The public is invited to attend a project kick-off meeting and join the Middle Yegua Creek Watershed Partnership on Jan. 9 in Giddings.

Middle Yegua Creek with trees lining the banks. The watershed will be the main discussion of a Jan. 9 meeting in Giddings.
The Middle Yegua Creek watershed will be the subject of a stakeholder-driven protection plan by the Texas Water Resources Institute. (Texas Water Resources Institute photo by Cameron Castilaw)

The meeting will be at 5:30 p.m. at the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service office in Lee County, 310 S. Grimes St.

For those who would like to preregister, contact Luna Yang , Texas Water Resources Institute, TWRI, research specialist with Texas A&M AgriLife Research, Bryan-College Station, at [email protected], by Jan. 5. On-site registration will also be available.

This project will serve as the forum for public input, which will drive the development of a voluntary, stakeholder-driven watershed protection plan for Middle Yegua Creek.

Middle Yegua watershed planning, decision-making process discussed

The initial meetings will introduce the watershed planning process, surface water quality in Texas, and the stakeholder structure and possible decision-making process, Yang said.

“Anyone with an interest in Middle Yegua Creek can become a member of the partnership by participating in meetings and becoming involved in the development of the watershed protection plan,” she said.

Middle Yegua Creek above Lake Somerville is a tributary in the Brazos River Basin.

“Water samples collected in Middle Yegua Creek by the Brazos River Authority and TWRI confirmed the presence of bacteria concentrations that were above the applicable standard for recreational activities that may involve water ingestion,” Yang said.

Funding for developing a watershed protection plan for Middle Yegua is provided by the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board, through the State Nonpoint Source Grant Program.

TWRI is part of AgriLife Research, AgriLife Extension and the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

For more information, contact Yang at [email protected]. Read more about the watershed at middleyegua.twri.tamu.edu.