Implementing the Plum Creek Watershed Protection Plan

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Implementing the Plum Creek Watershed Protection
Plan Implementing Water Quality Strategies in
Central Texas Nikki Dictson, Mark McFarland,
Matt Berg
Improving Lives. Improving Texas.
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Watershed Protection Plan Pilot Project

• Texas AgriLife Extension Service partnered with
  the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board
  to pilot a Watershed Protection Plan project
• The Wharton Regional Watershed Coordination
  Steering Committee facilitated by the TSSWCB,
  selected Plum Creek for the first pilot Project
• The nine element watershed protection plan was to
  be developed by local stakeholders in the
  watershed in under 24 months

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Plum Creek is located in the Guadalupe-Blanco
River Basin
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Steering Committee
Watershed Stakeholders
Technical Advisory Group
Work Groups
Urban Stormwater Nonpoint Source
Outreach Education
Agriculture Nonpoint Source
Wastewater Industry
Water Quality Habitat

• At the First Steering Committee Meeting decided
• Structure of the Group
• Ground Rules or Bylaws
• Determined needed Work Groups

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Watershed Tour

• On July 27, 2006 from 900 am to 400 pm.
• 62 participants and speakers
• Tour Stops included
• Urban - Plum Creek Subdivision in Kyle at
  headwaters
• GBRAs Plum Creek Monitoring Site near Uhland
• Lockhart Springs in Lockhart
• Don Meador, Ag Producer
• Drive on south eastern side of Watershed / Oil
  Wells
• Lockhart WWTP Tour by GBRA

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Potential Sources
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Outreach and Education
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Stormwater BMP Field Demonstrations

• Coordinated with TCEQ to conduct two Stormwater
  Mulch Tube BMP Field Demonstrations
• Kyle downtown road improvements project
• Lockhart business Park along drainage

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Outreach and Education 106 Funding

• Received 150,000 in September 2007 from a TCEQ
  Clean Water Act 106 Grant
• Watershed Protection Campaign Brochure
• 2 NEMO Urban Growth Workshops
• 4 Online Modules- Wastewaters Treatment Plants
  OSSFs Stormwater Mgmt and Fats, Oils, and
  Grease
• Septic System Workshops
• Illegal Dumping/Litter Campaign
• TCEQ Fats, Oils, and Grease Workshops and Site
  Assessment Visits

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Online Educational Module Wastewater Continued

• The Onsite Septic System Module
• Is in the final review stage
• Will be on the GBRA Website and linked from our
  website

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OSSF Online Educational Module Continued
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OSSF Online Educational Module Continued
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OSSF Online Educational Module Continued
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2008 Onsite Wastewater Treatment System Workshops

• August 26, 2008 Onsite Wastewater Treatment
  Systems 201 Workshop was held for practitioners
  at the Hays County AgriLife Extension Office in
  San Marcos for 60
• August 29, 2008 Homeowner Maintenance of Septic
  Systems Workshop at the Caldwell County AgriLife
  Extension Office in Lockhart for 20.

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Plum Creek Onsite Wastewater Workshops in San
Marcos

• 1.) May 27, 2009 - Homeowner training on Aerobic
  Treatment Unit Systems
• 2.) June 23, 2009 - Homeowner training on onsite
  wastewater treatment systems (Aerobic and
  Conventional)
• 3) The following is a three day training July
  28, 29, and 30 (Tuesday - Thursday) - Will be a
  Train the Trainer Workshop on Aerobic Treatment
  Systems

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Plum Creek Onsite Wastewater Workshops in Lockhart

• May 28, 2009 all day - An advanced training for
  OSSF Practicioners from 8 to 5 PM - cost 60 at
  Kreuz Market, 619 N. Colorado St., Lockhart, TX
  78644-2110, Phone [phone]
• June 24, 2009 all day - A homeowner training on
  Aerobic treatment Systems at the Caldwell County
  Extension Office Courthouse Annex, 1403 Blackjack
  St Ste B, Lockhart, TX 78644

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OSSF Assistance in Hays County

• Held meetings with Hays County on the potential
  of ORCA funding for Septic Systems.
• The county is very interested in building
  partnerships to connect OSSF homes to WWTP and
  apply next year.
• Wanted to work in conjunction with the Hays
  County Water and Wastewater Regional Study to
  help prioritize locations.
• Created a Wastewater Working Group to prioritize
  projects and develop a proposal.

