Mark Carter, of the Texas State University’s Department of Geography, sends geography students seeking internships to Texas Stream Team every semester. There are about 20 – 30 geography students per semester looking for internships and they know to talk to Professor Carter. He has been sending students to Stream Team for 9 years, resulting in about 40 geography interns over the years. These interns are always enthusiastic and skilled, a combination that has helped the water quality volunteer monitoring program immensely. So it is easy to say that part of the success that Stream Team has experienced in the last ten years is due to Carter, and the quality interns that he provides.

In 1999, Texas Stream Team (Texas Watch at the time) found a home in the Department of Geography at Texas State University (then, Southwest Texas State University), forging a partnership that has lasted to the present. In 2006, Stream Team was relocated to the River Systems Institute, and despite the changes, the Geography Department has remained in close contact.

The students that seek internships at Texas Stream team come from Geography with an understanding of concepts that the group uses every day. They often have skills such as Geographic Information Systems and other mapping training that Stream Team needs in many projects and reports. They complete their internship with a certification in volunteer water quality data collection, or even as a trainer. These experiences prepare them for careers in Geographic fields. Furthermore, Carter says that “most geography majors - I think - have an interest in water management – it’s the essential ingredient to having the world that we know.” It's a good trade. At Texas Stream Team, Geography interns get real-world applications and experience and the interns bring interest, expertise and knowledge to the program.

This year, Texas Stream Team Staff has noticed an increase in students applying for internship positions. Carter says this is due to the tough economic times, likely making students more motivated to get good experiences for their resume and career search. He also thinks the drought conditions here in Central Texas have increased water awareness among students, causing them to think about water resource management as a career option.

Professor Carter’s enthusiasm shows as he lines up interns with opportunities semester after semester. But for him it’s more than just his job. “It’s really all about creating experiential learning opportunities for our students, but for me personally, it’s also about helping support a program that helps keep our natural, flowing waters clean and clear.” His passion as a steward shows through the quality students that have served as interns in the last decade, and earned him a Texas Stream Team Award of Outstanding Service, presented at this past summer’s Meeting of the Monitors. Thanks to Mark Carter for all of his efforts!

Look for this story in the Fall Headwaters Newsletter.

Dan Holman has been a Texas Stream Team volunteer with the City of Dallas since May 2006. He monitors at Bachman Creek Preserve in the Trinity River Basin. Richard Smart of the City of Dallas says “Dan has been one of the City’s most consistent volunteers missing only four monitoring events during his three years as a volunteer.” Dan became involved in Texas Stream Team to learn about Dallas’ urban water quality and to share that information with the public. A true environmental steward, we would like to recognize Dan for contributing time and energy to water quality monitoring in Dallas.

Julie Collins has been a Texas Stream Team volunteer since April 2007, monitoring a site at Weischel Park on Knights Branch in the Trinity River Basin. She volunteers with the City of Dallas through a group called Aquatic Alliance, which is part of the North Texas Master Naturalist volunteer organization. Not only does Julie do a superior job as a water quality monitor, but she actively recruits for volunteers within the North Texas Master Naturalist organization, helping to grow the City of Dallas’ Texas Stream Team efforts.

Gary Spence has been a Texas Stream Team volunteer with the City of Dallas since February, 2008 monitoring White Rock Creek at Hillcrest. In this short time he has become the coordinator of the Texas Stream Team program for his organization, For the Love of the Lake. The For the Love of the Lake organization has over ten volunteers monitoring seven different sites around White Rock Lake in Dallas. Gary works with the City of Dallas to schedule certification training, quality control training, and refills of equipment. Gary is a strong asset to the For the Love of the Lake organization, and to the Texas Stream Team program for the City of Dallas.

Thank you to our monitors in the City of Dallas for their above and beyond efforts!

