WESLACO – The second annual Save the Arroyo Fiesta and fundraiser will be held from 6-9 p.m. Oct. 9 at the Dargel Boats Showroom, 4110 N. Farm-to-Market Road493 in Donna.
Hosted by the Arroyo Colorado Watershed Partnership, the event was created to raise awareness of the Arroyo Colorado, its watershed and the plans in place to improve and protect it, according to Jaime Flores, watershed coordinator for the partnership and executive director of the Arroyo Colorado Conservancy.
“We had a fabulous turnout at last year’s inaugural event and everybody had a great time,” Flores said. “We raised funds to continue our outreach and education programs throughout the watershed and continue to implement the Arroyo Colorado Watershed Protection Plan.”
The Arroyo Colorado runs through the center of the Lower Rio Grande Valley from Mission to Arroyo City, eventually flowing into the Lower Laguna Madre, Flores said. It is the primary source of fresh water to the bay and is essential to the bay’s health.
This year’s event includes the raffle of a new fishing boat and a photo contest, according to Ashley Gregory, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service assistant for the Texas Water Resources Institute.
“The partnership is now in the process of assessing the effectiveness of the Arroyo Colorado Watershed Plan to develop Phase II of the plan,” she said. “The first published plan had some awesome nature photos of the Arroyo Colorado area, so we’re having a photo contest to generate photos for the publication of the second phase publication and a new logo.”
Residents of the watershed and stakeholders alike are eligible to compete, she said.
“We’re asking that contestants submit photos of the Arroyo Colorado, its watershed and its native flora and fauna taken between Oct. 1 and Jan. 31, 2016. It will be the responsibility of the photographer to document the date, time and GPS coordinates to meet the requirements of the contest.”
The photo selected to go on the cover of the new plan will win a $250 prize. The photo selected to represent the new logo will win $500.
Dedicated stakeholders began meeting in 1998 to address issues affecting the Arroyo Colorado and have since been working to improve its water quality to preserve, expand and enhance native wildlife habitat along the Arroyo, Flores said.
“The idea is to preserve this beautiful waterway and its surroundings for the current and future generations,” he said. “We’ve been blessed to have so many people join in our efforts, donating their time and money to continue to improve the Arroyo Colorado. If you’ve ever spent quality time out there, you’ll know why so many people have come forward to help.”
Flores said sponsorships at many levels are still being sought to support the critical conservation work that continues in full swing.
“We hope to meet old and new friends alike at our fiesta Oct. 9 to celebrate 14 years of success in ensuring the Arroyo Colorado maintains abundant wild land, healthy waters, clean air and a beautiful place to enjoy the great outdoors. Plus, there’s always a chance you could walk away with a brand new custom 186 Dargel Skout fishing boat.”
Fiesta tickets are $100 and include a barbecue meal, a presentation on current projects and the chance to win the boat.
For more information on the fiesta, the photo contest or the Arroyo Colorado watershed plan, contact Flores at 956-495-5532 or Gregory at 956-968-5581.
The Arroyo Colorado Watershed Partnership is administered by the Texas Water Resources Institute, in cooperation with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board.