A Texas Watershed Steward workshop on the Brushy Creek watershed will be held on April 2 in Round Rock.

A river is flowing across a small rock in the riverbed. Residents living in the Brushy Creek watershed will be able to learn about the creek how to help improve its water quality during a meeting in Round Rock on April 2.
Residents living in the Brushy Creek watershed will be able to learn how to help improve the water quality during a meeting in Round Rock on April 2. (Michael Miller/Texas A&M AgriLife)

The free event will be from 1-5 p.m. at Round Rock Utilities, 3400 Sunrise Road, and is open to anyone interested in improving the region’s water quality.

The workshop will be presented by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board in cooperation with the Texas Water Resources Institute.

Participants must pre-register by visiting https://tx.ag/TWSRoundRock. Light refreshments will be providedt, and attendees will receive a copy of the Texas Watershed Steward Handbook. Attendees will also be eligible to earn a certificate of completion.

“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 Texas Watershed Steward program coordinator, Bryan-College Station.

Once registered, additional meeting information will be provided, Kuitu said.

Helping improve water quality in the Brushy Creek watershed

The workshop will include a discussion on watershed systems, types and sources of water pollution. A group discussion on community-driven watershed protection, management and an overview of water quality as it relates to local watershed management will also be held.

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 Brushy Creek 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.

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.

The 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 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 at 979-321-5935, [email protected], or Shelley Franklin at 512-943-3300, [email protected].

For more information on Brushy Creek, contact Luna Yang at 979-314-2354, [email protected].