Contact: Nikki Dictson, 979- 458-5915, n-dictson@tamu.edu
AUSTIN–The Texas Water Resources Institute is hosting an Introduction to Watershed Modeling July 8 at the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality headquarters, 12100 Park 35 Circle in Austin.
The workshop is set for 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the commission’s Building E, Room 245S. Cost is $75 and includes course materials, a catered lunch and a certificate of completion.
According to Nikki Dictson, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service program specialist for the institute, the workshop will provide watershed coordinators and water professionals with an introduction to watershed modeling.
Dictson said participants will learn about soil and water assessment tools, load duration curves, and other commonly used models for assessing pollutant loading in watersheds.
“Participants will gain an understanding of what model is needed for watershed protection planning, how modeling fits into the Environmental Protection Agency’s nine elements of watershed planning and the resources needed to take the next steps,” Dictson said.
Dr. R. Srinivasan, director of the Texas A&M University Spatial Sciences Laboratory, will talk on the purpose, limitations, time, costs and different requirements of watershed models currently available.
Dr. Larry Hauck, lead scientist for Tarleton State University’s Texas Institute of Applied Environmental Research, will present information on tools that can be used with limited data and under resource constraints, such as load duration curves and geographic information system land-use-based methods.
Sandra Arismendez, lead nonpoint source quality assurance specialist for the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, will explain quality assurance project plans and what the plans need to cover, how the data need to be described and other details.
“The course will conclude with a presentation on stakeholder communications and modeling,” Dictson said. “Bringing stakeholders to the table to understand the model, facilitating consensus and approval of inputs and presenting modeling results to engage stakeholder in implementation is very important.”
One Texas Water Resources Institute continuing education unit will be provided upon course completion.
Participants may register for this training at http://bitly.com/watermodel. More information is available at the website or by contacting Dictson at 979-458-5915 or n-dictson@tamu.edu.
The training course is supported by funding from the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board through a U.S. Environmental Protection agency nonpoint source grant.
The water institute is part of Texas A&M AgriLife Research, AgriLife Extension and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University.
-30-