Free Riparian Management Workshop - May 3, 2012

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The Lampasas Watershed Partnership will host a one-day “Proper Functioning Condition" Riparian workshop on May 3 in Hamilton, TX.

Riparian and wetland areas occur along watercourses or water bodies and occupy the transitional area between the upland and water ecosystems. Typical examples would include floodplains, stream banks and lakeshores.

Participants will learn the basic interaction of Hydrology, Erosion/Deposition, and Vegetation for central Texas creeks and rivers. Among topics to be covered are channels, floodplains, water table, vegetation, base flow, flood flow, sediment and how these things in combination are what make up the Riparian Area. The workshop, which is free and open to the public, consists of classroom and field instruction on the South Lampasas River.

The course primarily will be conducted by U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service personnel.

Three continuing education units will be available to holders of Texas Department of Agriculture private pesticide applicator licenses.

The workshop will be on May 3 at the Texas Game Warden Training Center, 4363 FM 1047, Hamilton, TX. Lunch will be provided for registered participants. The field portion will begin at the Texas Game Warden Training Center and then move down river to the Bettie Sheldon Black Ranch.

There is no fee required to attend these workshops, however, those who wish to attend must RSVP to Lisa Prcin by email or phone by May 1. For more information contact her at 254-774-6008 or lprcin@brc.tamus.edu. A draft workshop agenda is available at www.lampasasriver.org as well as maps to the workshop location.

The Lampasas River Watershed Partnership is a collaborative effort by local stakeholders, AgriLife Research, and the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board to address water quality concerns within the Lampasas River watershed through the development of a watershed protection plan.  The Lampasas River watershed encompasses parts of Mills, Hamilton, Lampasas, Coryell, Burnet, Bell and Williamson counties.

New BMP Demonstration on the Jones State Forest

Texas Forest Service recently installed a new stream crossing demonstration on the W. Goodrich Jones State Forest in Conroe. The demonstration is part of the forestry Best Management Practices (BMPs) demo tour that provides an opportunity for the forestry sector to see how properly installed BMPs look and function. The tour currently has 10 demonstration sites.

The crossing utilizes 3 portable bridgemats (4' x 16' x 8') made out of sturdy hardwood cants fastened together with threaded rods. The bridgemat crossing provides reliable access across Mill Set Gully and replaces a failing timber bridge. Bridgemat crossings are a readily-available and proven method of crossing streams and ditches in a ‘low-impact’ manner that protects water quality. They are simple to install, and can be easily removed and transported to another location after an operation is completed.

To learn more about this and other BMP demonstrations stop by the Jones State Forest, or visit our virtual BMP tour.

Post-Fire Erosion Control Measures

On January 13, 2012, the Lost Pines Recovery Team in Bastrop County provided a free educational workshop for landowners affected by the recent wildfires. The topics covered a wide range of subjects, providing information useful to to any landowner impacted by the recent wildfires in Texas (not just those in Bastrop County). The Texas Forest Service Water Resources Program presented information on erosion control measures that landowners can take following wildfire to reduce the risks of soil and water degradation.

The presentations are available online as a standard PDF document, or as a video of the presentations. To access them click on the images below:

To view the PDF documents you will need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer. The software is available as a free download from the Adobe website. To view the video presentations you will need to have Apple QuickTime. The software is also available as a free download from the Apple website.


Additional information on post-fire erosion control can be found on the Bastrop County disaster recovery/relief website (http://www.co.bastrop.tx.us/bcdisaster/index.php/soilsaerosion).

BMP Trivia Question

Streamside Management Zones (SMZs) are protective areas maintained on either side of perennial and intermittent streams, extending from the edge of each bank, to protect water quality during forestry operations. Among other things, these areas trap and retain sediments, maintain bank stability, and provide shade to maintain cool water temperatures. According to the BMP Handbook, what are 3 of the 11 Recommended Specifications for the protection and maintenance of SMZs?

1.)
2.)
3.)

Click on "comments" below and post your answers.

Training Courses are Now Available Online

Do you want to test your forestry knowledge?  Obtain continuing education credits for the Texas Professional Logger and other certification programs?  Well you are in luck.  CFEgroup, a website designed to provide continuing education opportunities for the forest sector, can now be accessed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, adding a little convenience to your already hectic schedule. 

The first course to be offered is the Forestry BMP Refresher Course developed by the Texas Forest Service.  This module is approved for two (2) hours of continuing education credit for the Texas Professional Logger Program.  It reviews many of the fundamental aspects of using BMPs and their importance in protecting our water resources while minimizing erosion and sedimentation. 

To begin the online training, go to www.cfegroup.org and follow the directions on the screen. If you  have any questions or need technical support, please contact Eric Taylor at 903-834-6191 or eltaylor@tamu.edu.  Additional courses will be offered in the near future, so check back often.           

2012 Texas Wildlife and Woodland Expo & Spring Fling

Over the weekend thousands of families, scouts, landowners and homeowners attend the annual Wildlife and Woodland Expo & Spring Fling at the Lone Star College-Montgomery campus in Conroe. The annual event is free and open to the public. It’s co-sponsored by Texas Forest Service, Lone Star College-Montgomery, Texas Parks & Wildlife Department and the U.S. Forest Service.
  




The Water Resources Program was on hand to answer questions related to water resources and promote the use of forestry BMPs. Donna Work and Todd Thomas handed out information and explained how healthy forests and the use of BMPs can provide clean water for the environment and the citizens of Texas. Landowners interested in conducting forestry activities on their property could pick up a copy of the Forestry BMP handbook and many other resources. A demonstration showing the importance of riparian vegetation and Streamside Management Zones (SMZs) was also conducted using a rainfall simulator model to illustrate the forest-water relationship.

Forests and Water Relationship

Forests play an important role in providing us with clean water. An estimated 80 percent of our nation's freshwater resources originate from forests that cover about one-third of the United States.

Forests provide a number of essential economic, social, and environmental functions in addition to supplying us with the cleanest water of any land use. They absorb rainfall, refill groundwater aquifers, slow and filter stormwater runoff, reduce floods, and maintain watershed stability and resilience.

Learn more about the relationship between forests and water resources on the Texas Forest Service Water Resources Program website.