Lone Star Healthy Streams workshop set for Sept. 12 in Seguin
Focus on watershed health, feral hogs, livestock and land management
A Lone Star Healthy Streams workshop will be held on the Geronimo and Alligator Creeks, Plum Creek and Cibolo Creek watersheds on Sept. 12 in Seguin. Residents can also bring a soil sample to the event for free soil testing.
The free event will be from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at The Big Red Barn, 250 Cordova Road. Lunch will be included. An RSVP is required by calling the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service office for Guadalupe County at 830-303-3889.
Workshop content will focus on the three watersheds spanning Caldwell, Hays, Guadalupe, Comal, Bexar, Wilson and Karnes counties.
Three Texas Department of Agriculture continuing education units — two integrated pest management and one general — will be available for pesticide applicators.
The workshop is offered as an educational component of the watershed protection plans, in collaboration with the Texas Water Resources Institute, TWRI, AgriLife Extension, Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority and the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board, TSSWCB.
Program focus
The workshop will discuss watershed health, water quality and voluntary best-management practices to reduce bacterial contamination. The focus will be on managing feral hogs, grazing livestock and providing details on technical planning and financial opportunities.
“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.
“The aim is to increase awareness of nonpoint source pollution, provide education materials to Texas producers and landowners, and encourage implementation.”
Soil sampling instructions
To take a soil sample, follow the instructions below:
- Take one composite sample for every 10 to 40 acres.
- Separate samples should be collected for each change in soil type, land use or terrain.
- Take a composite sample and clear all plant residue.
- Take a 0-to-6-inch sample, repeated nine to 14 times within each identified area.
- Compile in a clean plastic bucket or other nonmetallic container.
- Fill a quart-sized freezer bag.
Help will be available at the workshop for placing the sample in soil bags and preparing the appropriate form.
Testing costs and transportation of the sample will be covered by Lone Star Healthy Streams program funding.
AgriLife Extension, TWRI and TSSWCB advocate for best management practices that will have a positive impact on these watersheds. Watershed coordinators will provide a brief background on each project as well as current water quality monitoring data.
Funding for this effort is provided through a 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, contact the AgriLife Extension office for Guadalupe County, Wiley at 979-321-5950 or [email protected], Mary-Michael Zahed at 804-350-5594 or [email protected], or Sierra Murray at 830-379-5822 extension 609 or [email protected].
