ENNIS – A Texas Watershed Steward Workshop on water quality issues related to the Trinity River will be held from 2-6 p.m. April 15 at the Cowboy Church, 429 S.E. Interstate 45 Frontage Road in Ennis.
The no-cost training is open to anyone interested in improving water quality in the Corsicana-Waxahachie region, said program coordinators. Participants are encouraged to preregister at the Texas Watershed Steward website at http://tws.tamu.edu.
The workshop is presented by AgriLife Extension and the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board in coordination with the Trinity Waters Organization.
A light meal will be provided following the workshop for those who preregister.
“The workshop is designed to help watershed residents improve and protect their water resources by becoming involved in local watershed protection and management activities,” said Logan Lair, AgriLife Extension agent for Navarro County.
The workshop will include an overview of water quality and watershed management in Texas, but will primarily focus on water quality issues relating to the Trinity River, including current efforts to help improve and protect water in the area, Lair said.
The training will include a discussion of watershed systems, types and sources of water pollution, and ways to improve and protect water quality. There also will be a group discussion on community-driven watershed protection and management.
“The Trinity River is an important resource for the area,” said Mark Arnold, AgriLife Extension agent for Ellis County. “The river is a part of the urban and rural character of this region. It is a source of water for municipal supply, agriculture, fishing, recreational activities and wildlife habitat.”
Arnold said he wants to encourage stakeholders to attend the workshop and to become more engaged in water quality improvement efforts.
Participants will receive a free copy of the Texas Watershed Steward Handbook and a certificate of completion. The program also offers four continuing education units in soil and water management for certified crop advisers, four units for professional engineers and certified planners, and four continuing education credits for certified teachers. It also offers three general continuing education units for Texas Department of Agriculture pesticide license holders, four for certified landscape architects and three for certified floodplain managers.
“Participating in the Texas Watershed Steward program is a great opportunity to get involved and make a difference in your watershed,” Arnold said.
For more information and to preregister, go to http://tws.tamu.edu or contact Arnold at 972-825-5175, wm-arnold@tamu.edu or Lair at 903-654-3075, jllair@ag.tamu.edu
The Texas Watershed Steward program is funded through a Clean Water Act nonpoint source grant from the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
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