After months of watching Greenbelt Lake fall to dangerously low levels, the City of Childress was forced into Stage 4 of its Drought Contingency Plan earlier this year. Now, following a wave of rainstorms sweeping through the Texas Panhandle, many residents are wondering if the worst is over.
Unfortunately, the answer isn’t so simple.
Officials report that while rainfall totals have been encouraging—nearly 11 inches in the area surrounding the lake—most of the water didn’t land where it matters most: the watershed that feeds Greenbelt Lake.
That’s left the lake just barely above the threshold that triggered Stage 4 restrictions. As of today, the lake’s elevation is at 2,616.64 feet—just over a foot higher than the 2,615-foot trigger level.
“When we first started all of this, we were down as low as 3% [capacity], and that’s great, we’re moving up,” said Childress Mayor Cary Preston. “I think, if I remember correctly, yesterday or the day before, we may have been over 10%, but it’s already dropping after all that rain.”
Despite the gains, city and water authority leaders are cautioning the public not to let their guard down.
“The Stage 4 restrictions do not mean we’re going to run out of water,” said Bobbie Kidd, general manager of Greenbelt MIWA (Municipal and Industrial Water Authority). “They’re in place to help ensure that we don’t get to that point. Our members have been very proactive, and I’m proud of the tough decisions they’ve made—even when they haven’t been popular.”
Helping matters is the fact that Childress has cut water usage significantly—by about three million gallons compared to this time last year. Still, the situation remains fragile.
“We’ve had a lot of rain, but it just doesn’t last,” said Preston. “We have to continue to conserve our water.”
To secure the city’s future water supply, Childress and Greenbelt are working on a long-term solution. Construction is underway on a new well field project with an estimated cost of over $18 million. Originally planned as a three-year effort, it's now entering its third year and facing unexpected delays.
“All roads and well site pads are done,” said Kidd. “Drilling is scheduled to begin in July, and we’ll soon be seeking bids for pipeline construction. But we’re realistic—it likely won’t be finished within the next 15 months.”
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