SEGUIN — The third annual Geronimo and Alligator Creeks Cleanup Event will take place from 9 a.m.-noon April 11, said event presenters.
The event is coordinated by the Geronimo and Alligator Creeks Partnership and is part of implementation efforts for the area’s watershed protection plan, said Ward Ling, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service program specialist in College Station.
“As a volunteer, you can help by collecting trash from several target areas that drain to the creeks,” Ling said.
Ling said participants can go online at http://www.geronimocreek.org/to register to meet at any of the following three locations to begin the cleanup:
— Parker Lumber parking lot, 1555 E. Court St., Seguin.
— Navarro Junior High School parking lot, 6450 N. State Highway 123, Seguin.
— New Braunfels Regional Airport at the corner of Airport Road and Entrance Drive.
Ling said volunteers should arrive by 9 a.m. for breakfast tacos, event T-shirts, safety instructions and supplies.
“If you have your own gloves or pick-up tools, bring them and dress appropriately for the weather,” Ling said. “Everyone is invited to participate.”
Trash bags and a limited supply of gloves and pick-up tools will be available.
“Last year’s event was a great success and we want this year’s cleanup to be bigger and better,” said Mike Urrutia, director of water quality services for the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority. “This would not be possible without the support from our sponsors and volunteers.”
He said the 2014 cleanup drew 230 volunteers posted at 22 stations in the Geronimo and Alligator creeks watershed area, collecting a total of 7,020 pounds of trash, 45 tires, 2 cubic yards of scrap metal and other refuse.
Sponsors for the event include Continental, Guadalupe County Groundwater Conservation District, Geronimo Creek Retreat, Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority, Guadalupe Valley Young Marines, HEB, Progressive Waste Solutions, The cities of Seguin and New Braunfels, Spirit of Joy Lutheran Church, AgriLife Extension, Liz Sedlacek and Ehlers Tree Farm.
Ling said there is still time to sign up to sponsor the event and those interested can go to http://www.geronimocreek.org/ for information on how to become a sponsor.
The cities of New Braunfels and Seguin are donating large disposal containers to collect the trash and providing disposal free of charge, he said.
To participate in the cleanup, register online and click on the “Online Registration” prompt under the cleanup reminder on the homepage, or contact Ling at 979-845-6980 or wling@ag.tamu.edu.
Volunteers can be teams organized by sponsors and neighborhood groups, as well as individual citizens concerned about the welfare of the creeks.
The Geronimo and Alligator Creeks Watershed Protection Plan was developed by local stakeholders after water monitoring data showed elevated concentrations of bacteria and nitrogen in the creeks. The plan outlines strategies to restore and protect water quality in the creeks.
Quarterly meetings are held to discuss progress and plan activities, and all citizens are encouraged to attend and get involved. Go to http://www.geronimocreek.org/ for more information.
A state nonpoint source grant was provided to AgriLife Extension by the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board to facilitate the development of this watershed protection plan.
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