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A Texas Watershed Steward workshop on water quality related to the Sabine River, and smaller bayous within its basin, will be held from 8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. on Oct. 21. In-person and virtual participants can earn continuing education credits for several professional fields.

The workshop will be held at the Orange County Convention and Expo Center located at 11475 FM 1442 in Orange. A virtual attendance option will also be available for those unable to attend in-person.

The event will be presented by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension and the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board in cooperation with the Sabine River Authority.

“This workshop is designed to help watershed residents learn about their water resources and how they may become involved in local watershed protection and management activities,” said Michael Kuitu, AgriLife Extension program specialist and coordinator for the Texas Watershed Steward program, Bryan-College Station.

The workshop is free and open to anyone interested in improving water quality in the region.

To attend in-person or virtually, participants must preregister at the Texas Watershed Steward website at https://tws.tamu.edu or by calling 979-862-4457.

“Once registered, additional meeting information will be provided,” Kuitu said.

Helping improve water quality in Sabine River basin watersheds

The workshop will include a discussion on watershed systems, along with types and sources of water pollution. There also will be a group discussion on community-driven watershed protection and management and will provide an overview of water quality as it relates to watershed management at the local level.

The Sabine River, and bayous within its basin near Orange, are a critical resource for the area, supporting agricultural production, recreational activities, and wildlife habitat.  This workshop is being held in support of ongoing efforts within the basin to protect water quality.

Light refreshments will be provided. Attendees of the workshop will receive a copy of the Texas Watershed Steward Handbook and are eligible to earn a certificate of completion.

Continuing education opportunities

The Texas Watershed Steward program offers continuing education units, CEUs, for multiple professional disciplines. However, the quantity of continuing education offered may vary for select disciplines, depending on whether one attends in-person or virtually.

For those who attend in-person, four hours of continuing education is offered for the following professional disciplines: soil and water management for certified crop advisers; professional engineers; AICP certified planners (4 CM & 1.5 law); certified teachers; professional geoscientists; certified landscape architects; certified floodplain managers; and each of the following Texas Commission on Environmental Quality occupational licensees: wastewater system operators, public water system operators, on-site sewage facility installers, and landscape irrigators.  In addition, three general continuing education units are offered for Texas Department of Agriculture private pesticide applicator license holders, and two credits are offered for nutrient management specialists.  For questions regarding professional continuing education afforded to virtual attendees, please contact Michael Kuitu.

Funding for this effort is provided through a federal Clean Water Act §319(h) Nonpoint Source Grant administered by the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

For more information on the Texas Watershed Steward program, and to preregister, go to the website or contact Kuitu at 979-862-4457, michael.kuitu@ag.tamu.edu; or Fallon Foster, AgriLife Extension agent for Orange County, at 409-882-7010, fallon.foster@ag.tamu.edu.

For more information on Sabine River watersheds, contact Jerry Wiegreffe at 409-746-3284, jwiegreffe@sratx.org.