Meeting will continue development of watershed protection plan for Mill Creek
The meeting the evening of Feb. 23 at the Bleiblerville Volunteer Fire Department will focus on continuing development of the Mill Creek watershed protection plan to improve water quality in the area. (Texas A&M AgriLife Extension service photo)
BLEIBLERVILLE — The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board will be holding the second meeting of the Mill Creek Watershed Partnership to continue development of a watershed protection plan.
The meeting, which is open to the public, will be Feb. 23 at the Bleiblerville Volunteer Fire Department, 3342 Farm-to-Market Road 2502, Bleiblerville, located near Industry in Austin County.
Registration and refreshments will begin at 5:30 p.m. with presentations from 6-8 p.m.
The agenda includes discussion of methods used to analyze water quality in Mill Creek and assess potential sources of pollution in the watershed. A facilitated group discussion on these topics will also take place to gather stakeholder input.
“Last month we formed and held the first meeting of the Mill Creek Watershed Partnership,” said Galen Roberts, AgriLife Extension water quality program specialist. “Stakeholders selected a steering committee for the partnership, and the development of a watershed protection plan for Mill Creek is now fully underway.”
Roberts added that watershed protection plans are non-regulatory and are designed to use best management practices to restore and protect surface waters affected by pollution.
The purpose of the Mill Creek Watershed Partnership and steering committee is to guide the plan development for Mill Creek over the next several months, he said.
Partnership meetings are open to the public and are slated for the last Monday of every month at 6 p.m.
“With the development process underway, we need input from local stakeholders more than ever,” Roberts said. “I encourage the public to join us on Feb. 23 and take an active role in restoring water quality in Mill Creek.”
Roberts said presentations from the last meeting and draft sections of the watershed protection plan are available for viewing on the project website at http://millcreek.tamu.edu/.
For more information, go to the website or contact Roberts at 979-862-8070 or groberts@ag.tamu.edu.
This project is funded through a nonpoint source grant from the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board.
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