Contacts: Nikki Dictson, 979-458-5915, n-dictson@tamu.edu
David Hunter, 940-349-7123, David.Hunter@cityofdenton.com
Blake Alldredge, 972-219-1228, balldredge@utrwd.com
DENTON — The Texas Water Resources Institute’s Texas Riparian and Stream Ecosystem Education Program will host a workshop from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. May 21 in Denton for area residents interested in land and water stewardship in the Hickory Creek watershed.
The free workshop, which includes lunch, is co-hosted by the city of Denton and the Upper Trinity Conservation Trust.
The morning session will be at the University of North Texas Gateway Center, 801 N. Texas Blvd. The afternoon session will include an outdoor creek walk and presentations.
Hickory Creek is a tributary to Lewisville Lake, and the Hickory Creek watershed is located almost entirely in Denton County and a large portion is within the City of Denton.
David Hunter, manager of Denton’s watershed protection program, said Hickory Creek is currently meeting designated uses but is under significant development pressures.
“More than one Texas Water Quality Inventory has highlighted nutrient concerns throughout the lake’s watershed. To address these nutrient and sediment water quality issues, Denton has developed a watershed protection plan for Hickory Creek,” he said.
Hunter said studies conducted during the plan’s development indicated that future development in the Hickory Creek watershed could cause further degradation of water quality and threaten designated uses.
“The plan’s primary objective was to identify actions that could reduce pollutant amounts to the Hickory Creek arm of Lewisville Lake and improve water quality in advance of continued urbanization and the development of numeric nutrient criteria. Either of these scenarios may result in the addition of Lewisville Lake to the Texas Clean Water Act list of impaired waters,” Hunter said.
Nikki Dictson, Texas Water Resources Institute AgriLife Extension program specialist and coordinator of the program, said trainings will focus on the nature and function of stream and riparian zones, as well as the benefits and economic impacts from proper functioning riparian systems.
A riparian zone is the land area adjacent to the bank of a stream, creek, bayou or river.
“Healthy riparian areas protect streams and our lakes, which are the sources of our drinking water, by protecting stream banks from erosion, slowing down the stormwater velocity and filtering out sediment and pollutants of concern,” Dictson said. “Poor management of the land and riparian areas leads to erosion. High amounts of sediment carried by streams have reduced reservoirs’ water storage capacity where the sediment is deposited.”
Dictson said studies have shown that poorly managed stream banks can account for as much as 85 percent of the sediment contributed in a watershed. In Texas, it is estimated that major reservoirs lose 90,000 acre-feet of water storage capacity every year due to sedimentation, which is roughly equal to the amount of water that 180,000 families use in one year, she said.
Dictson said workshop topics will include riparian and watershed management principles, water quality, riparian vegetation, hindrances to healthy riparian areas, stream processes, management practices and local resources.
Workshop presentations will be given by representatives of the Texas Water Resources Institute, U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Texas A&M Forest Service, city of Denton and Upper Trinity Conservation Trust.
“The goal is for participants to better understand riparian and watershed processes, see the benefits of healthy riparian areas and know what resources are available to prevent degradation while improving water quality,” Dictson said.
The Upper Trinity Conservation Trust and Lone Star Ag Credit are sponsoring a catered lunch. The program will include a lunchtime presentation, and attendees may bring their own lunch if they prefer.
Attendees must RSVP by May 13 to Dictson at 979-458-5915 or n-dictson@tamu.edu, or online at http://texasriparian.org/trainings/upcoming-training-locations/. Participants will receive a certificate of completion and appropriate continuing education unit certificates at the conclusion of the training.
The workshop offers over five types of continuing education units including three units – two general and one integrated pest management – for Texas Department of Agriculture pesticide license holders. It offers one unit from the Texas Water Resources Institute, and six hours for Texas Nutrient Management Planning specialists. The program is acceptable for health, safety and welfare credit from the Texas Board of Architectural Examiners and may also be used for continuing education units for professional engineers.
The riparian education program is managed by the Texas Water Resources Institute, part of Texas A&M AgriLife Research, AgriLife Extension and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University. It is funded through a Clean Water Act grant provided by the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
For more information, contact Dictson or visit http://texasriparian.org or go to Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TexasRiparianAssociation.
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