Lampasas River watershed workshop set May 3

HAMILTON – The Lampasas Watershed Partnership will host a one-day “Proper Functioning Condition Riparian” workshop May 3 at the Texas Game Warden Training Center, 4363 Farm-to-Market Road 1047 in Hamilton.

The workshop will deal with assessing riparian and wetland conditions, and will offer three continuing education units for holders of Texas Department of Agriculture private pesticide applicator licenses, said Lisa Prcin, a research associate with Texas AgriLife Research.

The workshop is free and open to the public, and consists of classroom and field instruction on the South Lampasas River.

Prcin said the course primarily will be conducted by U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service personnel.
“Be prepared for the possibility of chiggers and/or ticks,” said Ricky Linex, USDA-NRCS wildlife biologist and one of the course instructors. “Wear long pants, sturdy shoes, sun screen and a hat. We will be walking adjacent to and in creeks with some rough ground to cross. A walking stick will come in handy for navigating the terrain.”

Participants will learn the basic interaction of hydrology, erosion and vegetation for Central Texas  creeks and rivers, Prcin said.
“Among topics to be covered are channels, floodplains, water table, vegetation, base flow, flood flow, sediment and how these things in combination are what make up the riparian area,” she said.

Riparian and wetland areas occur along watercourses or water bodies and occupy the transitional area between the upland and water ecosystems, she said. Typical examples would include floodplains, stream banks and lakeshores.
Those wishing to attend should contact Prcin at 254-774-6008 or lprcin@brc.tamus.edu.  The workshop’s full agenda and a map to the site are available at http:// lampasasriver.org.

The Lampasas River Watershed Partnership is a collaborative effort by local stakeholders, AgriLife Research, and the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board to address water quality concerns within the Lampasas River watershed through the development of a watershed protection plan.  The Lampasas River watershed encompasses parts of Mills, Hamilton, Lampasas, Coryell, Burnet, Bell and Williamson counties.

Funding and support for the development of the Lampasas Watershed Protection Plan is provided through a Clean Water Act §319(h) Nonpoint Source grant from the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

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