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By R.M. GLOVER
MNL Editor
ALPINE
– A lengthy Brewster County Water District meeting Tuesday saw little in the
way of tangible changes to the way underground water is regulated in the
county but it may have proved that the public and the board realize the
gravity of the problem and the extent to which the underground water supplies
should be studied.
After
four hours of deliberation, the most concrete item of the day was ratified, a
further meeting scheduled for June 2.
Water
Board directors spent most of the day discussing the new proposed language to
be used in the basic application documents including drilling permits and
operating permits.
Exempt
wells will continue to be recognized as wells pumping water for domestic and
livestock use.
The
quantity of water these wells can produce is still being discussed.
Non-exempt
wells that require operating permits like the Cavness well in Marathon, which
has applied to sell underground water to the oil industry, will evidently be
restricted to the amount of water it can sell outside of the district under a
new application known as the Export Operating Permit.
It
was unclear yet as to whether such wells will be restricted in quantity
pumped by the amount of land owned by the operator at the well site or if
some other restrictions will apply.
New
drilling permit applications will also require GPS coordinates to be included
as part of the well location description.
The
board also proposes that all existing wells must be registered by June 1,
2009.
“If
they don’t, they penalize themselves,” Board Member Billito Donnel said.
“They will not have standing to petition otherwise.”
Requiring
all wells to register with the Water Board will facilitate a better overall
picture of the amount of water being pumped.
“We
should not miss any opportunity to collect data.” Hydrologist Jeff Bennet
said from the public gallery during the meeting.
The
Water Board indicated that about 33 million gallons was pumped last year.
However,
many residents of the community have their own wells for domestic use as well
as perhaps hundreds of livestock wells on local ranches that do not rely on municipal
water.
“The
big question we’re facing is how much water is being pumped in Marathon,”
Water District President Mike Davidson said.
New
provisions for testing wells were also discussed by the board.
“The
industry standard is to have a 48-hour pump test that mimics the intended use
and to get observation from surrounding wells,” Bennet said when queried by
the board.
“Sounding
pipes should also be installed so that draw downs can be monitored,” Bennet
said.
Many
residents in Marathon recall the irrigated alfalfa farming operation just
outside of town in the 1980s.
It
“drew down the water table significantly,” Clyde Curry said. “Some wells went
dry. Fortunately, they stopped.”
Water
rights remain a cloudy issue, not only in Brewster County but all over Texas.
“According
to state law, all the water under your land belongs to the landowner,” Davisdon
said.
Rule
of Capture is the prevailing water law in Texas. It’s been a statute since
1904.
According
to a 2004 article in The Livestock
Weekly, written by former Brewster County Water District President Tom
Beard, the essence of Rule of Capture is “your neighbor can capture all of
‘your’ water if you don’t capture ‘his’ first. The Rule of Capture is really
the Rule of the Biggest Straw or the Rule of the Big Pump.”
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Field
trips on agenda
for
schools
MARATHON
– High school students in grades 9 to 12 went on an end-of-the-year field trip
to Odessa this week where they visited the Globe Theater and attended the
Shakespearian drama “Romeo & Juliet.”
Driven
by T.J. Joyner, they then hit the mall for some food and fun before heading
home.
Today,
May 16, the Elementary students took off with Joyner for Fort Stockton for
bowling, games and fun.
A
trip for the middle school students is in the works but nothing definite has
been announced.
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Spiritual
serpent
slithers
to session
By KIM RAPP
News Leader Production Manager
SANDERSON
– A prayer group got an unexpected visitor last week when a three-foot bull
snake joined the ladies.
“We
were praying and praising the Lord,” Diana Escamilla told the News Leader.
”The front door was open and he came right in.”
The
ladies continued to pray as the slithering serpent made its way to her
bedroom.
Snake
collector Roy Engldorf responded to the call for help and took the intruder
into captivity.
Now
is the time to keep your eyes and ears open, Engledorf said. Snakes love this
weather.
“They’re
out,” he said.
