A Texas Watershed Steward workshop on water quality related to the Plum Creek watershed will be held from 1-5 p.m. on Aug. 15 in the White Tail Conference Room of Cabela’s Palo Duro, located at 15570 S. I-35 Frontage Road in Buda.
The event will be presented by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board in cooperation with the Plum Creek Watershed Partnership.
“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.
The workshop is free and open to anyone interested in improving water quality in the region. To attend, participants must preregister at the Texas Watershed Steward website or by calling 979-862-4457.
Once registered, additional meeting information will be provided, Kuitu said.
Helping improve water quality in the Plum Creek watershed
The workshop will include a discussion on watershed systems, along with types and sources of water pollution. There also will 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.
The public is encouraged to attend and learn not only about water quality management, but also how they may become involved in maintaining the water quality of Plum Creek and its tributaries through best management practices. Though the workshop will emphasize local water resources, the information remains applicable to watersheds throughout the region, Kuitu said.
Light refreshments will be provided. Attendees will receive a copy of the Texas Watershed Steward Handbook and are eligible to earn a certificate of completion.
Continuing education opportunities
The Texas Watershed Steward program offers continuing education units, CEUs, for multiple professional disciplines. However, the quantity of continuing education offered may vary for select disciplines.
CEUs will include four hours in the following professional disciplines: soil and water management for certified crop advisers, professional engineers, certified teachers, professional geoscientists and certified floodplain managers. American Institute of Certified Planners are eligible for four certification maintenance and one 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 attendees, contact Kuitu.
Funding for this effort is provided through a federal 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, contact Kuitu at 979-862-4457, michael.kuitu@ag.tamu.edu; or Aaron McCoy at 512-393-2120, aaron.mccoy@ag.tamu.edu.
For more information on the Plum Creek watershed, visit plumcreekwatershed.org or contact Sean Melvin at 830-557-7358, smelvin@plumcreekwatershed.org.
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