Playa Post - July 2010 | Playa Lakes Joint Venture


Vol. 8 Issue 6, July 2010

In this issue
Texas Water Development Board Needs Volunteers for Playa Monitoring Network "First of Its Kind" Outdoor Playa Classroom Opened on June 8 Help Educate Stakeholders about the Relationship Between Playas and the Ogallala Aquifer Listen to Recent Episodes of Playa Country Radio Playa Lakes Joint Venture is on Facebook! Become a fan and follow our efforts to conserve bird habitat in the Southern Great Plains. View the latest news, videos and photos. If you don't have a Facebook account, you can sign up here. We hope to "see" you on our page soon!
Top Stories
Texas Water Development Board Needs Volunteers for Playa Monitoring Network The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) is looking for volunteers to "adopt" and monitor playas in the Southern High Plains of Texas. "The Adopt-a-Playa project is a three-year, region-wide, cooperative effort to enlist local observers that will help gather information on when, where, and how much water is collected in playa lakes," says Andrew Weinberg, a geoscientist at the TWDB. Playas are a major source of recharge to the Ogallala Aquifer and an important part of the High Plains ecosystem. According to satellite mapping, there are about 20,000 playas in Texas, with most of them located in the Texas Panhandle. Currently there are no comprehensive programs to monitor how much water is collected in these playas or to measure how much water goes to recharge and how much is lost to evaporation. "There‘s been a tendency to dismiss recharge to the Ogallala as unimportant because the half inch or so per year of recharge is small compared to annual pumping, but with long-term projections pointing to water shortages in much of the High Plains, every bit counts," says Weinberg. "Monitoring the playa lakes is the first part of a TWDB project to look at ways to increase recharge. In fact, it may even be possible to increase recharge while improving playas wetland function, but no one has tested that. We’re going to do that, but first we need better data on the way the playas function right now." Landowners who have one or more playas on their property are encouraged to contact the Texas Water Development board or their local groundwater conservation district to learn more about the Adopt-a-Playa Program. Once enrolled, TWDB staff will conduct a topographic survey of the playa basin and install a weather station and depth gauge in the playa. The landowner will then maintain the equipment, record playa depths and send monthly results. TWDB is taking applications throughout the summer and will begin installing equipment in the fall. For more information about how you can be part of the TWDB playa monitoring network, call or email one of the contacts below: Andrew Weinberg, Texas Water Development Board 512- 463-3210 Jim Conkwright, High Plains Underground Water Conservation District 806-762-0181 C. E. Williams, Panhandle Underground Water Conservation District 806-883-2501 Steve Walthour, North Plains Groundwater Conservation District 806-935-6401 "First of Its Kind" Outdoor Playa Classroom Opened on June 8 Ogallala Commons, a nonprofit community resource network, hosted the grand opening of their Playa Classroom in Nazareth, Texas, on June 8. The purpose of the classroom is to educate area residents about playas — seasonal wetlands that are found throughout the High Plains. "This classroom is the first of its kind and will provide a valuable learning experience for many teachers and students, or anyone interested in playas," says Julie Boatright, a Heritage Management graduate student at Texas Tech University and Intern for Ogallala Commons. Boatright, who designed the exhibit and classroom space, worked with playa experts to give classroom visitors a way of understanding what playa lakes are and why they are important. "Playas in this region are unique and essential to the region’s ecological health as well as serving as the main recharge to our dwindling Ogallala Aquifer. Plants, animals, and people in the region interact with playas on a daily basis," says Boatright. "Without them, biodiversity and quality of life would be reduced." Despite the key role of playas in the region, many people don’t know what playas are or what they do. That’s where the Outdoor Classroom will help. The 800-square foot open-air classroom features five interpretive panels describing key facts about playas, illustrations of playa plants, birds, and amphibians, as well as bench seating for 30 people, a work table, and two 1000-gallon rainwater collection tanks that store water harvested from the classroom roof. The classroom project began several years ago as an outgrowth of Playa Festivals conducted by Ogallala Commons. At a Playa Festival, a team of biologists, artists, naturalists, and historians come to schools and use playas to educate 5th graders, their teachers and communities about the water cycle, the Ogallala Aquifer, wastewater management, and global water challenges. For two to three days, students participate in hands-on learning activities as well as visits to nearby playa lakes, draws and creeks. "We needed a permanent place where we could take kids to explore a prairie wetland — somewhere with birds, plants, toads and other wildlife," says Boatright. "This is a place where people can see and touch a playa, learn about it, then go away and share it with others." The goal was to make a playa classroom template, one that any school could follow. The project was completed in phases, with each phase funded by grants. "The classroom