The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and the Texas Water Resources Institute, TWRI, will host an Urban Riparian and Stream Restoration Workshop on April 2 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. in San Antonio.
The workshop is part of the Urban Riparian and Stream Restoration Program and is designed for professionals interested in conducting stream restoration projects around the San Antonio area, including municipalities, government agencies, river authorities, water districts, land trusts, environmental organizations and consultants.
The morning session will be in the Memorial Auditorium of the Witte Museum, 3801 Broadway. The afternoon session will take place in and along the San Antonio River, where stream surveying techniques will be taught.
The cost is $50, which includes all training materials, a catered lunch and a certificate of completion at the end of the course. Attendees must register by March 26 by calling or emailing Alexander Neal, TWRI program specialist, at 979-314-2351 or [email protected]. Online registration is also available at tx.ag/RiparianApril2.
Threats to water quality
“Riparian and stream degradation is a major threat to water quality, in-stream habitat, terrestrial wildlife, aquatic species and overall stream health,” said Fouad Jaber, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension program specialist and professor, Texas A&M Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Dallas.
Jaber said proper management, protection and restoration of these riparian areas will improve water quality, lower in-stream temperatures, improve aquatic habitat, and ultimately benefit the community integrity and health of aquatic organisms.
Workshop goals and continuing education units available
Following the workshop, participants will:
- Better understand urban stream functions, as well as the impacts of development on urban streams.
- Recognize healthy versus degraded stream systems.
- Assess and classify a stream using the Rosgen method.
- Understand the differences between natural and traditional restoration techniques.
The following continuing education units will be available upon completion of the workshop:
- Certified Crop Advisors, seven hours.
- Texas Floodplain Managers, six hours.
- Texas Nutrient Management Planning specialist, six hours.
The program may also be used for continuing education units for professional engineers and architects.
Neal said TWRI can offer the workshop at a reduced cost thanks to program funding provided through a Clean Water Act nonpoint source grant from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
For more information, contact Neal, visit texasriparian.org or facebook.com/TexasRiparianAssociation. The urban riparian stream education program is managed by TWRI, a unit of Texas A&M AgriLife Research that brings together expertise from across The Texas A&M University System.
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