Rainwater harvesting seminar to be July 28

An educational rainwater harvesting seminar, complete with a hands-on installation demonstration, has been scheduled for July 28 in Clarendon, according to Leonard Haynes, Texas AgriLife Extension Service agent for Donley County.

The seminar will begin with registration from 8-8:30 a.m. at the home of Sarah Sorelle, 507 W.  5th Street. Sorelle, who is helping sponsor the event, has offered her home as a demonstration location due to her interest in conserving water.

“The hands on installation demonstration will be led by the world-renowned rainwater harvesting expert Billy Kniffen, who has presented this topic at several locations across the United States,” Haynes said. Kniffen is the retired AgriLife Extension state rainwater harvesting specialist.

Following the hands-on portion, a meal will be provided along with an educational slide show presentation at the Donley County Activity Center, 4437 N. State Highway 70. The program will end around 3 p.m., he said.

There will be a $10 registration fee per person, and checks should be made payable to Donley County Texas AgriLife Extension and can be mailed to Box 682, Clarendon, Texas 79226.

Those planning to attend are asked to RSVP by July 25 to the AgriLife Extension office in Donley County at 806-874-2141 or 806-282-7680, Haynes said. Call the same numbers for more information or directions.

Haynes said this meeting is a joint effort between Greenbelt Water Authority, City of Clarendon, Sorelle and AgriLife Extension, and is aimed at communities within the Greenbelt Water Authority – Clarendon, Hedley, Childress, Quanah and Crowell – but is open to anyone.

Not only has the Greenbelt Water Authority identified depletion of water resources as a major concern, but the Texas water-supply planning process has identified that surface and groundwater supplies will not be able to meet future water demand,” Haynes said.

Water conservation and development of alternative water supplies is necessary to meet the growing demand for fresh water, according to Kniffen. Rainwater harvesting is an innovative alternative water supply approach anyone can use. Rainwater harvesting captures, diverts and stores rainwater for later use.

Captured rainwater is often used in landscaping, because the water is free of salts and other harmful minerals and does not have to be treated, Kniffen said. It is also useful in attracting and providing water for wildlife and livestock.

Implementing rainwater harvesting techniques directly benefits local communities by reducing demand on water supplies, and reducing run-off, erosion and contamination of surface water, he said.

In many communities, 30 to 50 percent of the total water is used for landscape irrigation, Kniffen said. Capturing rainwater for use in the landscape makes efficient use of a valuable resource, reducing water bills and reducing demand on water supply.