Ladona K. Clayton
Executive Director @Ogallala Land & Water Conservancy
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WORK HISTORY
Executive Director @Ogallala Land & Water Conservancy
Clovis, NM, US
The Ogallala Land & Water Conservancy (OLWC) in Clovis, New Mexico, works with voluntary landowners to secure the groundwater resources of the Ogallala Aquifer through transitioning irrigated agriculture to dryland cropping or grazing land. Water is a precious resource everywhere in the country, but its importance is magnified in New Mexico\'s arid climate where longer periods of drought and inconsistent precipitation occur. We must secure a groundwater supply while it exists to serve as a supplemental water supply for Cannon Air Force Base, Clovis, and Curry County. Several studies show that the Ogallala Aquifer is declining at an advanced rate. In April 2022, we metered 53 irrigation wells in the Ogallala Aquifer paleochannel running northwest of Cannon AFB and discovered that we had already lost 20% of the remaining groundwater since 2017. As a result, we have executed eight 3-year Water Right Lease Agreements in a paleochannel that resides northwest of CAFB to reach initial water savings of 7,730,524,800 gallons, or 23,724 acre feet for CAFB. Seven of these original eight landowners have now applied for groundwater conservation easements to place 80% of the groundwater in perpetual easements. Our efforts continue to secure additional groundwater underlying 21,811 acres of land. The initial goal is to secure water within two paleochannels that run northwest and west of Cannon Air Force Base. We are simultaneously seeking to restore and preserve wildlife habitats, implement monitoring practices, and support playa restorations coupled with effective management strategies that provide water resources to wildlife and contribute to the recharge of the Ogallala Aquifer. We believe that the water conservation strategies developed by the OLWC will become a model for other communities and states that rely upon the Ogallala Aquifer and seek to conserve water for future generations while protecting grassland habitats for numerous species of birds and wildlife.
EDUCATION
Oral Roberts University
Doctor of Education, Educational Leadership
Eastern New Mexico University
Bachelor of Arts in Education, Summa Cum Laude, Elementary/Bilingual Education
Eastern New Mexico University
Master of Education, Educational Administration
ABOUT LADONA K. CLAYTON
As a dedicated water ambassador and advocate, I believe the pursuit of water security must be unwavering. We owe it to our communities to tirelessly champion this cause.
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