Lenny and Donna Blumberg, of Austin in Travis County, have been monitoring Walnut Creek since 2006 and have already found themselves involved with some very interesting water quality investigations.

Lenny and Donna first started water quality monitoring after hearing about a large tract of land that was annexed very near their home.  When they heard that the parcel of land was to be developed, they wanted to help determine the new developments’ potential impact on water quality by collecting baseline data on the local streams.  After contacting the Lower Colorado River Authority’s Colorado River Watch Network, they were assigned to monitor Walnut Creek and have been happy to do so consistently ever since.  While it will take some time to fully understand the impact of the development of this land, they have already uncovered other water quality issues on Walnut Creek and have been absolutely invaluable to the Walnut Creek community as well as the Colorado River basin as a whole.

They monitor Walnut Creek at a road crossing in a fairly dense urban area and have usually determined the water quality to be of favorable conditions.  However, early in 2010 they were finding the E.coli counts to be as high as nearly triple the 394 cfu/100mL standard and beyond.  Along with the high bacteria readings, they noticed that a storm drain located upstream of the high E.coli readings had a consistently strong flow even during the drought, possibly from a broken sewer pipe. After communicating this to the LCRA, the City of Austin began conducting investigations into the matter.  The findings indicated the possibility of a broken sewer line in the vicinity.  Recently, the Blumbergs report that the E.coli has returned to a safe and acceptable level.  Without their monitoring efforts, this problem could have gone on far longer than it should have.

Donna is originally from Pennsylvania and Lenny was born in Venezuela while moving around to different countries as his father worked internationally.  They both ended up in Austin and worked for different state agencies in the IT field.  Donna worked for the Texas Workforce Commission and Lenny for the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and Texas Education Agency.  Every year, they volunteer at Austin’s SXSW music, film, and interactive festival.
 
To view Donna and Lenny’s online blog about their water quality monitoring adventures visit: http://upperwalnutcreekaustin.wordpress.com/

Brett Estes and Tereso Rivera, of Grand Prairie in Dallas County, have been monitoring water quality for the City of Grand Prairie since the summer of 2009.  After undergoing training with Echo Rexroad, they began to monitor the Warmack Branch near their place of employment.  Brett and Tereso conduct their monitoring once a month on their lunch break and have been flawlessly consistent ever since.  

They monitor the Warmack Branch along a busy two lane road at the entrance of a fairly new housing development.  Due to the proximity of the highly traveled road, there tends to be a high presence of litter at the site.  This does not deter Brett and Tereso from caring for the creek and returning to diligently complete their monthly monitoring each time the schedule calls.

From their company’s focus on discharging the cleanest effluent possible, Brett and Tereso have become quite familiar with the City of Grand Prairie’s Water Quality Division.  They take great pride in volunteering their time to care for the environmental conditions in their community.  Whenever able, Brett enjoys biking and Tereso spends time camping with his family.  Texas Stream Team and the City of Grand Prairie greatly appreciate the efforts of Brett and Tereso and hope to have them as monitors for years to come!

Pat Stroka, of San Marcos in Hays County, has been monitoring the water quality on the San Marcos River for 13 years now but has been a river enthusiast for much longer than that.  Pat is a very active boater who spends much of his free time on the river either in a kayak or a canoe.  He was introduced to the San Marcos River Rangers through his involvement with the San Marcos River Foundation.  He credits Rachel Sanborn of the River Rangers and the River Foundation with enabling him to continue his monitoring for so many years.  Pat also works hard serving on the Board of the Edwards Aquifer Authority to help secure water resources for all Texans as the state’s population continues to grow.  To even attempt to accomplish his goals every day, he relies heavily on the support of his wife as she has been there with him every step of the way.

