LOCKHART - The Plum Creek Watershed Partnership will hold its quarterly meeting from 6:30 -8:30 p.m. Aug. 9 at the Lockhart State Park Recreation Hall.

The park is located at 4179 State Park Road and Farm-to-Market Road 20, west of U.S. Highway 183 in Lockhart.

The meeting is free and open to the public. Sign-in begins at 6 p.m., with presentations to start at 6:30 p.m.

"The partnership is composed of area stakeholders who are leading efforts to work with citizens and landowners to implement voluntary strategies to protect and improve water resources in Caldwell and Hays counties,” said Nick Dornak, Plum Creek watershed coordinator in Lockhart.

Agenda items include a roundtable discussion with the Plum Creek watershed coordinator; an update and discussion on Caldwell County community clean up events, the Texas Hog Out Challenge and other activities of the watershed coordinator; an update on the Hillside Terrace project; and status reports on the implementation of agricultural best management practices and the Plum Creek Feral Hog Education Program.

"At our May meeting, final comments were received on a draft update to the Plum Creek watershed protection plan," Dornak said. He added that the comments have now been incorporated into the draft, and a final version of the update is available on the Plum Creek watershed partnership website. "The watershed protection plan was designed to be a living document," says Dornak.

The update evaluates the progress of partnership activities since the original watershed protection plan was adopted in February of 2008 and provides direction for future programs and funding opportunities.

"I am excited to work with our critical stakeholders and concerned citizens to continue the progress made by the partnership and find new solutions to improve and protect water quality in the Plum Creek watershed. It is imperative to our success that the people who live and work within the watershed understand what we are trying to accomplish and that they adopt activities that will result in improved water quality for themselves, their family and their community," Dornak said.

"I would also like to thank the many partnership members that entered into an Interlocal Agreement in July of 2011 to provide additional funding and local support for the implementation of the Plum Creek watershed protection plan. These members include Hays County, Caldwell County, the cities of Luling, Kyle, Buda, Lockhart and Uhland, the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority, Plum Creek Conservation District, Polonia Water Supply Corporation, Caldwell-Travis Soil and Water Conservation District #304, and the Hays County Soil and Water Conservation District #351," said Dornak.

For more information on the partnership, or to download a copy of the watershed protection plan and update, go to http://plumcreek.tamu.edu/. You can also email Dornak at ndornak [at] plumcreekwatershed [dot] org, or mail a request to 1403 Blackjack Street, Suite B, Lockhart, Texas, 78644.

Funding for the development and support of the Plum Creek Watershed Protection Plan is through a Clean Water Act grant provided by the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board administers Texas’ soil and water conservation law and delivers coordinated natural resource conservation programs through the State’s 216 soil and water conservation districts. The Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board is the lead agency for planning, implementing, and managing programs for preventing and abating agricultural and silvicultural nonpoint sources of water pollution. The agency also administers a water supply enhancement program through the targeted control of water-depleting brush; works to ensure the State’s network of 2,000 flood control dams are protecting lives and property by providing operation, maintenance, and structural repair grants to local government sponsors; and facilitates the Texas Invasive Species Coordinating Committee.

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