This month’s volunteer spotlight belongs to two people, Sharon Slagle and Richard Ramke, who both work for the state. Sharon works for a state agency and Richard works for a local university, and both are members of the Rio Grande Valley chapter of Texas Master Naturalists. The two natural waterways in the Rio Grande Valley, the Rio Grande River and the Arroyo Colorado, both have water quality problems. To try to improve the water quality of the two waterways the pair decided to start monitoring water quality, in hopes to improve the Rio Grande and the Arroyo Colorado in order to help sustain the wildlife and help restore them for recreation opportunities. The pair has been monitoring their sites since 2007 and unfortunately they have not seen any improvements. The sites are characterized by marginal dissolved oxygen levels, sharp spikes in E. Coli counts and by trash. Over their several years of testing Sharon and Richard have found the waters flowing briskly through the drainage ditch like canals that snake between agricultural fields. By these canals they see a variety of wildlife including hawks, warblers, red-winged black birds, doves, mockingbirds and more. They also see signs of the wildlife that is out in the night including coyotes and possums. Due to concerns about illegal dumping of septic tank waste or oil field wastes Sharon and Richard would like to see “No Dumping” signs posted on roads that cross the waterways with an emergency number to call if you see someone dumping waste. Illegal dumping like these examples are ways that the water bodies are continuing to be impaired.  With people like Sharon and Richard out there spending their own personal time to monitor sites with hopes of improving the quality of water for humans and wildlife there is some hope for restoration of impaired water bodies.

The Rio Grande region in South Texas and Northern Mexico is a challenge for many entities involved, due to the complications of a bi-national water body.  So when Laredo, Texas and Nuevo Laredo, Tamulipas successfully worked together to asses water quality issues in the area, it was a true accomplishment.

The Dos Laredos project was funded by EPA’s Border 2012 Grant Program, and lasted from September, 2005 – November, 2008.  During those years, 12 sites on Rio Grande Tributaries were monitored for water quality data.  Texas Stream Team partnered with staff of the cities to train teachers, students and the general public in volunteer water quality monitoring.  This month, Ivan Santoyo of the City of Laredo’s Environmental Services Department, is in the Volunteer Spotlight for his assistance as a partner with the Dos Laredos monitoring program.  He was key to the process of collecting water quality data in the region.  He set up and facilitated regional meetings and trained volunteers and teachers. 

There were 25 volunteers trained from the City of Laredo Staff, Laredo High School teachers, and Texas A&M International University.  Nuevo Laredo had 56 participants including the City staff, instructors, and secondary school students.

Monitoring sites were selected by the two cities.  City of Laredo selected five sites with various land uses on the Manadas and Chacon Creeks.  Nuevo Laredo selected five sites around Lake Laguito and two sites downstream from the lake.  Each site was monitored about 12 times, gathering data on dissolved oxygen, pH, conductivity, and air and water temperatures.

Monitoring efforts lasted until November, 2008, but efforts to promote citizen stewardship and pollution prevention in order to reduce water and land contamination continue in the area.  Since the project ended, Ivan Santoyo has been active in education directed towards preschool children related to water quality, litter and other environmental issues. For more information on the Dos Laredos project, visit http://txstreamteam.rivers.txstate.edu/Projects/Special-Projects/Dos-Laredos.html.

Lake Palestine lies about 10 miles to the Southwest of Tyler, Texas - its dam impounding the Upper Neches River and Kickapoo Creek.   The reservoir is a popular destination for fishing and boating.  It is also one of the major drinking water supplies for Tyler.  However, the 25,560 acre reservoir is listed as an impaired water body for high pH and depressed dissolved oxygen levels.  There are also impairments upstream of the lake for high zinc concentrations and below the dam for high lead concentrations.  The presence of heavy metals may be attributed to the industry in the Tyler and Lufkin area. 

Larry Hofmann leads a citizen action group to monitor water quality as part of their homeowners association: the Greater Lake Palestine Council.  The group has been volunteering to collect water quality data since 2000.  Today, there are five active individuals monitoring four sites spread out around Lake Palestine.  They sometimes observe fish kills, algae blooms and other results of lake imbalances. 

