The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently reviewed and accepted the Middle Yegua Creek Watershed Protection Plan (WPP). Acceptance is a major accomplishment for the coalition of local stakeholders and state officials who collaboratively created the science-based plan, led by the Texas Water Resources Institute (TWRI).
The WPP outlines a strategy to implement management measures that will reduce nonpoint source pollution into the creek. Plan acceptance is dependent on meeting EPA’s guidelines for watershed-based plans.
The plan is available for download at middleyegua.twri.tamu.edu/resources.
TWRI invites watershed residents and anyone with an interst in improving water quality in the watershed to the next Middle Yegua Creek stakeholder meeting on March 31. The public meeting will be at 5:30 p.m. in the Lee County AgriLife Extension Office, 310 South Grimes Street, in Giddings.
Middle Yegua Creek above Lake Somerville is a tributary in the Brazos River Basin. The Brazos River Authority and TWRI took water samples. The samples confirmed the presence of bacteria concentrations in Middle Yegua Creek above the applicable standard. This led to the creek’s impaired status. The applicable standard refers to the one set by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) for recreational activities. These activities may involve ingesting water, such as swimming, diving, and wading.
The Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board, in partnership with TWRI, worked to engage local stakeholders and lead them in the process to develop the voluntary WPP through informational meetings, educational programs, and focused discussions regarding the current state of water quality, their concerns for future water resource issues, and what could be done to mitigate these issues.
A State Nonpoint Source grant from the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board funded the effort.
Contact Sarah Stannard, TWRI program specialist, at sarah.stannard@ag.tamu.edu for more information.
