Grounds Maintenance Keeps Tech Campus Picturesque Despite Drought, Unpredictable Weather

By Reece Nations

Graphic by Reece Nations

Although much is done perpetually to sustain the campus’ beauty, one might miss the tireless work being done each day by Texas Tech’s Grounds Maintenance Operations Division. 

While brightly colored flowers adorn flower beds at every corner of Tech’s over 1800-acre campus, Charles Leatherwood, Managing Director for Grounds Maintenance, said they would not be there if it were not for grounds crew workers. These workers rotate in new colors three times a year and are responsible for watering and pruning the campus’ flora, he said. 

The look of Tech’s campus is a point of pride for the university as a whole, Leatherwood said. Maintaining the beauty of Tech’s campus is considered the “first step in recruiting”.

Memorial Circle facing Weeks Hall. Photo obtained from Southwest Collections Archive.

“You know, that’s the first thing you see when you come onto our campus, and we try to put on our pretty picture of everything,” he said. “But in the core of our campus is where we really concentrate our annual color on our plant material or batch.” 

Crucial to the efficacy of campus beautification efforts is a landscaping technique known as xeriscaping, Leatherwood said. This practice vastly reduces the amount of irrigation required to sustain the landscape. 

The technique focuses on combining particular types of drought-tolerant flora with mulch that contains materials like decomposed granite that hold in water for long periods of time. When used in conjunction with automated drip irrigation, Leatherwood said the grounds crews can nurture the campus on limited amounts of water. 

Further, the irrigation systems campus-wide are operated with automatic rain sensors that stop watering if enough rainfall is detected, he said. These same systems also measure wind speeds and air temperature, ensuring the least amount of water possible is wasted. 

“We have (automated irrigation controllers) all over campus that run our irrigation systems,” Leatherwood said. “But it goes back to a centralized computer that’s also connected to a weather station.”

Sprinklers working overtime to keep campus grounds looking vibrant. Photo by Reece Nations.

An emphasis on water conservation efforts on campus has long been present, but was underscored this summer by Gov. Greg Abbott’s July proclamation declaring a drought disaster in 25 South Plains counties. 

The drought disaster was declared this summer in the following counties: Andrews, Bailey, Briscoe, Carson, Castro, Dallam, Deaf Smith, Floyd, Gaines, Gray, Hale, Hansford, Hartley, Hutchinson, Lamb, Motley, Oldham, Ochiltree, Parmer, Randall, Roberts, Swisher, Terry, Wheeler, and Yoakum. 

“Significantly low rainfall and prolonged dry conditions continue to increase the threat of wildfire across these portions of the state,” the Abbott proclamation read. “These drought conditions pose an imminent threat to public health, property, and the economy.”

An example of the colorful flowers rotated out three times yearly by grounds maintenance. Photo by Reece Nations.

Over 2 million Texas residents, or 8% of the state’s population, live in a drought-affected region, according to Drought.gov. While not listed in the governor’s disaster declaration, Lubbock County is still afflicted by serious drought. 

In the past month, the only nearby areas that experienced significant precipitation were the southeast Panhandle and Rolling Plains regions, according to the Lubbock National Weather Service. Throughout nearly the entire South Plains, southern Panhandle and Rolling Plains regions, precipitation over the past one-to-three months has been well below 50% of the normally expected amount for this time of year.

A bare tree does little to impede the sun’s rays across from Chitwood/Weymouth Halls. Photo by Reece Nations.

Despite the lack of rain, ground maintenance persists in sustainably keeping Tech’s campus picturesque. Carey Hewett, Director for Services and Campus Sustainability Officer, said this cumulative effort makes all the difference. 

“I think it’s had an impact on our campus,” Hewett said. “And yet, everybody still thinks it’s a gorgeous campus. They do a great job in that regard as well.”