and pass them out when we felt it was appropriate, but I mentioned it to Greenbelt and they matched the grant – and probably went over – and got jackets for all the elementary kids in the county.”

“Next month is water awareness month, but we figured we would go ahead and do it now since May gets so busy,” said Renee Betts of Greenbelt Water Authority.

The Clarendon Volunteer Fire Dept. Dive Team, Texas Parks & Wildlife, the Department of Public Safety, Greenbelt, and the ambulance authority visited both schools. Students got a close up look and explanation of diving equipment, an ambulance, a state patrol car, and a game warden’s boat.

The kids were fitted with their jackets and reminded that they need to be worn tightly so they don’t slip off in the water.

“We were thrilled to do it,” Howard said. “The kids were excited, and hopefully it will help save a life.”

 Twenty-four people have drowned in Greenbelt Lake since it opened in 1968. Betts said they hope that these jackets will help prevent that number rising. No one wearing a lifejacket has died at Greenbelt.

 “We hope that our efforts help raise awareness on water safety,” Betts said.

Howard said the ambulance service intends to apply for the grant funds again next year if they are available to try to prevent future drownings.