was a costly project, but there is funding available," says Boatright. "You just have to get out there and ask questions until you find the grants." After doing just that, Ogallala Commons can provide tips and resources to schools or organizations that are interested in creating a similar outdoor classroom. According to Boatright, building partnerships with local resources was also a major part of their success. "Find people and organizations in your area who are already working with playas — like Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) and even birding organizations or enthusiasts." Funding and technical support for constructing the playa classroom was provided by Ogallala Commons, USFWS, Dixon Water Foundation, Playa Lakes Joint Venture, NRCS, and Texas Parks & Wildlife Department. Boatright also worked with local landscape architect Jason Hodges to develop the prairie landscaping, parking and paths around the classroom. Throughout the past five years, 3500 students have participated in Ogallala Commons’ playa education outreach efforts. But it doesn’t require a Playa Festival or Playa Classroom to begin learning about playas. Boatright says it can be as simple as finding a nearby playa and watching it. "Notice the plants and wildlife around the playa. Notice how the playa changes throughout the seasons. Then tell someone else about what you’ve learned." For more information about how to create a playa classroom, or to schedule a Playa Festival event or Playa Classroom visit, contact Darryl Birkenfeld, Director of Ogallala Commons, at 806-945-2255. Help Educate Stakeholders about the Relationship Between Playas and the Ogallala Aquifer Playas are ephemeral, closed-basin wetlands that are important zones of recharge to the High Plains (or Ogallala) aquifer and critical habitat for birds and other wildlife in the otherwise semiarid, shortgrass prairie and agricultural landscape. The ephemeral nature of playas, low regional recharge rates, and a strong reliance on ground water from the High Plains aquifer has prompted many questions regarding the contribution of recharge from playas to the regional aquifer. To address these questions and concerns, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Playa Lakes Joint Venture, present a review and synthesis of the more than 175 publications about recharge rates and chemistry beneath playas and interplaya settings. Although a number of questions remain regarding the controls on recharge rates and chemistry beneath playas, the results from most published studies indicate that recharge rates beneath playas are substantially (1 to 2 orders of magnitude) higher than recharge rates beneath interplaya settings. The synthesis presented here supports the conceptual model that playas are important zones of recharge to the High Plains aquifer and are not strictly evaporative pans. The major findings of this synthesis yield science-based implications for the protection and management of playas and ground-water resources of the High Plains aquifer and directions for future research. We need your help to get this important information into the hands of farmers, ranchers, irrigators, and other stakeholders in the Southern High Plains. Please contact us to request copies of the four-page executive summary that includes the abstract, introduction and summary of major findings. For those who want more information, we can also provide copies of the full 37-page literature review and synthesis. To order copies of the executive summary or the full publication, contact Misti Vazquez, PLJV Communication Director, at 719-488-4460. To view or download a PDF of the publication, visit http://pubs.usgs.gov/circ/1333/. Listen to Recent Episodes of Playa Country Radio Tune in to High Plains Public Radio on Mondays at 10:30 a.m. CST or listen to recent episodes online: July 5, 2010: Ranching in the Red Hills of Kansas Ted Alexander, who owns a ranch in the heart of the Kansas Red Hills, has been recognized for his stewardship and environmental practices and shares his knowledge with others. June 28, 2010: Conservation Easement Protects Wetlands in Northeast Colorado A conservation easement on approximately 700 acres of high quality habitat in Sedgwick County, Colorado, will protect a wetland complex that has Platte Basin-wide beneficial impacts. June 21, 2010: Saving Our Shared Birds North America is home to 882 native landbird species, more than one-third of which depend on habitats in more than one country. Conserving our shared North American birds will require a continental, and ultimately hemispheric, perspective and a commitment to international cooperation. To listen to more Playa Country episodes online, visit the Playa Country Radio Archive or subscribe to High Plains Public Radio’s Playa Country Podcast.
IN OTHER NEWS
July 2, 2010: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service releases 2010 Waterfowl Breeding Population Estimates June 30, 2010: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Develops Strategy to Help Waterfowl and other Migratory Birds Weather the Gulf Coast Oil Spill June 30, 2010: A National Survey Of News Directors About Climate Change June 28, 2010: Mountain Plover Proposed for Listing as a Threatened Species June 22, 2010: In Battle of Bug vs. Shrub, Score One for the Bird
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Tell a friend about the Playa Post! Anyone can subscribe to our newsletter by sending us an email or by filling out the subscription form on the PLJV web site.
Copyright © 2010. Playa Lakes Joint Venture, 103 E. Simpson St., Lafayette, CO 80026

