Meeting May 4 in Edna to focus on Lavaca River watershed planning

Contacts: Allen Berthold, 979-845-2028, taberthold@ag.tamu.edu

Michael Schramm, 979-458-9191, michael.schramm@ag.tamu.edu

EDNA – Anyone interested in improving and protecting water quality in the Lavaca River and its watershed is invited to May 4 meeting in Edna, said coordinators.

The Texas Water Resources Institute is hosting the free meeting, which begins at 1:30 p.m. at the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service office in Jackson County, 411 N. Wells St.

Dr. Allen Berthold, an institute research scientist in College Station, said area residents, city and county officials and other stakeholders are encouraged to attend this meeting to give input on strategies to address water quality impairments in the watershed.

“The above-tidal portion of the Lavaca River and a portion of Rocky Creek, a tributary of the Lavaca River, are currently designated by the state as impaired because of elevated bacteria concentrations,” Berthold said.

Michael Schramm, also an institute research associate in College Station, said the meeting will specifically discuss progress on the Lavaca River Watershed Protection Plan.

“The watershed protection plan was developed using feedback from local stakeholders regarding bacterial sources and voluntary management measures that will improve water quality,” he said. “This meeting will provide an additional opportunity for local residents, landowners and officials to further comment on the plan.”

Information provided at previous meetings is available at http://matagordabasin.tamu.edu/lavaca/meetings/.

For more information on the May 4 meeting, contact Berthold at taberthold@ag.tamu.edu or Schramm at michael.schramm@ag.tamu.edu.

The institute is part of Texas A&M AgriLife Research, AgriLife Extension and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University.

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