The group gets a feeling of accomplishment from helping the environment for the sake of their loved ones.  Yet, they have two main concerns.   One is the threat of lake level rise resulting from a future dam alteration.  There are plans in the Texas Water Development Board to raise the dam by five feet, flooding many acres of lake-side property.  They also are concerned with whether their data can be used for decision making.  Volunteer collected data creates a record of ambient water quality, making it easier to see changes.  As the dam alteration causes major changes in water quantity, continuation of water quality data collection is critical. 

For more information on TCEQ’s Continuous Water Quality Monitoring Project Plan see: http://www.tceq.state.tx.us/assets/public/compliance/monops/water/wqm/projectplan/766projectplan.pdf

View Winter/Spring 2009 Newsletter

A handful of students recently surpassed the expectations of their core curriculum in science class at Luling High School.  The Luling River Pals were trained as volunteer water quality monitors through the Texas Stream Team program last October. 

The students developed an interest in collecting water quality data was created within when they learned about water quality parameters throughout a semester of science class.  At the end of the semester they went on a field trip to collect water quality data. 

The following semester, several students, determined to begin collecting data on the area’s water bodies, sought out a faculty member to be an advisor to the group.  Sean Morales has taken on that leadership role.  He is the Service-Learning Coordinator for Luling Independent School District.  Service-Learning is geared towards integrating community service with educational experiences.

The students are monitoring water quality on Plum Creek, a tributary of the San Marcos River.  The creek is impaired by elevated bacteria concentrations, making it dangerous for swimming and boating.  Their data is being submitted to the Plum Creek Watershed Project, which is in the process of implementing a watershed protection plan.

The Guadalupe Blanco River Authority (GBRA) supports the groups efforts by providing replacement supplies and reagents.  

The Luling River Pals are an outstanding example of young people dedicated to collecting water quality data.  Without their interest and commitment, their group may not be in existence today.  Texas Stream Team would like to commend them and note that it is enthusiasm like theirs that has kept volunteer water quality monitoring successful throughout the years.

Patt Sims began teaching at Presidio ISD.  Being historically one of the poorest districts in Texas, her science classroom did not have a lab.  Patt used what she had available – the outdoors.  Since the early 1990s Patt has used the Rio Grande as a laboratory.   Originally certified as a Texas Stream Team monitor in 1995, Patt is now trained as a monitor, trainer, and quality assurance officer.  To date, over 158 samples have been collected by Patt and her students on the Rio Grande.  They test for various water quality parameters including temperature change, pH, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, turbidity, fecal coliform contamination and other tests as appropriate.  Since the last major flood, additional parameters monitored included nitrates, phosphates, and chloride.    

Patt encourages students to get to know the area they live in so that when they leave they will know where they are from.  This involves researching a specific area of interest, which includes (but is not limited to) birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, springs, farming techniques, salty soil, archeology, history, or just about anything that can be related to the area, which includes many possibilities.

The school district now has 5 lab rooms at the high school, all well equipped.  Patt also invites speakers to visit the classroom and discuss their work and the importance of various aspects of monitoring for the environment (some of those speakers have been former students). 

As an indication of her contributions, Patt has students all over the world working in environmental fields.  One is the director of a marine research lab in the Dutch Antilles, others are chemical engineers, environmental lawyers, biologists, game wardens, etc.  The list is almost endless. 

Texas Stream Team would like to take this opportunity to say THANK YOU to Patt for her commitment to the environment and for cultivating an appreciation for the environment in her students!

Susan Bogle was originally certified as a Water Quality Monitor in 2004.  Since then, she has collected over 50 samples on the Guadalupe River below Canyon Lake.  Susan monitors as part of the dedicated Lindheimer Master Naturalists.  The local partner for the group is the Guadalupe Blanco River Authority, who supplies monitoring equipment, support, and expertise.