Engeldorf
has offered to come “collect” a snake if called. He was called to Escamilla’s
house where he captured the creature with some help from a few locals.
The
animal was harmless enough but the ladies didn’t know that.
The
snake was removed and given to a loving home. A snake hunter was staying at
the Outback Oasis Motel, which Engledorf runs with wife Ruth.
The
visitor was looking for a bull snake so it worked out to everyone’s benefit,
he said.
Engledorf
said it is the time of year where we must pay close attention to where we
walk, reach and especially where our children play.
Several
kids in town have gathered snakes and taken them to Engeldorf.
Just
last week, a nine-year-old boy presented him with a copperhead and, unlike
the bull snake, this one is venomous.
“Do
not pick them up if you don’t know what it is,” Engeldorf urged kids and
adults alike.
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Brewster
County Judge Val Beard told the News Leader Tuesday that each water
board is just another “bureaucracy” and that perhaps eliminating water boards
throughout Texas might a good idea, thus allowing tort law to protect each
individual’s water rights and rights for damages when neighbors’ wells pumps
another’s dry.
Marathon’s
only serious underground aquifer study was done in 1961 by James DeCook.
Some
concerned citizens in Marathon have considered applying for a federal grant
to fund an aquifer study.
“That
might take 18 to 20 months,” Ike Roberts said at a town hall meeting in
Marathon last month.
“We
need to determine the recharge rate of the aquifer and its historical uses,”
Marathon resident Rawls Williams said. “There’s a lot of information yet to
assimilate.”
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Water
Board petitioned
MARATHON
– A group calling itself “Concerned Citizens of Marathon” has written a
letter to the Brewster County Groundwater Conservation District concerning a
water well Buddy Cavness drilled at his property on US Highway 385 here in February.
Cavness
said he plans to mix the well water with bentonite clay in an open earth tank
to make drilling mud for an un-named petroleum company who will be drilling
“east of town.”
“No
Drilling Permit was filed prior to this event,” the letter states. “This is
in violation of the Water District’s Rules and Regulations and the Licensing
Board for Water Well Drillers.”
The
letter signed by 36 Marathon residents says an operating permit application
was filed in February but “it is unclear on what date as the document date
has been altered, an illegal action.”
An
operating permit is necessary for any water pumped for a use other than
domestic or livestock, the letter says.
The
letter complains that permit shows the production capacity as “not known”
although the well “had already been dug and its production capacity should
therefore have been known.”
It
said the applicant described the estimated production capacity at a March
Water District meeting as 42,000 gallons a day.
“According
to the Water District’s Rules and Regulations, the tract of land that this
well is located on would only support approximately 9,056 gallons per day,”
the letter says.
And
it complains Cavness is seeking a permit to transport water but the water
district “currently does not have an application for ‘Transport of Water.’
This is the first request for Brewster County, thus an application needs to
be created.”
Tom
Beard presided at the March meeting and said permitting the sale of water was
new territory for the district.
Beard
later resigned from the board and the citizen letters says its signers “are
surprised and dismayed at Tom Beard’s resignation.
“We
feel that his expertise on these matters was extremely valuable to all of
us,” the letter says. “The revisions that the board made under his direction
showed his understanding of some of the holes and weaknesses in the current
regulations.”
The
letter asks that the board “put on hold all ‘operating permits’ until more is
known of the Marathon Aquifer. It is one of the least understood and one of
the smallest aquifers in the State of Texas.”
The
signers indicated more would have signed the letter “given more time.”
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Chamber
fetes
school
teachers
MARATHON
– The Marathon Chamber of Commerce honored teachers with a dinner at the
elementary school auditorium this week.
Chamber
members cooked up pot roast with all the fixins’ including potatoes, sweet
peas and desserts.
The
Marathon Parent Tea-cher Organization also contributed to the appreciation of
teachers.
The
PTO supplied door prizes for the event, which included a $25 gas gift certificate
from Town & Country in Alpine and a $10 certificate for True Value in
Alpine, among other goodies.
The
PTO was scheduled to meet last night, May 15, to elect new officers for the
coming year.
