Texas Watch holds Blanco River Watershed Summit

Date released: 06/18/04

SAN MARCOS - Wimberley Valley Watershed Association and the Texas Watch program at Texas State University-San Marcos will host a one-day Blanco River Watershed conference at the LBJ Student Center on Saturday, July 17.

The conference brings together experts on water resources to present current scientific research that assesses impacts from anthropogenic and naturally occurring conditions. This summit will stimulate a dialogue among the scientific, private and public sectors on sustainable watershed management.

"The event will serve to find a balance between economic, environmental, and the needs of the local communities that depend on clean, abundant water in local streams," said Jason Pinchback, volunteer coordinator for Texas Watch. "This is the ideal venue for people to interact with decision-makers and learn about current science and policies related to sustainable quality of life as it pertains to our water resources."

As with other watersheds located in the periphery of major cities, sprawl is changing the landscape, water quality and instream flows, habitat and biological assemblages, and day-to-day quality of life. As a result, there is a growing need for scientific information to address these issues.

The rural-urban interface and counties in the Texas Hill Country are experiencing unprecedented population and development growth. This growth is impacting every aspect of community life and water. Managing water resources and reducing pollution is of paramount importance for the continued health and welfare of Central Texas and the regional economy.

"If you like to drink water and enjoy clean rivers and lakes, attending this event can help in making informed decisions for our future," Pinchback said. "This conference will bring together scientist, policy makers, and local citizens to dialogue about sustainable water resources. Good science leads to good policy."

Besides the Wimberley Valley Watershed Association (WVWA) and Texas Watch, the summit is co-sponsored by the Village of Wimberley, WVWA Community Partners, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Hays Energy and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

The registration deadline for the conference is July 15. For registration information, please contact Texas Watch Program Administrator Terry Wendland, at (877) 506-1401 or TW05@txstate.edu. Texas Watch facilitates environmental stewardship by empowering a statewide network of concerned volunteers, partners and institutions in a collaborative effort to promote a healthy and safe environment through environmental education, data collection and community action. For more information, visit the Texas Watch web site at www.texaswatch.geo.txstate.edu .