Vol. 8 Issue 6, July 2010

In this issue

Texas Water Development Board Needs Volunteers for Playa Monitoring Network
"First of Its Kind" Outdoor Playa Classroom Opened on June 8
Help Educate Stakeholders about the Relationship Between Playas and the Ogallala Aquifer
Listen to Recent Episodes of Playa Country Radio

Playa Lakes Joint Venture is on Facebook! Become a fan and follow our efforts to conserve bird habitat in the Southern Great Plains. View the latest news, videos and photos. If you don't have a Facebook account, you can sign up here. We hope to "see" you on our page soon!

Texas Water Development Board Needs Volunteers for Playa Monitoring Network

TWDB Logo The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) is looking for volunteers to "adopt" and monitor playas in the Southern High Plains of Texas. "The Adopt-a-Playa project is a three-year, region-wide, cooperative effort to enlist local observers that will help gather information on when, where, and how much water is collected in playa lakes," says Andrew Weinberg, a geoscientist at the TWDB.

Playas are a major source of recharge to the Ogallala Aquifer and an important part of the High Plains ecosystem. According to satellite mapping, there are about 20,000 playas in Texas, with most of them located in the Texas Panhandle. Currently there are no comprehensive programs to monitor how much water is collected in these playas or to measure how much water goes to recharge and how much is lost to evaporation.

"There‘s been a tendency to dismiss recharge to the Ogallala as unimportant because the half inch or so per year of recharge is small compared to annual pumping, but with long-term projections pointing to water shortages in much of the High Plains, every bit counts," says Weinberg. "Monitoring the playa lakes is the first part of a TWDB project to look at ways to increase recharge. In fact, it may even be possible to increase recharge while improving playas wetland function, but no one has tested that. We’re going to do that, but first we need better data on the way the playas function right now."

Landowners who have one or more playas on their property are encouraged to contact the Texas Water Development board or their local groundwater conservation district to learn more about the Adopt-a-Playa Program. Once enrolled, TWDB staff will conduct a topographic survey of the playa basin and install a weather station and depth gauge in the playa. The landowner will then maintain the equipment, record playa depths and send monthly results.

TWDB is taking applications throughout the summer and will begin installing equipment in the fall.

For more information about how you can be part of the TWDB playa monitoring network, call or email one of the contacts below:

Andrew Weinberg, Texas Water Development Board
512- 463-3210

Jim Conkwright, High Plains Underground Water Conservation District
806-762-0181

C. E. Williams, Panhandle Underground Water Conservation District
806-883-2501

Steve Walthour, North Plains Groundwater Conservation District
806-935-6401

"First of Its Kind" Outdoor Playa Classroom Opened on June 8

Ogallala Commons, a nonprofit community resource network, hosted the grand opening of their Playa Classroom in Nazareth, Texas, on June 8. The purpose of the classroom is to educate area residents about playas — seasonal wetlands that are found throughout the High Plains.

"This classroom is the first of its kind and will provide a valuable learning experience for many teachers and students, or anyone interested in playas," says Julie Boatright, a Heritage Management graduate student at Texas Tech University and Intern for Ogallala Commons. Boatright, who designed the exhibit and classroom space, worked with playa experts to give classroom visitors a way of understanding what playa lakes are and why they are important.

"Playas in this region are unique and essential to the region’s ecological health as well as serving as the main recharge to our dwindling Ogallala Aquifer. Plants, animals, and people in the region interact with playas on a daily basis," says Boatright. "Without them, biodiversity and quality of life would be reduced."

Despite the key role of playas in the region, many people don’t know what playas are or what they do. That’s where the Outdoor Classroom will help.

The 800-square foot open-air classroom features five interpretive panels describing key facts about playas, illustrations of playa plants, birds, and amphibians, as well as bench seating for 30 people, a work table, and two 1000-gallon rainwater collection tanks that store water harvested from the classroom roof.

The classroom project began several years ago as an outgrowth of Playa Festivals conducted by Ogallala Commons. At a Playa Festival, a team of biologists, artists, naturalists, and historians come to schools and use playas to educate 5th graders, their teachers and communities about the water cycle, the Ogallala Aquifer, wastewater management, and global water challenges. For two to three days, students participate in hands-on learning activities as well as visits to nearby playa lakes, draws and creeks.