While Pat originally started sampling on the San Marcos River at the site at Thompson’s Island, he since has moved downstream to monitor at Cumming’s Dam.  He feels a great sense of stewardship toward this location citing that the adjacent landowners have always been welcoming and he has definitely got to know the area inside and out.  The Blanco River confluences with the San Marcos River almost a mile upstream of Cummings Dam therefore Pat is able to see the influence of the Blanco River when comparing his data to sites upstream.  He describes that the water quality is generally good but has noticed the conductivity to be relatively high at times.  These high readings are often found during instances when there is a large amount of decomposing organic material in the river.  This decomposition can often contribute nutrients to the water body and raise the conductivity.

In November 2008, Pat was elected to the Board of the Edwards Aquifer Authority (EAA) for a four year term.  He attributes his involvement with the San Marcos River Foundation and River Rangers as major stepping stones to his eventual work with the EAA.  While he notes that there has been a huge learning curve while on the Board, Pat is learning fast and has made good contacts with various people in the “water world” of Texas.  Some of the major issues that he has worked with involve educating landowners on their proper rights under Texas water law and doing away with many of the unfair predicaments and liabilities that arise out of land being sold without the sufficient information provided about the active wells on the property.  Pat also seeks to push for a more regional planning focus between all Groundwater Districts so that all aquifers in the state can be preserved.  While his work with the EAA has been challenging to the highest degree, Pat hopes to make a run for re-election in 2012 to continue working on the front lines of Texas water policy.

Raised in Odessa, Pat came to San Marcos to attend college and he “saw the river and never left.”  His love for the San Marcos River has culminated in him completing the Texas Water Safari twice.  Since the arduous boat trip all the way down the Guadalupe River Basin is not for the faint of heart, Pat loves to tell stories of his experiences while completing this incredible journey.  One year, he came to a standstill with an alligator.  However, after minutes of deliberation, he went on passed the alligator without an altercation.  Even after this alarming moment, Pat enthusiastically proclaims he will participate in the famed Water Safari again this coming June.  Some have tried, few have succeeded.  Pat persists.

For more information on the Edwards Aquifer Authority please visit: http://www.edwardsaquifer.org/

And for more on the Texas Water Safari please visit: http://www.texaswatersafari.org/

Jim Ohmart and his wife Eileen Hatcher, of Houston in Harris County, work hard on the Japhet Creek Community Association’s creek restoration project while also working with other organizations such as the Buffalo Bayou Partnership and Transition Houston.  Jim is a native of Houston and he and Eileen take great pride in being involved in their community.

Since 2005, the Japhet Creek Community Association has been making steady advancements in cleaning up the creek.  While the project started with simply hauling away all of the junk in the creek (nearly 500 tires, an old safe, etc) it has since led to the City of Houston Parks Department acquiring about 60% of the creek which was then converted into a park.  The project continued to remove invasive plant species and replace them with natives.  Prior to this effort, the City of Houston had planned to turn the creek into a cement culvert.  Once the Community Association became aware and got involved, the restoration project started and due to the efforts of Jim, Eileen, and other members of the neighborhood, the construction of the culvert was halted and cleanup efforts began.  There is now a full park area with a walking trail and creek cleanups four or five times a season.  The Association also sponsors a chicken co-op where neighbors take weekly shifts and share eggs.

Jim and Eileen's house was built in 1894 and is registered as a historic building.  It is within 200 feet of Japhet Creek so naturally; this is where they monitor the water quality for the Houston – Galveston Area Council and Texas Stream Team.  Japhet Creek is a spring-fed perennial water body with a sandy bottom that fosters a vibrant food chain of wildlife including: Alligator Gar among other fish, different species of turtles, hawks, and heron.  Even coyotes and bobcats have been spotted many times along the creek.  Jim describes that the data collected at his site indicates the creek to have good water quality.  Occasionally, illicit dumping is observed by members of the neighborhood.  However, the EPA has responded every time to the cries of the community and remedied the problem.

While there has been great strides to clean up Japhet Creek by the Community Association, keeping the creek clean is only possible through efforts like Jim and Eileen’s, along with the rest of the Japhet Creek Community Association.

