Sunday, November 16, 1997

Just can't get fair weather for the dam tour

By J.T. SMITH / Farm Editor

If El Nino lives up to its billing of bringing a nasty, naughty winter season with lots of cold, snow, floods and assorted havoc, it's nice to know the flood-retardant structures in Taylor County are sound.

County commissioners and directors of the Middle Clear Fork Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD), along with Taylor County Judge Lee Hamilton, made the required inspection of the dams Friday.

This tour of the nine earthen dams in the southern part of the county must be done annually (kind of like having your car inspected).

The report card is good.

"We did a lot of work over the past year on the dams, and they are in real good shape," said Commissioner Neil Fry.

Some of that included shaping up things with bulldozers and so forth.

On Friday, the entourage was looking for things like excessive brush, valves that might need lubricating, fence condition and any erosion.

Commissioner Jack Turner noted that the emergency spillways also are in good condition.

Structures have improved county

The dams make a big difference to the watershed area.

Commissioner Stan Egger grew up in the Jim Ned Valley - so he has seen the difference.

"These structures have helped the water table," Egger noted.

And they have definitely helped in preventing road and highway erosion.

"Several roads that used to wash out regularly are now good roads where you couldn't even keep a road before," Egger noted.

In the past, Egger noted, the water would just gush out of the hills and the road was gone.

Never fair weather for dam tour

El Nino - or no El Nino - the dam tour is notorious for bringing cold, drizzly, rainy, snowy - or freezing weather - no matter what date it is done.

For example, on Halloween eve in 1993, the commissioners and directors on the tour were pelted with snow and ice, the earliest on record for Taylor County.

Another year, there was a Halloween freeze on dam tour day. Bitter cold wind other years.

This year, the annual dam tour had been slated for the final week of October as usual, said Fred Perkins, executive director of the Middle Clear Fork SWCD.

"But county commissioners couldn't make it that week, so we rescheduled it for the Nov. 14 date," Perkins said.

Thinking Halloween could just be the jinx in the weather all these years, some thought this year's November date might bring luck to the dam tour.

No way.

As usual, the nastier weather greeted everyone between 7:30 a.m. and 8 a.m. Friday as the tour assembled at the Old County Courthouse in Abilene.

And - as Judge Hamilton noted - the weather got just a bit colder throughout the morning at every dam stop.

It seemed like we had done this before. And of course, we had.

Nevertheless, come hell or El Nino, it is comforting to know the flood-retardant structures are in the best shape they've been in years. (A little brush work is needed here and there - but Stan Egger plans to take care of that).

Also making the tour were SWCD directors Joe Montgomery of Hamby; Paul Holloway, Buffalo Gap; Charlie Hobbs, Potosi and Becky Pyburn of Merkel.

Quality Implement acquires Rolling Plains Farm Supply

Rolling Plains Farm Supply Inc. in Stamford has been acquired by Quality Implement Co. in Munday and Seymour.

The Stamford facility will now have the same business name of "Quality Implement Co." as the implement businesses in Munday and Seymour.

All three also will continue to be dealerships for John Deere.

New mailing address is: Quality Implement Company, Box 991, Stamford, Texas 79533.

The new shipping address is: Quality Implement Co., N. Highway 277, Stamford, Texas 79533.

OK, here's the hat number

On Oct. 11, Damon and Donna Albus had a mighty big ribbon cutting ceremony for their 5-D Custom Hats & Leather at 742-A Butternut which returned hat cleaning and blocking to Abilene. Damon also makes custom hats.

Earlier this farm writer did a story in our Nov. 6 Business Journal noting the opening of this new business.

I told the location and that hours are 9 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays, and that the shop is closed during the noon hour for lunch and all day Sundays and Mondays.

Nevertheless, my "voice mail" - especially with calls from out of town - fills up with requests for the phone number as well.

Well, it's a simple number, (915) 673-9000.

Hats off to Damon who is staying mighty busy in his craft.