- Initial Outreach and Education
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To engage stakeholders and to support development of the watershed protection plan, a suite of outreach strategies was used to inform participants in early stages of the Plum Creek Watershed Partnership. Ongoing outreach and education efforts have maintained public involvement in the process and continue to increase awareness of the program and its goals throughout the watershed. Resources and activities that have and will be utilized in this effort include the following:
- Fact Sheet
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The Plum Creek Watershed Partnership fact sheet was developed as a 2-page information marketing tool to support and facilitate participation in the planning process. It has been distributed in the watershed via direct and electronic mail, at stakeholder meetings, and at other area events. The fact sheet also is available at the Hays County and Caldwell County Extension offices, and the Plum Creek Conservation District office.
- News Releases
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The Texas AgriLife Extension Service worked with Texas A&M University (TAMU) AgriLife Communications and Marketing to create and submit news releases to numerous media outlets through AgNews, including 5 local newspapers and approximately 100 additional local and regional newspapers and magazines.
- Newsletter Articles
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Plum Creek Watershed updates have been written for the “Coordinated Watershed Protection in Southeast and South Central Texas” newsletter which is prepared and disseminated by the TSSWCB. The newsletter is distributed bimonthly by email and is available on the TSSWCB and Plum Creek Watershed Partnership websites. These updates also provide information to a broader regional audience about activities, approaches, and progress in the Plum Creek Watershed and serve as an important component of partnerships with similar groups in the state.
Newsletter articles about the watershed and project also have been disseminated through County Extension, Master Naturalist, Master Gardener, and local homeowners’ associations. Additional information/education pieces announcing plan completion and project activities and successes, and encouraging public involvement are being developed by the Partnership for distribution.
- Outreach and Education Work Group
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The Outreach and Education work group was charged with the task of defining methods to 1) increase public awareness about water quality issues and planning and implementation efforts in the watershed, and 2) motivate individual actions to improve water quality in Plum Creek. Key audiences identified by the work group include rural and urban residents including youth; homebuilders and developers; septic system owners, installers, and inspectors; agricultural producers; elected officials; business and community leaders; news media; and community service organizations. To achieve these goals, the work group developed a strategy that includes both broad-based programs directed at the general public and targeted programs intended to reach specific audiences within the watershed.
A major success for the Outreach and Education work group, working closely with Partnership partners at the TCEQ, has been the acquisition of a Taking Charge of Water Quality in Plum Creek project funded through Section 106 of the Clean Water Act. The grant is funding a significant portion of the educational activities that have been planned for Plum Creek. In addition, many of the resources developed through this project may be adapted and utilized in other watersheds across the state.
OWTS 201: Overview of Advanced Wastewater Treatment Systems (5/28/2009)
Homeowner Maintenance of Septic Systems and Aerobic Treatment Units (5/27, 6/23, 6/24/2009)