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OSSF Assistance in Caldwell County

• Held meetings with Caldwell County on the
  potential of ORCA funding for Septic Systems.
• The county is very interested in applying for
  funds this year.
• Want to work in conjunction with the Caldwell
  County Water and Wastewater Study in this effort.

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Outreach and Education with 106 Grant Funding
Continued

• TCEQ Fats, Oils, and Grease Workshops are in the
  process of being coordinated
• Site Assessment Visits have been conducted and or
  scheduled for the following
• Luling Water Treatment Plant
• Luling Wastewater Treatment Facility
• Lockhart (2) Wastewater Treatment Facility
• ShadowCreek Wastewater Treatment Plant Facility
• Kyle Wastewater Treatment Plant and City
• Buda Wastewater Treatment Plant and City

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Plum Creek Outreach and Education Grant Update

• Assessment/Identification of Illegal Dumping at
  road crossings has been completed
• Roadway signs for cleanup and No Dumping signs
  have been delivered to Counties and posted
• Lee Gudgell with GBRA made presentations to
  multiple groups within the watershed on this
  cleanup effort
• Caldwell County received a Solid Waste Grant to
  fund a person, truck and trailer to clean up
  illegal dumping in the county

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Stream Cleanups Copperas Creek at Wattsville Road
(CR 140)

• Downstream View Pre-Cleanup

• Downstream View Post-Cleanup

• A Total of 14,320 pounds of refuse were disposed
  of at the Landfill.
• A total of 62 tires and 3 automotive batteries
• 237 total man hours were utilized for the
  cleanup.

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Texas Watershed Steward Training

• 1st TWS training was held December 4, 2007 at
  Plum Creek Community Meeting Room in Kyle with 42
  Participants for day long training,
• 2nd TWS training was held in Luling on August 6,
  2008
• 85 Participants for day long training
• Great remarks were received in the surveys from
  both trainings

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Lockhart Town Branch Community Cleanup

• Lockhart Community Cleanup occurred on Sept. 20
  from 900am -100pm
• Cleanup of five City of Lockhart Parks along Town
  Branch
• Great Success with over 400 people attending
• Environmental Fair and local Band played
• Will become an annual event in Lockhart

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Town Branch Cleanup
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City of Kyle Plum Creek Watershed Cleanup

• Kyle Community Cleanup occurred on March 7, 2009
  from 9-1pm
• Counting the days that Negley and Fuentes
  Elementary Schools marked the pet waste sites, an
  estimated 485 Volunteers worked on this project
  at Steeplechase and Plum Creek Parks.
• An Estimated 380 of those were under 18 and at 3
  hours each totals 1,455 Volunteer hours
• Removed 2,300 pounds of trash and debris from
  Plum Creek and parks including over 4.5 miles of
  Plum Creek
• An additional 1,560 pounds were collected and
  recycled
• Environmental Fair and local Band played

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Kyle Cleanup
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Kyle Cleanup
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Urban Sector Turf Landscape Management

• Jim McAfee, Extension Specialist at the Dallas
  Urban Center will be providing a SAFE Training
  for those in the Plum Creek Watershed on March
  25th, 2009.
• SAFE includes morning indoors instruction and
  than an afternoon field irrigation audit with
  almost 50 participants.

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Implementation Projects and Funding
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Support Letters
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Plum Creek Implementation Proposals

• TSSWCB 319 Proposal for outreach and education,
  project facilitation, Agricultural practices and
  Feral Hog Management Education
• TCEQ 319 Implementation Proposals for cities
• City of Kyle Plum Creek Implementation - 2008
• Cities of Lockhart and Luling applied for TCEQ
  319 Funds for 2009.

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TSSWCB 319 Agricultural and Feral Hog
Implementation Proposal

• Implementation of voluntary Water Quality
  Management Plans on agricultural lands through
  local Soil and Water Conservation Districts
• Hire Technician to work with landowners and
  manage the cost share program for best management
  practices
• Continued coordination and facilitation of
  implementation in the watershed by Extension

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TSSWCB 319 Agricultural and Feral Hog
Implementation Proposal

• Hire Wildlife Extension position in watershed to
  coordinate with private management efforts by
  landowners themselves
• Development and distribution of educational
  materials and cooperation with planned feral hog
  management workshops
• Utilize online feral hog reporting system to work
  with landowners

