Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service’s Healthy Lawns and Healthy Waters (HLHW) Program is hosting a residential rainwater harvesting and turf management training July 12 in Seguin.
The free event will be from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Irma Lewis Seguin Outdoor Learning Center, 1865 U.S. Highway 90 East.
The training is offered in collaboration with the Geronimo and Alligator Creeks Watershed Partnership.
Seating is limited and a free lunch will be provided, so attendees are requested to RSVP online or to John W. Smith, AgriLife Extension program specialist, College Station, at johnwsmith@tamu.edu or by calling 979-845-2761.
The HLHW Program aims to improve and protect surface water quality by enhancing awareness and knowledge of best management practices. Attendees will learn about the design and installation of residential rainwater harvesting systems and appropriate turf and landscape species based on local conditions.
Dr. Becky Grubbs, AgriLife Extension turfgrass specialist, said management practices such as using irrigation delivery equipment, interpreting soil tests and understanding nutrient applications can help reduce runoff and provide additional landscape irrigation water.
“These practices can improve understanding of rainwater harvesting and landscape management,” she said.
Dr. Diane Boellstorff, AgriLife Extension water resource specialist, said proper fertilizer application and efficient water irrigation can protect and improve water quality in area creeks and collecting rainwater for lawn and landscape needs reduces stormwater runoff.
Reagan Hejl, research associate in Texas A&M’s Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, said participants can have their soil tested for free as part of the training.
Residents can pick up a soil sample bag with sampling instructions at the AgriLife Extension office in Guadalupe County, 210 E. Live Oak St. in Seguin and the AgriLife Extension office in Comal County, 325 Resource Drive in New Braunfels. Bags should be brought to the training with soil samples.
Hejl said soil samples will be submitted to the AgriLife Extension Soil, Water and Forage Testing Lab for routine analysis, including pH, conductivity, nitrate-nitrogen and other parameters.
Hejl said the training will have a review of how to understand soil test results and nutrient recommendations so residents can interpret results once they receive their analysis in the mail.
Ward Ling, AgriLife Extension program specialist and Geronimo and Alligator Creeks Watershed Partnership coordinator, will discuss updates on watershed protection plan activities to improve and protect water quality in Geronimo and Alligator creeks.
Find out more information about the Geronimo and Alligator Creeks Watershed Protection Plan.
Funding for the HLHW Program is provided in part through Clean Water Act 319 grants from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
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