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Bay Area News
DICKINSON BAYOU WATERSHED PARTNERSHIP PUBLIC
MEETING SET FOR
April 30
by Bud Solmonsson
Citizen Input on Protection of Dickinson Bayou Sought by Organizers
Faced with indicators of poor water quality, documented low dissolved oxygen
and high bacteria levels, Dickinson Bayou could use some help. A partnership
is now underway to produce and implement a watershed protection plan for the
bayou. The Dickinson Bayou Watershed Partnership will be made up of
communities, local businesses, farmers, fisherman, industries, state, county
and local officials and environmental organizations like the Galveston Bay,
within the watershed.
The goal of the Dickinson Bayou Watershed Partnership is to plan and work
toward an environmentally and economically healthy watershed that benefits
all that have a stake in it. It is the intention of the Partnership to
protect, preserve, and restore the quality of the Dickinson Bayou Watershed
and its communities. This Partnership will work toward making Dickinson
Bayou a healthy place to live, play, swim, fish, and boat in clean water.
The first steps in the bayou’s protection include holding public meetings to
identify and prioritizing the concerns of the watershed stakeholders. Those
concerns could include but are not limited to: improving water quality,
flood prevention, habitat restoration and land use trends. In December of
last year, a public meeting was held to identify and prioritize the concerns
of the watershed stakeholders. Since that time, the workgroups have been
gathering data about those concerns in order to provide the current state of
the watershed. At the meeting on April 30, 2008 the various workgroups will
share their findings.
In addition, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) will also
be providing a report on the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) study on
bacteria levels in the Dickinson Bayou.
The Texas AgriLife Extension/Texas Sea Grant is a part of the Texas A & M
University System and is the primary coordinator of this effort.
Citizens and all stakeholders are invited to attend the Dickinson Bayou
Watershed Partnership on Wednesday, April 30, from 5:30-7:30 pm at the
Hughes Road Elementary School, 11901 Hughes Road, Dickinson, Texas. Public
participation and support is crucial to the success of the development and
implementation of the watershed protection plan, so your presence is
requested.
For more information about the partnership, please contact Bud Solmonsson,
Watershed Coordinator at (281) 218-6340 or at
bsolmonsson@tamu.edu .
All Dickinson Bayou Watershed Partnership news releases are available at
www.dickinsonbayou.org
AGENDA
A MEETING OF
The Dickinson Bayou Watershed Partnership
April 30, 2008
5:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Hughes Road Elementary School
11901 Hughes Road, Cafeteria
Dickinson, TX
The purpose of the meeting is to inform the public of the ongoing activities
of the Dickinson Bayou Watershed Partnership Steering Committee and
Workgroups and to solicit input in the watershed planning process.
- Opening (Bud Solmonsson – Texas AgriLife Extension/ Texas Sea Grant)
- Introduction of Co-Chairs – Rick Johnson & Wes Padgett
-Introduction of Dickinson Bayou Watershed Advisory Committee Members
-Dickinson Bayou Watershed Partnership
• Partnership background and why it was formed
• Responsibilities of the Partnership
• Scope and Organization of the Partnership
-Review of Dickinson Bayou Watershed Protection Plan
-Sunken Barges Update
-Workgroups Reports
o Education and Outreach – Sara Snell, Chair
o Land Use – Julie Masters, Chair
o Habitat – Charriss York, Chair
o Flooding and Stormwater – Brian Craig, Chair
o Water Quality – Dr. Antonietta Quigg, Chair
o Recreation – Rick Johnson, Chair
- Dickinson Bayou TMDL (Roger Miranda – Texas Commission on Environmental
Quality)
• Progress of Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Project
• Discussion and Questions
- Special “Thanks” to “Keep Dickinson Beautiful” for Providing the
Refreshments!
- Where Do We Go From Here? Questions?
- Next Meeting and Adjourn
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