Residents of Bell and Milam counties are invited to participate in the upcoming Lone Star Healthy Streams workshop, which will focus on the Big Elm Creek watershed. The event will take place on February 20th from 9 a.m. to noon at the Post Oak Savannah Groundwater Conservation District office, located at 310 Ave. C in Milano. The workshop is free, and lunch will be provided for attendees.

Pesticide applicators can earn two Texas Department of Agriculture continuing education credits by attending the workshop. One credit is available for general education, and another for integrated pest management. Preregistration for the workshop is available online at tx.ag/LSHSMilano.

The conference is organized through the collaboration of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, Texas Water Resources Institute, Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board, and the Post Oak Savannah Groundwater Conservation District. The workshop will cover various topics related to watershed function, water quality, and best management practices aimed at reducing bacterial contamination. The focus will be on grazing livestock and weed and brush management on pastures. Attendees will also learn about available technical and financial opportunities.

Leanne Wiley, AgriLife Extension program specialist and Lone Star Healthy Streams coordinator, emphasized the importance of protecting Texas waterways from bacterial contamination caused by livestock, wildlife, and invasive species. The goal of the program is to raise awareness of non-point source pollution, provide educational materials to Texas producers and landowners, and encourage the implementation of best management practices.

Big Elm Creek is a major tributary to Little River in Central Texas and does not meet the state water quality standard for recreation, according to Matt Stellbauer, research specialist and watershed coordinator at the Texas Water Resources Institute. During the workshop, Stellbauer will provide an update on the watershed protection plan, including a brief background on the project and current water quality monitoring data.

Topics and Speakers

• Leanne Wiley: Lone Star Healthy Streams mission and goals, definition of a watershed and water quality, and best management practices for grazing livestock to reduce bacterial contamination.
• Matt Stellbauer: Update on the Big Elm Creek watershed.
• Zach Howard: Weed management on pastures.

Contact Information

For more information about the workshop, contact:

• Leanne Wiley: 979-321-5950 or leanne.wiley@ag.tamu.edu
• Jaclyn Wise: 512-760-6586 or jwise@posgcd.org
• Matt Stellbauer: 979-314-8115 or matt.stellbauer@agnet.tamu.edu

This workshop is a valuable opportunity for residents to learn about protecting their local waterways and implementing effective land management practices. Don’t miss the chance to gain insightful knowledge and earn continuing education credits.