For more information on the Japhet Creek Community Association visit: http://www.buffalobayou.org/japhetcreek.html

Anne Adams, of Boerne in Kendall County, has been working in the environmental field in different capacities her entire life.  While her earlier career involved different types of work for environmental consulting firms, she has been engaged in Texas Stream Team volunteer water quality monitoring through her work with the Cibolo Nature Center (CNC) on Cibolo Creek in Boerne.

Upon moving to Boerne in 1993, Anne found a gateway into working with the outdoor classroom by volunteering with the CNC.  She was a main force in bringing Texas Stream Team monitoring to Boerne in 1996 when she and others at the CNC went through the certification training and set-up two sites in the Nature Center.  In 2006, Anne was hired to work at the CNC as a Research Biologist.  Presently, the monitoring group at the CNC are sampling at three sites.  While Anne’s main site is the CNC marsh, she coordinates all Texas Stream Team activity for the Center.  The site at the marsh undergoes very interesting cycles as rainfall totals fluctuate seasonally.  During dry periods, the pond will almost completely empty until the rain returns and everyone at the CNC is able to observe the recovery of the marsh.  This is a valuable teaching tool as there is a boardwalk across the marsh for guests and students to use for close observation of the biology.  When excessive rains hit the area, the marsh will overflow into an intermittent channel that feeds Cibolo Creek.

Along with her work at the CNC, Anne is also actively involved with the Upper Cibolo Creek Watershed Protection Plan facilitated through the City of Boerne.  With all of her experience working in the environmental consulting field conducting baseline surveys for: insects, fish, water quality, and various riparian habitats; she is an ideal individual for helping with the City of Boerne’s efforts.  She enjoys the challenge presented to her through the WPP effort with the city as it calls for multidisciplinary thinking and “putting the big picture together.”

Anne earned her bachelor’s degree in Biology and her master’s degree in Botany at the University of Texas in Austin.  She then lived in Ohio, Oklahoma, and Arkansas before returning to Texas to live in Boerne.  Anne has recently resigned her position at the CNC but continues to work as a volunteer as the Nature Center’s Texas Stream Team coordinator.  A big “Thank You” to a long standing monitor and friend of nature!

For more on the Cibolo Nature Center visit: www.cibolo.org

For more on the Upper Cibolo Creek WPP visit: http://www.ci.boerne.tx.us/index.aspx?NID=147

Karen Kinnison and Lynda Pehoski, of Salado in Bell County, have been involved with water quality monitoring for quite some time.  Karen and Lynda were trained in 1991, not long after the birth of Texas Stream Team (then Texas Watch) and they then both became proud members of the Salado Creek Preservation Committee.

The Brazos River Authority was paramount in the training and upstart of the Salado Creek Preservation Committee and the data collected by the group has always been shared with the BRA.  After the group purchased an automated probe to ease in the sampling procedures, many members started dropping the project.  The probe only required one or two monitors for all the sites the Committee monitored.  With the sampling now so simple, there was not a need for as many active members.  The group slowly ground to a halt.  However, even after the group had ceased activity, Karen and Lynda continued on with water quality monitoring using one of Texas Stream Team’s testing kits.  To this day, Karen and Lynda are monitoring three sites on Salado Creek and still share their data with the BRA.  Through their commitment and communications with the BRA, Karen and Lynda are very much on the front lines in the fight to preserve Salado Creek.

Karen and Lynda often notice that E. coli levels seem to be elevated in the summer, or other times when the creek exists at lower flows.  Other than those times, Karen refers to the creek as quite clear and having very healthy dissolved oxygen levels.  When strong rains pass through, there are areas where the springs are flowing so much that they literally bubble up out of the creek.  Because of the abundant spring activity, swimming and fishing are activities along the creek at many sites most of the year.

In addition to water quality monitoring, Karen and Lynda started the recycling program for the town of Salado.  While they started with a cattle trailer to collect all of the material, they were given a much larger trailer by the Central Texas Council of Governments.  Running a whole town’s recycling program is quite an achievement.  As Karen puts it, “God gave us a fantastic planet, and I want to save it.”  If everyone was from the same mold as Karen and Lynda, it wouldn’t need saving.  Thanks Karen and Lynda!

