PALACIOS–Anyone interested in becoming involved in a partnership to improve and protect the Tres Palacios Creek watershed along the Texas Gulf Coast is invited to an Aug. 27 meeting in Palacios.
The Texas Water Resources Institute will host the free meeting at 5:30 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church, 209 Lucas Ave.
A meeting to discuss the improvement and protection of the Tres Palacios Creek will be held Aug. 27 in Palacios.
Dr. Kevin Wagner, Texas Water Resources Institute associate director in College Station, said the main purpose of the meeting is to organize a watershed partnership with interested stakeholders. The partnership will develop a strategy for reducing bacteria levels in the creek.
“The tidal portion of Tres Palacios Creek, which primarily occupies part of Matagorda and Wharton counties, is currently designated by the state as impaired because of elevated bacteria concentrations periodically found there,” he said.
“Together with the local stakeholders, we will finalize the partnership structure and formation of a wastewater work group and an agriculture and wildlife work group, which will work on identifying feasible management measures to include in the strategy,” he said.
Wagner will give an overview of the water quality data for the watershed as well as water quality policy and watershed-based planning information for the benefit of anyone who did not attend the initial meeting of the group.
“Even if someone wasn’t able to attend the July 30 meeting, we encourage local residents to attend this meeting and become part of the planning process through the partnership,” he said. “Their input is essential for developing and implementing a successful strategy to address the bacteria issues.”
For more information, contact Dr. Allen Berthold, research scientist for the institute, at 979-845-2028, taberthold@ag.tamu.edu.
The institute is part of Texas A&M AgriLife Research, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University.