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City of Kyle TCEQ 319 Implementation Proposal

• Retrofit Detention Facilities at Steeplechase and
  Plum Creek Subdivisions
• Storm Sewer Marking and Education Program
• Stormwater Mapping and Control Plan
• Dog Waste Collection Stations and Education
• Street Sweeping Program was initiated
• Continue conducting trash clean-up day on Plum
  Creek at Steeplechase Park
• Water quality monitoring, data collection and
  validation E.coli and nutrients

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City of Lockhart TCEQ 319 Implementation Proposal

• Storm Sewer Marking and Education Program
• Creation of Stormwater System Assessment Mapping
  Control Plan, and Illicit Discharge Survey,
• Cleaning of Storm Drains and installation of
  inlet filters
• Household hazardous and Electronic Waste cleanup
  and Expansion of Household Hazardous Waste to
  include Fats, Oils, and Grease
• City Housekeeping Activities (Street Sweeping
  Program and Community Clean ups)
• Dog Waste Collection Station Maintenance

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City of Luling TCEQ 319 Implementation Proposal

• Creation of Stormwater Mapping and Control Plan
• Identify, prioritize and weight upgrades based on
  system need and effectiveness for reducing
  nonpoint source pollution
• Retrofit a portion of the citys existing storm
  water conveyance system
• City Housekeeping Activities (street sweeping,
  household hazardous waste collection, and inspect
  all oil and gas facilities within Luling)

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Additional Implementation Projects

• ORCA Grant Funding for Wastewater Projects
• Additional 319 Funding for Cities
• TWDB SRF for Wastewater Projects
• TWDB EDAP for Wastewater Projects

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Additional Implementation Projects

• Continuing Outreach and Education
• Long Term Sustainability of Partnership to
  continue and track implementation and water
  quality

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Additional Cooperation in Regional or County
Planning Projects

• Members of the PCWP Steering Committee are
  involved in County and Regional Planning Efforts
• Caldwell County Water and Wastewater Planning
  Study funded by TWDB
• Hays County Water and Wastewater Planning Study
• Central Texas Greenprint for Growth Project in
  both Hays and Caldwell Counties as well as
  Bastrop County.
• County Planning Projects.

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Water Quality Monitoring
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PCWP Steering Committee Meeting

• Thursday, August 13, 2009
• 600 to 900 pm
• Texas Stream Team Training in Plum Creek
• Saturday, May 9, 2009
• Steeplechase Park, Kyle

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Thanks!
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Elementary School Water Quality Program 2006-2007

• Water quality education and monitoring at 6
  elementary schools in the watershed reaching 760
  4th and 5th graders
• The Partner Schools include
• Negley Elementary
• Tobias Elementary
• Hemphill Elementary
• Science Hall Elementary
• Plum Creek Elementary
• Clear Fork Elementary
• Luling Shanklin Elementary

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School Water Quality Program 2007-2008

• Water quality education and monitoring at 6
  elementary schools in the watershed continued
  reaching over 700 4th and 5th graders
• Lockhart and Luling
• Service Learning Grant
• Middle High Schools
• Older kids taught younger
• Increased Monthly Sites
• High School River Pals
  

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Outreach and Education with 106 Grant Funding
Continued

• Received 150,000 in September for water quality
  outreach and education from a TCEQ Clean Water
  Act 106 funding
• Watershed Protection Campaign Brochure has been
  printed and is being distributed
• Marketing and Outreach Plan

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NEMO - Managing Urban Growth Quality of Life and
Environmental Issues

• The 900 am 2 pm trainings are FREE and lunch
  was provided by Guadalupe-Blanco River Trust
• Extension Specialist, John Jacobs was the
  featured speaker and is the Texas NEMO
  Coordinator.
• The first NEMO training was held on Tuesday,
  February 26 at the Texas Disposal System
  Pavilion.
• The second training was held on Tuesday, May 13
  at The Fountains with over 40 attendees.
• Both Were a great Success.

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Online Educational Modules

• Stormwater Management
• Fats, Oils, and Grease
• Wastewater Treatment Plant Module is complete and
  has been advertized by email and post cards that
  were mailed out
• The WWTP Module has also received an award from
  the Water Environment Association of Texas 2008
  Presidential Award for Outstanding Effort Towards
  Public Outreach and Communication.
• This award was presented to GBRA on December 17
  at their Board Meeting.