The water quality conditions at Susan’s site downstream of Canyon Lake are generally of high quality.  The dissolved oxygen can be super-saturated at times, with the average DO being 10 mg/L.  pH values fluctuate between 7 and 8 standard units.  Conductivity values average just over 400 uS/cm at the site.

Recently, Susan showed her continued dedication by adding an additional monitoring location to her monthly sampling.  Her new site is upstream of Guadalupe River State Park.  This additional monitoring effort will provide valuable information for the Geography and Water Project.  The data collected will be used for presentations to stakeholders and community members through outreach activities and will be compiled with professional data for analysis.

For more information about the Lindheimer Master Naturalists, visit their website at http://grovesite.com/page.asp?o=tamu&s=LC&p=112412.  For more information about the Guadalupe Blanco River Authority, visit their website at http://www.gbra.org/.

View the Fall 2008 Newsletter

Patty Gandy is a Texas Stream Team monitor and trainer who got a rapid start with the Texas Stream Team program.  She was originally certified as a monitor in May of 2007 and completed her trainer certification in July of the same year.  Patty is a teacher at Hidalgo Early College High School in Hidalgo, Texas and is dedicated to improving the life of each of her students.   

Each semester, Patty takes her class to monitor the Rio Grande at the McAllen-Hidalgo-Reynosa Toll Bridge with her Hidalgo high school students as part of the Arroyo Colorado Partnership.  Through her efforts, each of her students becomes a Certified Water Quality Monitor, a nice credential to have before entering college.  She and her students have monitored several times to date.  The typical water quality characteristics of the site include dissolved oxygen values around 7 mg/L, pH values of 8.2, and conductivity around 1240 uS/cm. 

In addition to contributing to the lives of her students, Patty is also engaged in increasing the ability of teachers to educate students about environmental issues.  Patty is active in local coordination of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s (TCEQ) summer Teaching Environmental Science course in Edinberg.  Teaching Environmental Sciences (TES) is an environmental education graduate course for K-12 teachers offered at universities around the state.  This course emphasizes the importance of air, water, and waste issues which affect their communities' environmental and economic health.

Texas Stream Team would like to take this opportunity to thank Patty for her dedication to improving her community, her students, and the natural resources of Texas!

Jackie Mattice monitors Cypress Creek in Wimberley, Texas, in the heart of the Texas Hill Country.  Jackie, a retired teacher, became a certified Texas Stream Team monitor in February of 2007.  She began working with the Wimberley school district, Keep Wimberley Beautiful, and other local organizations to get students in-the-field monitoring local water quality at the Nature Trail on Cypress Creek.

In July of 2008, Jackie took the initiative to become a certified trainer…a great asset to her community and the Texas Stream Team program.  Additionally, Jackie is donating her valuable time and classroom expertise to develop a sediment curriculum.

Since becoming certified, Jackie has collected twelve months of data at her site on the beautiful Cypress Creek in Wimberley.  Conductivity values at the site range from 530-590 uS/cm.  Dissolved oxygen values on Jackie’s stretch of Cypress Creek range from 4-9mg/L.  pH fluctuated slightly from 7.2-8.0 standard units.

Jackie has gone above and beyond monthly water quality sampling!  Her incredible ability to find the time and energy to volunteer her talents are greatly appreciated!  Texas Stream Team would like to say “Thank You” for all of Jackie’s efforts!

John Siemssen and David Boylan coordinate the Texas Stream Team monitoring efforts of the Lindheimer Master Naturalists.  Since taking on this responsibility in the summer of 2007, John and David have revitalized the chapter's monitoring efforts.  The group has since trained new monitors, established new monitoring sites, and added bacteria monitoring to their monthly sampling regime.  The group now monitors over ten sites on the Guadalupe River and its tributaries.

