Contacts: Nathan Glavy, 979-458-5915, nathan.glavy@ag.tamu.edu.
Dr. Fouad Jaber, 972-952-9672, Fouad.Jaber@ag.tamu.edu
COLLEGE STATION – The Texas Water Resources Institute, or TWRI, will host an Urban Best Management Practices for Watershed Planning Training July 25 in College Station for watershed coordinators and water professionals.
The training is set for 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at Texas A&M University’s Thomas G. Hildebrand Equine Complex, 3240 F&B Road.
Coordinators said the training is part of TWRI’s Texas Watershed Planning Program, designed for individuals interested in or responsible for watershed protection and restoration. This includes employees and volunteers with federal, state, county and local agencies; soil and water conservation districts; universities; consulting firms; non-governmental organizations and watershed groups.
The training costs $50 and includes all materials, lunch and a certificate of completion at the end of the course.
Registration is required by July 23. Register online at the Texas A&M Marketplace at https://bit.ly/2IDC3sO, or by email to nathan.glavy@ag.tamu.edu.
“Urban best management practices are measures that help reduce the volume and pollutant load carried by surface stormwater runoff into rivers and lakes,”said Nathan Glavy, a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service program specialist at TWRI, College Station.
Low-impact development will be one of the main topics of the TWRI best management practices training on July 25 in College Station. (Photo courtesy of Texas Water Resources Institute)
“This course will cover typical urban management measures used in watershed planning,” he said.
Dr. Fouad Jaber, AgriLife Extension program specialist for the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center in Dallas, will present on green infrastructure for stormwater and low- impact development, or LID.
“LID refers to practices such as bio-retention, green roofs, rainwater harvesting and permeable pavement that manage stormwater in an urbanized setting in a way that minimizes impact to the environment while increasing cost effectiveness and sustainability,” Jaber said.
Debbie Stickles and Caroline Ask, staff from the city of College Station, will cover how ordinances prevent and control pollution as well as how to encourage their implementation.
David Batts, director of system solutions at Construction EcoServices of Houston, will present on effective ways to promote LID to get land developer buy-in, including its benefits and providing examples of multifunctional design and maintenance requirements. This training will include a tour of LID and green infrastructure in College Station.
Coordinators encourage participants to dress in casual and comfortable clothing as they will be walking in the field during the afternoon tour.
For more information, go to nrt.tamu.edu/schedule or contact Glavy at nathan.glavy@ag.tamu.edu.
The Texas Watershed Planning Program is managed by TWRI and funded through a Clean Water Act Section 319(h) nonpoint source grant provided by the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
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