Until it was pumped dry in the 1960s, Comanche Springs was among Texas’ six largest springs, flowing at least 30 million gallons a day onto the dry earth of Pecos County. The springs created a desert oasis that earned Fort Stockton the title of Spring City across West Texas.

In addition, It supported dozens of family farms.

On Saturday, March 11, SpringsFest ’23 will celebrate the history of Comanche Springs for the second consecutive year with a series of events from 1-5 p.m. at the Comanche Springs Swimming Pool, James Rooney Memorial Park, and a newly added stop at Belding Farms.

The celebration will include a tour of Belding Farms, live music, food trucks, and a scavenger hunt with featured station stops, including a frontier days reenactment at the fort grounds, a visit to Comanche Creek Trail and a look at the springs, which started flowing in the late last year when the aquifer rebounded from summer irrigation pumping. (The springs tour will include a look at the openings to the cave passages that lie beneath the historic pool and bathhouse.)

The event is free of charge, courtesy of Texas Water Trade, a nonprofit organization that is working to restore Comanche Springs using voluntary water transactions.

Highlights will include the following:

•Texas Water Trade CEO Sharlene Leurig will lead an informal discussion at 1 p.m. at the pool deck with local leaders and old-timers about Comanche Springs, both past and present.

•The scavenger hunt will run from 1:30 to 3 p.m. and will be followed with live music on the pool deck from 3 to 5 p.m.

•Food trucks will be on site at Rooney Park starting at noon.

•It will be a day for local residents and out-oftown visitors to reflect on a rich history that includes many icons of the west and to capture new memories.