Mr. Siemssen has conducted over 38 sampling events since becoming certified in 2004.  John's site is located on the Guadalupe River in Comal County.  Water quality conditions on this stretch of the river include dissolved oxygen ranges from 6.6-10.8 mg/L, secchi depths greater than the total depth, conductivity values averaging about 450 uS/cm, and pH values that are stable around 8 standard units.

Mr. Boylan became a certified water quality monitor in February of 2007.  Since his certification, he has established and monitored a site on the Guadalupe River.  In addition to monitoring, David manages the group's equipment needs and data submissions, no small task!

Texas Stream Team would like to take this opportunity to thank John and David for their on-going monitoring efforts and their enthusiastic leadership of the Lindheimer Master Naturalist's monitoring efforts!  To learn more about the Lindheimer Master Naturalists, visit their website at (http://grovesite.com/page.asp?o=tamu&s=LC&p=112412).

View the Summer 2008 Newsletter

Sally Evans has been committed to preserving the environment and sharing her enthusiasm with students for many years.  She worked as a teacher on Rowlett Creek at the Plano Outdoor Learning Center from 1977 until her retirement.  At the Center, students learn about geology, soils, plants, animals, and much more about the outdoor world.  For some students, visiting the center is the first experience in a wooded area, having never visited outside of the city.  After retiring from Plano, Sally has continued to monitor Rowlett Creek on her own time, demonstrating her on-going commitment. 

The Rowlett Creek monitoring site is characterized by steep, highly eroded, exposed soil banks and an eroded streambed.  As of Sally’s last visit, the creek level was low but still flowing.  The site can be teaming with life including amphibians, birds, fish, and insects.  During a recent visit, the multitude of baby toads and frogs on the streambank made movement around the site difficult.  

Since retiring, Sally has been working as a substitute teacher at the Richardson Environmental Center.  The Richardson Environmental Center takes a different group of kids each month to monitor Big Springs.  During their visits, Sally and her students are able to view fossilized clams and other creatures from the Cretaceous Period.  As erosion continues to be a problem along their stretch of the creek, new fossils are continuously uncovered.  This provides students with a never-ending learning opportunity and a new adventure during each sampling event.

Several years back, a fish kill was noticed during a monitoring event at Big Springs.  Local authorities were notified and an illegal dumping problem was subsequently identified and stopped due to community action and awareness of the creek. Volunteer monitors provide an excellent service to the community not only because of the data they collect, but also because of their awareness of local waterways. 

Sally and her husband recently celebrated their 51^st anniversary sampling the water quality on Rowlett Creek after over 10 years of monthly sampling events.  Texas Stream Team would like to take this opportunity to thank Sally for her dedication to protecting the natural resources of Texas! 

To learn more about the Plano Outdoor Learning Center, visit their website at:

http://k-12.pisd.edu/schools/hslc/general_info.htm#olc. 

To learn more about Richardson Environmental Center, visit their website at: http://www.risd.org/sections/esc2/index.htm.

Kathy Matthews has been a River Ranger since 1998, when she and her son joined on as monitors and began testing the slough at Aquarena Springs. Her son, Chance, went on to become one of the youngest trainers for the group and she graciously took over as equipment manager when the need arose. With seven kits in constant circulation among thirty volunteer monitors, Kathy maintains the kits (especially in the summer time), keeps track of reagent expirations, monitors cost and restocks supplies as needed. She has also allowed the San Marcos River Rangers to take over her front porch so that monitors have a central location to pick up kits and drop off data forms at their convenience. A simple chalkboard set up also opened up communication between monitors concerning the kits so that broken or malfunctioning equipment is quickly replaced.

Kathy has become an indispensable part of the River Rangers team, which submits over two hundred data reports a year. “I’ve always felt that the San Marcos River is a truly precious and vital presence in the community and that as a community we have a responsibility to protect it. It can seem like an overwhelming task but the River Rangers break this responsibility down to manageable bits, which lets more people—young and old—take an active role in the rivers welfare.”

