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CONSERVATION BOARD
GIDDINGS — Officials say more groundwater is being used locally than can be sustained long term, and new leadership is stepping in to help guide conservation efforts.
The Lost Pines Groundwater Conservation District recently welcomed board members Pati Jacobs and Fred Meijering as Bastrop County representatives following recent appointments by area judges. Meijering said concerns about the future availability of groundwater played a major role in his decision to accept the appointment.
“Water is the next oil down here,” Meijering said. “I’m concerned about the finite resource and what’s going to come in behind it.”
The LPGCD is governed by a 10-member board, with five resident directors appointed from each county to serve four-year terms. The board is responsible for balancing private property rights with groundwater conservation and protection, preventing waste and supporting clean groundwater production standards.
Meijering, a consultant to private insurance companies, is a self-proclaimed student of groundwater with 25 years of experience running boards. He said he is up to the task of getting involved with the technical side of resource management and his focus will be on responsible water use as Bastrop County continues to see increased demand.
“Everybody has a right to water,” he said. “In general, we’re using more than we can sustain long term — so my interest is in conservation and proper utilization. “I’ll be learning as much as I can, and attending as much as I can attend.”
Jacobs is a cattle rancher with a background in water policy and management.
Herb Cook was reappointed and Joshua Meuth was named to represent Lee County.
