Writer: Paul Schattenberg, 210-859-5752, paschattenberg@ag.tamu.edu
Contact: Ward Ling, 979-845-6980, wling@tamu.edu
SEGUIN — The Geronimo and Alligator Creeks Watershed Partnership will hold a Low-Impact Development Workshop from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Nov. 1 at the Irma Lewis Seguin Outdoor Learning Center, 1865 U.S. Highway 90 E. in Seguin.
The workshop is free and lunch is included. It is hosted by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority. Registration begins at 8 a.m.
“The goal of the workshop is to better equip decision makers and the public to understand and consider the impacts of nonpoint source pollution in their daily activities,” said Ward Ling, AgriLife Extension program specialist in soil and crop sciences, College Station.
Ling said Dr. Fouad Jaber, AgriLife Extension specialist in integrated water resources management based in Dallas, will be among the presenters and explain how different smart-growth techniques can help mitigate the harmful effects of urbanization on stormwater volume and water quality.
“There will be a combination of in-class presentations and outdoor demonstrations,” Ling said. “Seven hours of American Institute of Certified Planner credits will be available to those attending.”
A Clean Water Act grant was provided to AgriLife Extension by the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to implement the Geronimo and Alligator Creeks Watershed Protection Plan, Ling explained.
“This workshop is part of the implementation of that plan,” he said.
For more information on the plan, go to http://www.geronimocreek.org .
The workshop agenda includes the following topics and activities:
— Linkages between land use, water quality and community character.
— Reducing stormwater runoff volume and improving water quality through use of low-impact
development structures and techniques, such as permeable pavement, rain gardens, vegetated
swales, “curbless” streets and means to improve flood control.
— A site tour featuring a rainwater harvesting system, two types of permeable pavement, a rain
garden and a vegetated swale. There also will be a tour of a turfgrass demonstration area showing
St. Augustine, Bermuda, zoysia and buffalo grasses as well as an example of xeriscaping.
Attendees must register to reserve a seat. To register and for more information, contact Ling at 979-845-6980 or wling@tamu.edu.
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