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From
Friends of Marathon Library News
By ARLENE GRIFFIS
Library Friend
MARATHON – It has been
a busy spring at Marathon Public Library.
Librarian Carol
Townsend, son Sky, and Friends members Steve Griffis and I attended the Texas State Library
Association Conference in Dallas April 14 to 18.
We were able to
purchase over 100 new books for the library. And April was a banner month for
donations with more than $3,000 worth of new books being donated by
individuals.
In an effort to
promote patronage of the library, this column each week will feature one or
more books, which are available to be checked out from the library.
This week I was really
motivated to read some of these new books that we have recently acquired, so
I am going to discuss three nonfiction books which might interest Marathon
Library Patrons.
“Saving Jack” is
the true story of University of Oklahoma Journalism Professor Jack Willis who
develops breast cancer, a relatively rare but not unheard of disease in
males.
This first-person
narrative chronicles his thoughts, struggles and victories throughout his
diagnosis, subsequent surgery and treatments.
“It’s Good To Know a
Miracle: Dani’s Story is the story of Dani Sotel, a 26-year-old teacher who
suffers from acute myelogenous leukemia.
Written in journal form by Dani’s parents, the story begins with her
sudden, devastating diagnosis on September 11, 2002 and follows her journey
over the next two years, culminating
with her ultimate victory over the
disease.
Both of these books
should be of interest to anyone who enjoys reading about medical miracles,
especially those who may have relatives or friends undergoing cancer
treatment. Because in both cases the
patient survives, I feel that both Saving Jack and Dani’s Story would
be encouraging to cancer patients and their families
The third book I would
like to recommend is Ana’s Story: A Journey of Hope by Jenna Bush.
Now, to be honest, I had not planned to ever read this book in its entirety
because I felt that this young woman would probably not have had any chance
of having this book published were it not for the fact that her father is the
President of the United States. I had
the opportunity, however, to hear her speak about her experiences as an
intern with UNICEF in Latin America and the Caribbean, and I came away
feeling that this gal is “the real deal” and therefore could hardly wait to
read Ana’s Story. The book
focuses on a Latin American teen whose life story so touched Jenna that she
felt compelled to tell the story to others.
The book jacket copy states that “Jenna Bush has written a powerful
narrative nonfiction account of a girl who struggles to break free from a
vicious cycle of abuse, poverty, and illness. Based on Jenna’s work with UNICEF and inspired by the framework
of one girl’s life, it is also the story of many children around the world
who are marginalized and excluded from basic care, support, and
education.” This book was written to
appeal particularly to young readers, but it is one which I feel would appeal
to all ages.
The Friends of the
Marathon Library is open to anyone who is interested in supporting the
library in any way. The next meeting
will be at 5:00 PM on Thursday, May 22 at the library. Everyone is invited to attend
Arlene Griffis is a
volunteer at Marathon Public Library, which is a branch of Alpine Public
Library.
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“We want to look at the desired future
conditions, get a grasp on what our numbers look like and see where we’ll be
in fifty years,” said Conrad Jon Arriola, general manager of the Brewster
County Water District .
In
the meantime, plenty of discussion, research, and legislation are being
generated at the public and government levels.
“The
spirit of the meeting was good,” Marathon resident Marci Roberts said. “We
are all finding our common ground, to protect our water.”
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Quilt
show benefits town
MARATHON
– The twelfth annual Basin Guild’s quilt show was considered a success
earlier this month, benefiting several community organizations.
Proceeds
were split between several causes with some going went to the Marathon
Volunteer Fire Department and some to the “Friends of the Community
Building.”
A
portion was donated to cancer patient Giana Martinez and the Quilt Guild’s
“Outreach program,” which buys food for those in need by way of a gift
certificate from the French Co. Grocer.
Back
Libraries
get grants
MARATHON
– Alpine and Marathon Public Libraries have received “We the People Bookshelf”
on Created Equal from the American Library Association Public Programs Office
and the National Endowment for Humanities.
