District Overview
Created in February 2001, Gateway GCD serves Hardeman, Foard, Cottle, King, Childress, and Motley counties in the Rolling Plains region of Texas. The district manages portions of the Seymour and Ogallala aquifers, along with the Blaine and Dockum aquifers, supporting a region where agriculture remains one of the largest groundwater users.
Despite operating with a staff of just two, Gateway GCD has developed an expansive outreach and education effort that reaches students, landowners, producers, and community organizations throughout the district. The district is governed by a 12-member appointed board with two representatives from each county and participates in Groundwater Management Area (GMA) 6 as well as Regional Water Planning Groups A, B, and O.
Outreach
For Gateway Groundwater Conservation District, groundwater education is not confined to brochures, board rooms, or occasional presentations. It rolls down the highway inside a custom-built educational trailer, which was completed in February 2024.
The trailer was designed to create an interactive groundwater learning experience for audiences of all ages and has quickly become one of the district’s signature programs. Inside, visitors can explore a working rainwater harvesting model, an aquifer simulator with rainfall demonstrations, runoff models, and cross-sectional displays showing wells, homes, and the water cycle. The trailer travels extensively throughout the district, appearing at schools, homeschool programs, Ag Days, Water Days, 4-H camps, civic organizations, and community meetings.
Investing in the Future
The district’s educational efforts extend well beyond demonstrations. Gateway GCD also maintains a robust scholarship program serving students across its seven high schools. Each year, the district awards scholarships to students pursuing both traditional four-year university degrees and technical education programs. In addition, the district awards a memorial scholarship honoring a longtime board member who served from the district’s inception until his passing. Altogether, the district distributes approximately $15,000 in scholarships annually. District staff also work directly with students to assist with scholarship applications and essays, helping create pathways for future agricultural, technical, and water-related careers.
Gateway GCD is also nearing completion of an in-house rainwater harvesting grant program that reimburses property owners up to $7,000 for installing rainwater capture systems on their properties. Alongside those efforts, the district is actively pursuing recharge projects within each county it serves, reflecting a continued focus on long-term groundwater sustainability and local water resilience.
Familiar Challenges
Like many groundwater districts across Texas, Gateway GCD is also navigating emerging challenges tied to growth and development. One issue increasingly on the district’s radar is data centers and the water demand that accompany them. As conversations surrounding future water use continue across Texas, districts like Gateway are balancing conservation, planning, and education while remaining closely connected to the communities they serve.
For district staff, service to the community goes beyond standard office hours. Gateway notes that staff remain available nights and weekends and are willing to meet with landowners whenever needed. That accessibility has become an important part of how the district builds trust and maintains strong local relationships across a large rural service area.
When asked for a favorite water saying, the district offered a powerful phrase: “Water is the new Gold.” In many ways, that sentiment reflects both the challenges and the purpose driving the works of Gateway GCD and other districts throughout the state.
To learn more about Gateway Groundwater Conservation District, visit www.gatewaygroundwater.com.