Highland Bayou water quality training set for Feb. 28 in La Marque
Texas Watershed Steward workshop to discuss types and sources of water pollution
A Texas Watershed Steward workshop on water quality related to the Highland Bayou watershed will be held from 1-5 p.m. on Feb. 28 at the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service office in Galveston County, 4102-B Main St., La Marque.
The event will be presented by AgriLife Extension and the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board in cooperation with Texas Community Watershed Partners.
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 979-321-5935.
Additional meeting information will be provided upon registration.
“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 improve water quality in the Highland Bayou watershed
The workshop will include a discussion on watershed systems, along with types and sources of water pollution, Kuitu said. 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 about water quality management and how they may become involved in improving and maintaining the water quality of Highland Bayou, and other Galveston Bay Coalition Watersheds, through best management practices. Though the workshop will provide an emphasis on local water resources, the information remains applicable to all waters 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 at 979-321-5935 or michael.kuitu@ag.tamu.edu.
Funding for this effort is provided through a federal Clean Water Act Section 319(h) 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; Phoenix Rogers at 281-309-5064, plrogers@ag.tamu.edu; or Jessica Chase at 979-864-1558, jessica.chase@ag.tamu.edu.
For more information on Highland Bayou and other nearby watersheds, visit the Galveston Bay Coalition of Watersheds or contact Celina Lowry at 281-560-3970, celina.lowry@ag.tamu.edu.
