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VISIT US ON OUR WEBSITE AT: hp://tws.tamu.edu/
Water bodies within a watershed can be aected
by many types of nonpoint source polluon.
Recognizing these sources of polluon and
methods for their control and prevenon
is crical. The Texas Watershed Steward
(TWS) program is a partnership between
the Texas AgriLife Extension Service and
the Texas State Soil and Water Conservaon
Board (TSSWCB) to provide science-based, watershed
educaon to help cizens idenfy and take acon to
address local water quality impairments.
Anyone with a willingness to learn and a
desire to improve and protect community
water resources can become a Texas
Watershed Steward. Anyone living in
a watershed including homeowners,
agricultural producers, decision-makers,
and community leaders are all encouraged t
learn more about this program and become Tex
Watershed Stewards.
Who Are Texas Watershed Stewards?
Watershed stewardship means caring for the water,
air, and biodiversity in the enre watershed, while
acknowledging that everything is connected and is
aected by natural and human acvies. Water is
the most crical component of our lifes existence.
Without clean water resources, we simply cannot
survive. The quality and quanty of water found
within our watersheds are greatly aected by howwe choose to live
on the land. And since each and
every one of us lives in a watershed, good watershed
stewardship is crucial to ensuring the sustainability of
our water resources for generaons to come.
If we become aware of our watersheds, become
educated about the needs of our watersheds,
understand the eects that our acvies have on
watersheds, and discover ways to get involved in our
watersheds, we will act more responsibly to preserve,
protect, and enhance them.
Why is Watershed Stewardship Important?
What are the Goals of the Program?
The Texas Watershed Steward program promotes
healthy watersheds by increasing cizen awareness,
understanding, and knowledge about the nature and
funcon of watersheds, potenal impairments, and
watershed protecon strategies to minimize nonpoint
source polluon.
The broad goals of the Texas Watershed Steward Progr
include the following:
Increase cizen awareness and knowledge of wat6
issues.
Protect and improve local water resources.6
Empower individuals to take leadership roles6
involving community water issues.
Increase stakeholder involvement in Watershed6
Protecon Plan (WPP) and/or Total Maximum Dai
Load (TMDL) development processes by educan
and organizing local cizens.
exas Watershed
teward ProgramT
S
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What Will You Learn About in a Texas Watershed
Steward Training?
1. OVERVIEW OF WATERSHED SYSTEMS
What is a Watershed?6
Watersheds in Texas6
How do Texans Use Watersheds?6
Principles of Watershed Hydrology6
Natural Watershed Features and Funcons6
The Texas Watershed Steward curriculum consists
of 4 dierent modules designed to provide
basic informaon on the nature and funcon of
watersheds, potenal sources of impairment, and
strategies for watershed protecon. The training
modules will be tailored as much as possible to the
specic watershed where the training is taking place.
CONTACT US:
Galen Roberts
xtension Program Specialist
Dept. of Soil & Crop Sciences
474 TAMU
College Staon, TX 77843-2474
el: 979.862.8070
mail: [email protected]
Mark McFarland
Professor, Extension Soil Ferlity Specialist
Dept. of Soil & Crop Sciences
2474 TAMU
College Staon, TX 77843-2474
Tel: 979.845.5366
Email: [email protected]
2. OVERVIEW OF WATERSHED IMPAIRMENTS
Water Quanty and Quality6Point and Nonpoint Sources of
Polluon6
Consequences of Impaired Water Quality6
How Land Use Aects Water Quanty and Quality6
Water Quality Law and Policy in Texas6
Water Quality Tesng, Monitoring and Regulaon6
3. MANAGING TO IMPROVE WATERSHED FUNCTION
Using a Watershed Approach6
Water Quality Improvement Projects (TMDL, WPP)6
Best Management Pracces6
Water Quality Stewardship on Small Acreages6
Protecng Water Quality Around the Home6
COMMUNITY-DRIVEN WATERSHED PROTECTION4.
AND MANAGEMENT
Importance of Local Watershed Involvement6
Forming Community Watershed Organizaons and6
Partnerships
How Long Do Trainings Last and Where Will T
Be Held?
Trainings for the Texas Watershed Steward program
are designed as one-day training events. The ulm
goal is that by the end of the day, parcipants will
have learned enough informaon to feel empower
and movated to form a watershed acon group, t
parcipate in watershed protecon acvies, or to
become more involved in protecng and enhancintheir community
water resources.
Find out if a training is being oered near you or
request a training by contacng us at the informa
below or by vising our Web site at:
hp://tws.tamu.edu.
Public parcipaon is the focus of the Texas
Watershed Steward program. Acve public
engagement, educaon, and communityinvolvement in watershed
management eorts are
vital to addressing local water quality concerns
and in making a dierence on the ground. Become
involved in your watershed today!
Nikki Dictso
