Lone Star Healthy Streams workshop set for Feb. 20 in Milano
Focus on watershed health and grazing livestock, weed and brush management on pastures
A Lone Star Healthy Streams workshop on the Big Elm Creek watershed will be held Feb. 20 from 9 a.m. to noon in Milano.
The free workshop for residents in Bell and Milam counties will be held at the Post Oak Savannah Groundwater Conservation District office, 310 Ave. C. Lunch will be included.
Two Texas Department of Agriculture continuing education credits for pesticide applicators are available — one general and one integrated pest management. Preregistration is available online at https://tx.ag/LSHSMilano.
The conference is a joint effort by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, Texas Water Resources Institute, Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board and the Post Oak Savannah Groundwater Conservation District.
Program focus
The workshop will discuss basic watershed function, water quality and voluntary best-management practices to reduce bacterial contamination. The focus will be on grazing livestock and weed and brush management on pastures. Additionally, technical and financial opportunities will be discussed.
“The goal of the Lone Star Healthy Streams program is to protect Texas waterways from bacterial contamination originating from livestock, wildlife and invasive species that may pose a serious health risk to Texans,” said Leanne Wiley, AgriLife Extension program specialist and Lone Star Healthy Streams coordinator, Texas A&M Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Bryan-College Station. “We want to increase awareness of non-point source pollution, provide education materials to Texas producers and landowners, and encourage implementation,” Wiley said.
Protecting the Watershed
Big Elm Creek is a major tributary to Little River in Central Texas. It does not meet the state water quality standard for recreation, said Matt Stellbauer, research specialist and watershed coordinator, Texas Water Resources Institute, Bryan-College Station.
In addition to the sessions on livestock, pasture and feral hog management, Stellbauer will share an update on the watershed protection plan. It will include a brief background on the project, as well as current water quality monitoring data.
Topics and speakers
- Lone Star Healthy Streams mission and goal — define a watershed and water quality, Wiley.
- Best management practices for grazing livestock to reduce bacteria contamination, Wiley.
- Big Elm Creek watershed update, Stellbauer.
- Weed management on pastures, Zach Howard, AgriLife Extension program specialist, Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Bryan-College Station.
For more information, contact Wiley at 979-321-5950 or [email protected]; Jaclyn Wise, public relations and education coordinator, Post Oak Savannah Groundwater Conservation District at 512-760-6586 or [email protected]; or Stellbauer at 979-314-8115 or [email protected]