Four
of the books in Spanish are “Pink y Say” by Patricia Polacco, “Lyddie” by
Katherine Paterson, ”Senderos Fronterizos” by Francisico Jimenez and “Flores
Para Algernon” by Daniel Keyes.
There
are 17 books in English including “Abigail Adams: Witness to a Revolution,”
“Abraham Lincoln the Writer” and “The Ugly Duckling.”
The
ALA Public Programs Office has provided grants to libraries for cultural
programs, such as “We the People Bookshelf” for more than 15 years.
This
is the third year Marathon Public Library has received this grant and the second
year for Alpine Public Library.
Arlene
Griffis wrote the grand proposal for the library.
The
books will be used in each library’s respective Summer Reading Program.
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Students
visit
Big
Bend Park
BIG
BEND – Marathon students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade traveled to
Big Bend National Park to celebrate Earth Day last month. San Vicente and Big
Bend Schools also attended.
Ranger
Rob Dean issued the invitation to the schools for the third year and schools
met at the Hot Springs where rangers broke them up into groups.
Kids
learned about the Javelina and its habitat. They touched Javelina hair, held
a Javelina skull in their hands and even looked at Javelina droppings.
The
students were then taken to Rio Grande Village for a chilidog feast served up
by Angie Dean and volunteers.
Afterwards,
Ranger Rob performed rope tricks and taught a few to the students who were
able to participate.
Marathon
students took a quick hike up the nature trail at the Rio Grande Village
campsite before returning home.
Ranger
Rob Dean and wife Angie have a home in Marathon where they spend their days
off.
Ranger
Rob and Angie recently hiked with Omar Grano, Zach Gonzales and teacher
Andrea Johnson to Camp Nevill so Omar and Zach could complete their research
on the Seminole Negro Indian Scouts for the State History Fair.
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Education
is a
‘lifelong’
endeavor
ALPINE
– As a strong advocate of reading, Trisha Pollard advised Sul Ross State
University graduates that “education is the magic key that takes you where
you want to be.”
Pollard,
of Bellaire, vice chairman of the Board of Regents of the Texas State
University System, delivered the commencement address at Sul Ross’ Alpine
Campus and Rio Grande College Saturday as part of the annual spring
graduation ceremonies.
A
total of 256 students were candidates for degrees, 175 at Alpine and 81 at
RGC.
Recalling
the commencement address when she completed her law degree, Pollard noted
that graduation was not slaying the dragon, but winning the right to slay the
dragon.
“The
educational experience is a lifelong enterprise and if we have taught you how
to think, you have succeeded,” she said.
Pollard
emphasized that reading is the key to education and technology expertise –
from downloading digital photographs to programming DVD players – is no substitute
for knowledge.
She
praised the graduates for demonstrating their commitment to higher education,
adding that Texas cannot expand its goal of increasing its number of college
graduates without participation.
“A
college degree is not just a social necessity, it is an economic imperative,”
she said.
Pollard
urged the graduates to be advocates for higher education.
She
also stressed the importance of community service, of time management and
advised graduates to “take rejection
in stride, but don’t dwell on it.”
Seek
help, she encouraged.
“There
are more people than you realize that are ready to help,” she said. “Keep
asking until you get the help you need.”
She
asked graduates to shout out the names of persons who had already been
influential in their respective educational journeys and ended by quoting
Proverbs 16:3, “Commit your work to the Lord and your plans will be
established.”
Sul
Ross President R. Vic Morgan paid special recognition to Camelia Ortega of
Fort Stockton, who became the 22nd member of her extended family to receive a
Sul Ross degree.
Ortega
graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Administrative Systems and
Business Technology.
Saturday’s
commencement also marked the retirement of two long-time Sul Ross faculty.
English
professor Dr. Paul Lister was a faculty member for 37 years and history professor
Dr. Wayne Sheehan served 32 years.
Dr.
Chet Sample, dean of the School of Professional Studies, served in his final
commencement in that capacity.
He
will return to the classroom as a full-time faculty member at the start of the
first summer session.
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