TEMPLE - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has reviewed and accepted the Mill Creek Watershed Protection Plan (WPP) as meeting the agency’s guidelines for watershed-based plans. The Mill Creek WPP outlines a strategy to implement management measures that will reduce nonpoint source pollution in the watershed.
"We want to thank the local residents and stakeholders of the Mill Creek Watershed for their commitment and efforts to develop the Mill Creek WPP," said Jana Lloyd, project manager at the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board (TSSWCB).
Mill Creek was added to the state’s Clean Water Act §303(d) list of impaired waters in 2010 due to elevated levels of bacteria. The development of a WPP was initiated to address the impairment and the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC), Austin County and Washington Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCD), TSSWCB and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service provided support and technical guidance to the stakeholders during the process.
"With the acceptance of the plan, management measures identified in the WPP are now eligible for funding," said Lloyd. The Austin County SWCD and the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension have both applied for grants through the TSSWCB to begin implementing management measures identified in the Mill Creek WPP.
More information on the Mill Creek Watershed Protection Plan is available at http://millcreek.tamu.edu/watershed-protection-plan/ or by contacting Jana Lloyd at (254) 773-2258 or jlloyd [at] tsswcb [dot] texas [dot] gov.
This effort was funded through a State Nonpoint Source grant from the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board.