Bill Burgin became a certified water quality monitor in February of 2008.  In the short time that Bill has been volunteering his time assessing his local water resources, Mr. Burgin has accomplished a great deal.  His efforts are expected to be a significant contribution to the monitoring efforts in the 303(d) listed impaired water bodies in the Orange County area.  To this end, the Sabine River Authority has provided Bill with monitoring equipment in support of his efforts.  To date, he monitors for all core parameters and his efforts are being incorporated into the on-going water quality protection efforts in Orange County. 

Mr. Burgin’s site is on Little Cypress Bayou at 3247 in Orange, Texas.  The site is downstream of a regional water treatment plant and approximately one mile upstream of the confluence with Adams Bayou.  Adams Bayou is an impaired water body and does not meet the standards for contact recreation or aquatic life use.  To date, data collected at the site shows dissolved oxygen values just below 5mg/L, pH values around 7.4, and average secchi depths of 0.64m.

Texas Stream Team would like to say thank you to Bill Burgin for volunteering his valuable time to assess and protect this at-risk area! 

View the Winter/Spring 2008 Newsletter

Sandra Stinson has been a Texas Stream Team monitor through the City of Dallas, Storm Water Management Section since July 2005.  Sandra monitors as part of a group called the Aquatic Alliance, which is part of the North Texas Chapter of the Master Naturalist volunteer program.

In addition to her monthly monitoring duties, Sandra recently called the City’s non-emergency hotline 3-1-1 to report an incident of illegal dumping near her site.  Instead of ignoring the pollution or forgetting about it, Sandra was responsible and reported the pollution so it could be investigated and mitigated.  Storm Water Management and Texas Stream Team believe Sandra’s actions deserve recognition because she demonstrated her commitment to environmental stewardship.

Sandra monitors Prairie Creek as it flows past Teagarden Road in south Dallas.  This site is located just before Prairie Creek flows into the Trinity River.  Over the past year conductivity values at Sandra’s site ranged from 370 to 670 umhos/cm.  Dissolved oxygen values ranged from 3.4 to 12.4 mg/L.  Water temperature ranged from 5 to 30^oC, and pH values varied slightly from 7 to 7.5.

Thank you Sandra for being a dedicated Texas Stream Team monitor!  To learn more about City of Dallas Storm Water Management visit the website at www.wheredoesitgo.com, and to learn about the North Texas Master Naturalist visit their website at www.ntmn.org.

Steve Box has been a Texas Stream Team monitor through the Colorado River Watch Network (CRWN) since 2005.  Steve is also a member of the Austin-Bastrop River Corridor Partnership, a member of the Gilleland Creek Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Stakeholder Committee, and member of the Board of Directors for Vision Central Texas.

Steve also founded Environmental Stewardship, a charitable nonprofit in Bastrop County.  In partnership with many individuals, groups, communities, and organizations, Environmental Stewardship is providing public outreach and education, encouraging green spaces and nature-tourism in Bastrop county and participating in public policy.  To learn more, visit www.Environmental-Stewardship.org.

Steve has monitored Riverbend Park just below the Highway 71 bridge in Smithville for almost two years.  This segment of the Colorado river, from Longhorn dam to LaGrange, has the highest stream segment classification available in Texas – designated for contact recreation, exceptional aquatic life, and public water supply.  Over the past year, conductivity values at Steve’s site ranged from 310 to 680 uS/cm.  Dissolved oxygen values ranged from 4.7 to 8.9 mg/L, with the lowest values occurring during the summer months.  PH values have varied slightly between 7.5 and 8.

Texas Stream Team would like to take this opportunity to recognize Steve for his dedicated efforts towards protecting Texas’ natural resources!

