Water quality training Oct. 8 in Corpus Christi will focus on Lower Nueces River

CORPUS CHRISTI – A Texas Watershed Steward workshop on water quality related to the Lower Nueces River will be held from 8 a.m.-noon Oct. 8 in Room Southwest 1 of the Hilltop Community Center, 11425 Leopard St., Corpus Christi.

Doors will open at 7:40 a.m. for a free breakfast provided for workshop attendees who preregister by Oct. 4 or when capacity is reached.

The workshop is presented by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board in cooperation with the Nueces River Authority. The training is free and open to anyone interested in improving water quality in the region.

Manage watersheds, improve communities

Participants are encouraged to preregister at the Texas Watershed Steward website.

“This training is designed to help watershed residents improve and protect their water resources by becoming involved in local watershed protection and management activities,” said Michael Kuitu, AgriLife Extension program specialist and coordinator for the Texas Watershed Steward program, College Station.

Kuitu said the workshop will include an overview of water quality and watershed management in Texas, but will primarily focus on area water quality, including current efforts to help improve and protect the Nueces River.

The training will include a discussion of watershed systems, types and sources of water pollution, and ways to improve and protect water quality. There also will be a group discussion on community-driven watershed protection and management.

“The supportive role the Lower Nueces River plays related to regional water supplies, wildlife habitat, industry and recreation is impressive,” said Rocky Freund, deputy executive director for the Nueces River Authority. “It is a truly important water resource, so a protection plan was developed to determine applicable best management practices for the area and how they may best be implemented.”

Getting involved

The Nueces River Authority worked alongside the Nueces River Watershed Partnership in creating the plan, which will also be discussed at the workshop.

“In addition to discussing the Nueces River watershed, the workshop will offer a variety of continuing education credits for multiple professional disciplines,” said Jason Ott, AgriLife Extension agent for Nueces County.

Ott said he wants to encourage local residents and other stakeholders to attend the workshop to gain more information about water resources and water quality improvement and protection.

“Participating in the Texas Watershed Steward program is a great opportunity to get involved and make a difference in your watershed,” he said.

The Texas Watershed Steward program is funded through a Clean Water Act nonpoint source grant from the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

For more information on the Texas Watershed Steward program and to preregister, go to the website or contact Kuitu at 979-862-4457, mkuitu@tamu.edu or Ott at 361-767-5217, jason.ott@ag.tamu.edu.

For more information about watershed protection efforts for the Lower Nueces River, contact Freund at 361-653-2110, rfreund@nueces-ra.org.

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