A Texas Watershed Steward workshop on water quality related to Lake Limestone will be held on Aug. 23 in Groesbeck. The event will be presented by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board.
The workshop will be from 1-5 p.m. at the Groesbeck Convention Center, 106 E. Navasota St. A virtual attendance option will also be available.
The workshop is free and open to anyone interested in improving water quality in the region. To attend in person or virtually, participants must preregister at https://tx.ag/LakeLimestone or by calling 979-862-4457. Once registered, additional meeting information will be provided.
“This workshop is designed to help watershed residents learn about their water resources and how they may become involved in local watershed protection and management activities,” said Michael Kuitu, AgriLife Extension program specialist and coordinator for the Texas Watershed Steward program, Bryan-College Station.
Helping to improve the Lake Limestone watershed
The workshop will include a discussion on watershed systems, along with types and sources of water pollution.
“Though the workshop provides an emphasis on local water resources, the information remains applicable to all waters throughout the region,” said David Groschke, AgriLife Extension agriculture and natural resources agent, Limestone County.
There will also be a group discussion on community-driven watershed protection and management and an overview of water quality as it relates to watershed management at the local level.
“Lake Limestone is an important resource that is susceptible to pollution from runoff,” said Tiffany Malzahn, Brazos River Authority environmental and compliance manager, Waco.
“We encourage the public to not only learn about water quality management, but also how they may become involved in improving Lake Limestone’s water quality by implementing science-based best management practices in their homes, on their land and at their jobs.”
Continuing education opportunities
The Texas Watershed Steward program offers continuing education units for multiple professional disciplines. The quantity of continuing education offered may vary for select disciplines, depending on whether one attends in person or virtually.
For in-person attendees, four hours of continuing education is offered for the following professional disciplines: soil and water management for certified crop advisers, professional engineers, certified teachers, professional geoscientists, certified landscape architects and certified floodplain managers. American Institute of Certified Planners professional planners are eligible for four certification maintenance hours and 1.5 law hours.
Four CEUs are also offered for each of the following Texas Commission on Environmental Quality occupational licensees: wastewater system operators, public water system operators, on-site sewage facility installers and landscape irrigators.
In addition, three general CEUs are offered for Texas Department of Agriculture private pesticide applicator license holders, and two credits are offered for nutrient management specialists.
For questions regarding professional continuing education afforded to virtual attendees, contact Kuitu at 979-862-4457 or michael.kuitu@ag.tamu.edu.
Funding for this effort is provided through a Clean Water Act nonpoint source grant administered by the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board from the 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, michael.kuitu@ag.tamu.edu; or Groschke at 254-729-5314, dwgroschke@ag.tamu.edu.
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