Mary Ellen Whitworth has been an active Texas Stream Team volunteer Water Quality Monitor since July 2002.  As a part of the Texas Watch volunteer cadre for almost six years, Mary Ellen takes time each month to sample a site on Buffalo Bayou because she cares about our environment.  Buffalo Bayou is the largest body of water flowing through the city of Houston.  From a rural stream, it transitions to an urbanized bayou, then to the Houston Ship Channel, eventually reaching Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico.

Mary Ellen is involved in environmental protection activities because she wants there to be natural areas for future generations and the numerous animals, fish, birds and other aquatic organisms that relay on our bayous.  For ten years she has been the Executive Director for the Bayou Preservation Association and she serves on a several local committees working for our environment.  She currently is a member of the H-GAC Envirocast Committee, Natural Resources Advisory Committee, and the Parks and Natural Areas Subcommittee.  She also participates with the Clean Rivers Steering Committee, TRASH BASH, and the Stakeholders group for White Oak and Buffalo Bayou. 

For all the hours Mary Ellen gives to our environment, she says she really enjoys water monitoring because she gets to observe Buffalo Bayou as it changes during the seasons.  Texas Stream Team activities provide her the opportunity to enjoy nature and keep an eye on the ever-changing water.  We appreciate all Mary Ellen Whitworth does for our environment and thank her for volunteering.

Texarkana College biology professor Delores McCright was originally certified as a Texas Watch monitor in the summer of 1994.  By 1996 she was certified to train Texas Watch monitors.  Since the late 1990's, she and the students of the Earth Club have recorded over 315 sampling events at 8 different sites.  These different sites include the Texarkana College wetlands, Swampoodle Creek, Malden Lake, McKinney Bayou, and Anderson Creek among several others.

The sites monitored by the Earth Club present a range of water quality conditions.  Dissolved oxygen readings taken by the group range from 1 mg/L at Anderson Creek to 4.0 mg/L at the Texarkana Wetlands and McKinney Bayou to over 10 mg/L at Malden Lake and Swampoodle Creek.  Conductivity values range from 50 uS/cm at the wetlands to almost 400 uS/cm in Anderson Creek. The sites usually had a pH around 6 or 7, with higher values up to 9.8 in Swampoodle Creek.

Becoming familiar with a range of sites and site conditions requires commitment and dedication.  Delores McCright and her students are a Texas Watch group committed to protecting our water resources.  Way to go Texarkana College Earth Club! 

Barbara Jacobson became a certified water quality monitor in February of 2004.  Since becoming certified, Barbara has completed over 40 sampling events on the Blanco River near Wimberley, Texas.  Barbara's data indicates good water quality with stable pH and conductivity and dissolved oxygen values ranging from 6.9 – 11mg/L. 

The Blanco River is a beautiful Texas waterway that passes through historic Indian mounds, banks lined with bald cypress trees, and stair-stepped limestone ledges in the gorgeous Texas hill country. This watershed is undergoing threats from rapid urbanization.  As more people move to the area, the health of the watershed depends on protection of the natural resources that make it a wonderful place to call home.   

Barbara Jacobson is a dedicated volunteer who has contributed significant amounts of time to understanding and protecting the Blanco River.  Thank you, Barbara, for all of your efforts!   

Lockwood “Woody” Cox has been a dedicated Texas Watch monitor since 1995 and a certified trainer since 1996.  To date, Mr. Cox has submitted data for almost 100 sampling events.  His efforts are a significant contribution to the monitoring efforts in the 303(d) listed impaired water bodies in the Orange County area. 

Mr. Cox is an environmental systems and biology teacher at Little Cypress-Mauriceville (LC-M) High School in Orange, Texas.  Throughout the school year, Mr. Cox and his students monitor for all core Texas Watch parameters.  November will mark the addition of a new parameter, E. coli, to the LC-M sampling regime.  Recently, Woody presented to the Orange County Regional Meeting, hosted by Texas Watch, on wildlife impacts on water quality at the Shangri La Nature Center as well as his experiences with bringing Texas Watch into the classroom.