Residents of Hays County looking to gain insight into water conservation and watershed health will soon have an opportunity to attend a workshop dedicated to these pressing issues. Hosted on June 24th at the Wimberley Community Center - Johnson Hall, the Lone Star Healthy Streams workshop will be held from 8 a.m. to noon and is free to the public. Light refreshments will also be provided, ensuring attendees can focus on the informative sessions ahead.
During this event, which is funded through a Clean Water Act Section 319(h) nonpoint source grant, professionals will discuss a series of strategies to promote watershed health. According to the Hays County official announcement, the workshop aims to address issues such as water quality, rainwater harvesting, and the management of grazing livestock and feral hogs. At the workshop, rainwater harvesting will be examined both in discussions and via an on-site display.
"The goal of the Lone Star Healthy Streams program is to protect Texas waterways from bacterial contamination originating from livestock, wildlife and invasive species that may pose a serious health risk to Texans," Leanne Wiley, AgriLife Extension program specialist and Lone Star Healthy Streams coordinator, told Hays County. "The aim is to increase awareness of non-point source pollution, provide education materials to Texas producers and landowners and encourage implementation."
The workshop, a key component of the Blanco-Cypress Watershed Protection Plan, will offer its attendees current data on county water quality and an update on the protection plan by Jonas Rosenthal, Hays County watershed coordinator. Rosenthal will present sharing the status of watersheds around the county, and the historical context upon which the plan was formed.
Those interested in participating in the workshop or seeking additional information can contact Leanne Wiley at 979-321-5950 or [email protected]; Jonas Rosenthal, watershed coordinator, at 512-557-5911 or [email protected]; or Aaron McCoy, AgriLife Extension agriculture and natural resources agent, Hays County, at 512-393-2120 or [email protected]. By fostering an environment of education and proactive stewardship, the Lone Star Healthy Streams workshop aspires to make a lasting impact on the local ecosystem and community's relationship with its vital water resources.
