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The Texas Water Resources Institute (TWRI) water team along with Ward Ling, Geronimo and Alligator Creek watershed coordinator, and volunteers recently planted native species along the Urban Riparian and Stream Restoration Program demonstration site located on Geronimo Creek at the Irma Lewis Seguin Outdoor Learning Center in Seguin, Texas.

Two demonstration sites along the stream that have moderate to highly erodible banks were selected for the demonstration. The upstream site will have no restoration activities implemented, and the downstream site has been planted with native species to revegetate.

Water quality monitoring will be performed before, during and after revegetation for up to two years to document changes of the stream.

The Urban Riparian and Stream Restoration Program, coordinated by TWRI in collaboration with Texas A&M AgriLife Research in Dallas, is bringing awareness, education and the value of stream restoration to urban areas around Texas.

The program, funded through the Clean Water Act nonpoint source grant from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, is a three-year grant cycle that will host 15 one day trainings around Texas.

A local volunteer plants an obligate plant species near the edge of the water. Obligate species thrive in saturated soils and help prevent soil erosion along the bank.

Clare Entwistle
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TWRI water team members Nathan Glavy and Destiny Russell work with two local volunteers to plant a mix of riparian vegetation along the bank of Geronimo Creek at the Irma Lewis Sequin Outdoor Learning Center.

Clare Entwistle
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Dr. Lucas Gregory, TWRI senior research scientist, and Ward Ling, Geronimo and Alligator Creeks watershed coordinator, use an auger to dig large holes in a more efficient manner to plant numerous large pots of native Indian sea oats.

Clare Entwistle
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Jute matting is pinned along the banks of the Urban Riparian Stream Restoration demonstration site along Geronimo Creek before planting native riparian species in order to reduce stream bank erosion until the vegetation has established.

Clare Entwistle
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Dr. Lucas Gregory, TWRI senior research scientist; Ward Ling, Geronimo and Alligator Creeks watershed coordinator; Nathan Glavy, TWRI extension program specialist: and a local volunteer are working hard to dig holes and plant native riparian vegetation as a natural streambank restoration technique.

Clare Entwistle
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