GRANBURY – The Texas Watershed Steward program will host a free workshop on protecting the Lake Granbury watershed on May 12 in Granbury.
The workshop, which will be open to the public, will run from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Granbury First United Methodist Church, 301 Loop 567.
The program will educate property owners and other area residents on maintaining a healthy watershed, said Jennifer Peterson, Texas AgriLife Extension Service program water quality specialist. The workshop was designed to help watershed residents improve and protect their water resources by becoming involved in local watershed protection and management activities.
“Lake Granbury is among the nearly 92 percent of streams, rivers and lakes in Texas that are impacted by some form of water pollution,” Peterson said. “Protecting water quality begins with you and those in your community. Help is available through this one-day training event.”
Some people aren’t aware that ordinary activities can contribute to pollution in their drinking water supply, Peterson said. Bacteria, including E. coli and fecal coliform, have risen dramatically in some streams and canals that flow to the lake. The conditions threaten recreational activities such as swimming and boating.
“Washing your car, fertilizing your lawn or improperly disposing of pet waste can contaminate your main source of water,” Peterson said.
The Lake Granbury program will also cover efforts by the Brazos River Authority, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Texas Water Resources Institute and other partners in efforts to help improve and protect water quality in the lake.
All participants will receive a free copy of the Texas Watershed Steward Curriculum Handbook, gifts and a certificate of completion. Several types of continuing education credits are also available. More information on the Lake Granbury project is available at http://www.brazos.org and http://tws.tamu.edu .
Organizers are asking participants to pre-register to ensure an accurate count of materials, Peterson said. For information on continuing education hours or to pre-register, visit the Texas Watershed Steward website, http://tws.tamu.edu or contact Peterson at 979-862-8072 or jpeterson@ag.tamu.edu .
The Texas Watershed Steward program is sponsored by AgriLife Extension and the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board.
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