CLINT, Texas (KTSM) – Every year starting in March through October, the El Paso County Water Improvement District 1 (EPCWID1) gets ready for the water to allocate from the Franklin Canal to local farmers and residents in the City of Clint.
However, this year the water was not released until May 12, causing EPCWID 1 to find an alternative to get water to local farmers and clint residents.
“As the season progresses the winter starts to melt then the runoff begins, the board of directors on April 12 this year made an allocation for 2 ½ acre feet and so that’s how we’re going to start the season with, that’s what we started with. A full allocation is 4-acre feet. So, 1 acre of land has four feet of water to use throughout the season,” said EPCWID 1 General Manager Jay Ornelas.
Helping farmers near the Franklin Canal water their alfalfa, pecan trees and soon cotton, which will begin in June.
“The runoff has been super this year. So, we should be able to have some water in storage to run to the end of the normal irrigation season,” said Ornelas.
Traveling 120 miles from the dams and reservoirs from Caballo, Mexico. Telling KTSM the drought has brought challenges to the Sun City but that does not stop the company from getting water to local residents.
“Our water master looks at all the orders and arranges everything to make it happen. Get the water to the farmers, as they plan for their needs,” Ornelas adds, “It goes down to our personnel, and they communicate with the farmers and that’s how they receive the water.”
Ornelas says starting Wednesday May 24, farmers will have the availability to put in their small tract irrigation orders once they are available.
If you’re a Clint resident and would like to know the water order or learn more about the Franklin Canal, click here.
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