Lubbock dog town set for eradication - Wild Texas Forums: Parks, Travel & Recreation

07-26-2002, 08:46 PM

From Defenders of Wildlife:

"Officials in Lubbock, Texas, are about to exterminate one of the largest remaining prairie dog colonies in the southern Great Plains. They claim these prairie dogs are causing nitrogen levels to increase in groundwater, but there is no scientific evidence to support this. Black-tailed prairie dogs are known as a keystone species because of their importance to the ecosystem. An estimated 170 species of wildlife rely at some level on prairie dogs for their survival. Texas once had more than 78 million acres of colonies. Now, prairie dogs occupy a minuscule 1 percent of that land. Help save prairie dogs from extermination in Texas."
This is a bogus excuse. The nitrogen leves are more likely to be from farm fertilizer runoff. Historically the Panhandle had tens of millions of prairie dogs and millions of bison, pronghorn and elk. I doubt the ground water had any problems.

What can you do? Go to http://den.defenders.org/

09-11-2002, 03:31 PM

Dear Lubbock Avalanche-Journal / Letter to the Editor / Prairie Dogs

The actions of the City of Lubbock and the State of Texas are truly appalling. The decision is inhumane, totally inane, and environmentally undesirable as well; it is based on "Junk Science", if we can be that generous.

Small wonder that Lubbock is always portrayed as an imbecilic, "hick town", whenever it is mentioned or portrayed on National Television Programs. Despite the presence of a great institution such as Texas Tech, there doesn't seem to be enough creative thought around to solve even the simplest problems. The City's ineptitude, PRIMATIVE WATER TREATMENT SYSTEM, and discharge methodology is blamed on the Prairie Dogs!

Lubbock was discharging the same INCOMPLETELY TREATED WASTEWATER when I visited the plant in 1962. Apparently no progress has been made in the last 40 years! This nitrogen- laden water has been percolating through the soil, slowly driving the contaminating nitrogen toward the Water Table over the years. To claim that the sparse vegetation could magically absorb all the nitrogen through the root systems and prevent its downward migration toward the Water Table is laughable at best! Even if the vegetation achieved the claim, the nitrogen would still remain as the vegetation died and decomposed.

WHEN THE PRAIRIE DOGS ARE GONE, THE NITROGEN WILL STILL BE IN THE SOIL, MIGRATING DOWN TO THE WATER TABLE EVERY TIME WATER IS APPLIED FROM ABOVE...DOUBLY SO IF NITROGEN LADEN WASTE WATER IS USED.

The City of Burbank (half the size of Lubbock), has been treating its WasteWater to near drinking quality for over 30 years! The technology and economics are here, Lubbock just hasn't emerged from the DARK AGES in problem solving and taking responsibility.

Burbank WasteWater is SOLD (at a profit) and used for everything except drinking. Irrigation of public lands, construction and Cooling Tower applications are but a few of the uses. With additional treatment, Burbank Power & Light even uses it as ultra-pure water to cool its new electricity producing turbines. Lubbock Power & Light could use reclaimed water, not to mention Texas Tech's Central Plant. Think of the water savings for a semi-arid area.

PROPER AND COMPLETE TREATMENT OF WASTEWATER HAS BEEN ECONOMICALLY VIABLE AND ENVIRONMENTALLY DESIRABLE...FOR AT LEAST THE LAST 30 YEARS!

Wake-up, Citizens of Lubbock; hold your public officials responsible for their actions...and INACTIONS. Lubbock will not achieve national respect or positive recognition as long as it remains in the Dark Ages. How about using some of that engineering brainpower at Texas Tech to solve some local problems? Lubbock should be nationally recognized for more than just the home of Buddy Holly.

George Gant

Consulting Engineer
Water Management
Toluca Lake, CA

PS. The reference to “nitrogen” is intended as a catch all for the compounds of nitrogen found in the wastewater, not nitrogen gas.

Shannon · 01-18-2003, 02:46 PM

Jeff, did this come to pass or was the public outcry and conservation community's insight enough to stave off the eradication?

01-19-2003, 06:03 PM

Sorry, I should have updated. Last I heard there was enough of a ruckus that it has at least been put off pending further study. So we have at least bought them a little time.

11-04-2003, 08:06 PM

I live in lubbock and kind of question the notion that we are all hicks but...there have been some efforts to relocate prairie dogs and protest by enough people that they are studying it. prairie dogs were one of the reasons we lost reese afb though. they kept digging up the runway area and recently I think were disrupting some type of urban development and eating crops....thats where they were being moved from. the fields to the prairie dog town. but I really don't see how killing off a established community in a state park will stop them from eating crops on the other side of town.