Learning about Toads "We needed a permanent place where we could take kids to explore a prairie wetland — somewhere with birds, plants, toads and other wildlife," says Boatright. "This is a place where people can see and touch a playa, learn about it, then go away and share it with others."

The goal was to make a playa classroom template, one that any school could follow. The project was completed in phases, with each phase funded by grants. "The classroom was a costly project, but there is funding available," says Boatright. "You just have to get out there and ask questions until you find the grants." After doing just that, Ogallala Commons can provide tips and resources to schools or organizations that are interested in creating a similar outdoor classroom.

According to Boatright, building partnerships with local resources was also a major part of their success. "Find people and organizations in your area who are already working with playas — like Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) and even birding organizations or enthusiasts." Funding and technical support for constructing the playa classroom was provided by Ogallala Commons, USFWS, Dixon Water Foundation, Playa Lakes Joint Venture, NRCS, and Texas Parks & Wildlife Department. Boatright also worked with local landscape architect Jason Hodges to develop the prairie landscaping, parking and paths around the classroom.

Chasing Dragonflies Throughout the past five years, 3500 students have participated in Ogallala Commons’ playa education outreach efforts. But it doesn’t require a Playa Festival or Playa Classroom to begin learning about playas. Boatright says it can be as simple as finding a nearby playa and watching it. "Notice the plants and wildlife around the playa. Notice how the playa changes throughout the seasons. Then tell someone else about what you’ve learned."

For more information about how to create a playa classroom, or to schedule a Playa Festival event or Playa Classroom visit, contact Darryl Birkenfeld, Director of Ogallala Commons, at 806-945-2255.

Help Educate Stakeholders about the Relationship Between Playas and the Ogallala Aquifer

Playas are ephemeral, closed-basin wetlands that are important zones of recharge to the High Plains (or Ogallala) aquifer and critical habitat for birds and other wildlife in the otherwise semiarid, shortgrass prairie and agricultural landscape. The ephemeral nature of playas, low regional recharge rates, and a strong reliance on ground water from the High Plains aquifer has prompted many questions regarding the contribution of recharge from playas to the regional aquifer.

To address these questions and concerns, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Playa Lakes Joint Venture, present a review and synthesis of the more than 175 publications about recharge rates and chemistry beneath playas and interplaya settings. Although a number of questions remain regarding the controls on recharge rates and chemistry beneath playas, the results from most published studies indicate that recharge rates beneath playas are substantially (1 to 2 orders of magnitude) higher than recharge rates beneath interplaya settings. The synthesis presented here supports the conceptual model that playas are important zones of recharge to the High Plains aquifer and are not strictly evaporative pans. The major findings of this synthesis yield science-based implications for the protection and management of playas and ground-water resources of the High Plains aquifer and directions for future research.

We need your help to get this important information into the hands of farmers, ranchers, irrigators, and other stakeholders in the Southern High Plains. Please contact us to request copies of the four-page executive summary that includes the abstract, introduction and summary of major findings. For those who want more information, we can also provide copies of the full 37-page literature review and synthesis.

To order copies of the executive summary or the full publication, contact Misti Vazquez, PLJV Communication Director, at 719-488-4460. To view or download a PDF of the publication, visit http://pubs.usgs.gov/circ/1333/.

Listen to Recent Episodes of Playa Country Radio

Tune in to High Plains Public Radio on Mondays at 10:30 a.m. CST or listen to recent episodes online:

July 5, 2010: Ranching in the Red Hills of Kansas
Ted Alexander, who owns a ranch in the heart of the Kansas Red Hills, has been recognized for his stewardship and environmental practices and shares his knowledge with others.
June 28, 2010: Conservation Easement Protects Wetlands in Northeast Colorado
A conservation easement on approximately 700 acres of high quality habitat in Sedgwick County, Colorado, will protect a wetland complex that has Platte Basin-wide beneficial impacts.
June 21, 2010: Saving Our Shared Birds
North America is home to 882 native landbird species, more than one-third of which depend on habitats in more than one country. Conserving our shared North American birds will require a continental, and ultimately hemispheric, perspective and a commitment to international cooperation.

To listen to more Playa Country episodes online, visit the Playa Country Radio Archive or subscribe to High Plains Public Radio’s Playa Country Podcast.

IN OTHER NEWS

Subscribe a Friend

Tell a friend about the Playa Post! Anyone can subscribe to our newsletter by sending us an email or by filling out the subscription form on the PLJV web site.