Elisabeth Maxwell, of Beaumont in Jefferson County, is a committed environmental steward and student of marine biology at Lamar University.  After touring the Lower Neches Valley Authority’s headquarters on the Neches River about a year ago, she was introduced to water quality monitoring by Kim Huch and trained very soon after.  Since then, she has been sampling at the boat ramp just upstream of LNVA’s saltwater barrier on a monthly basis.

Liz describes her site on the Neches River as having murky water due to the high amount of tannins in the area, giving the water an almost tea-like color through a very similar process to how tea is actually made.  Even though the water appears turbid, this does not mean it is unfit for contact recreation.  As a matter of fact, Liz’s site is situated at the most downstream portion of the Big Thicket National Preserve and fairly covered by Cypress and Willow trees.  Combine this serenity with the slow moving waters, and it makes a popular spot for fishing and kayaking.

A student at Lamar University, Liz is also involved in 4H Club.  She has been a part of 4H’s Leadership Team and a state level Technology Team.  She also spent some time recently learning about ecosystems in North Carolina at a program sponsored by the National Parks Service and National Collegiate Honors Council.  While she wanted to become a veterinarian as a young girl, she has found herself studying marine biology at Lamar in recent years with an intense focus on improving marine resources.  Liz really enjoys the study of sharks and wants to work to correct problems with oceanic water quality and marine habitats.  She believes education to be the first step to stopping pollution, and then consequently, cleaning it up.

Other than loving and saving aquatic resources, Liz enjoys painting and running.  This past May, she decided she loved running so much that she ran a marathon.  Way to go Liz!!

Coco Brennan, of Mystic Shores in Comal County, has been consistently monitoring the water quality on the Guadalupe River for well over a year now.  Her site is positioned on the main stem of the river above Canyon Lake near Cypress Cove and boat ramp 11.  She reports there to be no major change in the water quality on this stretch of the river.  Even though she has sampled after major rain events on multiple occasions and during the drought of summer 2009, the Guadalupe River never seems to change in water quality.  She has been surprised by this, yet comforted at the same time.

Coco is originally from Houston and has lived overseas while working in the international oil industry.  Through her international travels to parts of Asia and South America, she has come to understand the importance of good water quality.  Many people in these developing countries do not have access to clean water and as a result, diseases such as typhoid are still rampant.  Upon returning home to the United States, she became very aware and frustrated of the fact that many Americans did not understand where the water from their tap actually came from.  He observed that most people don’t make the link from pollution on the ground to degradation in water quality.  So, Coco didn’t just sit around and talk about this observation.  She got involved in the Texas Master Naturalist Lindheimer Chapter in Comal County.  Through her involvement there, she heard about water quality monitoring with Texas Stream Team and attended a training session in San Marcos.

In addition to monitoring monthly at her site, Coco has assisted with Texas Stream Team trainings and has decided to start monitoring a second site on the Blanco River.  She is also serving on the committee for planning for the annual Texas Master Naturalist meeting this year to be held at T Bar M Ranch in New Braunfels.  Coco also serves as a docent for tours through the Canyon Lake Gorge.

For more information on the Canyon Lake Gorge, please visit www.canyongorge.org

  
Ruben Saldana Jr. of Hidalgo County samples 3 sites monthly in the Arroyo Colorado Watershed.  Each site is in a different town along the Arroyo.  Ruben starts close to home in Weslaco at the FM 88 crossing, continues downstream to a site in Harlingen, and then samples near a boat ramp in Rio Hondo before finishing his day with a well-earned meal at Whataburger.  His routine is quite regimented while he tries to follow the same procedure each time even down to his supper time meal.  A disciplined individual, Ruben is the ripe age of 14 and will be entering into high school this coming fall.

Ruben was born in Harlingen, moved for a time to El Paso, and now lives back in the Lower Rio Grande Valley in Weslaco.  He was trained by Texas Stream Team last November and has accomplished much in 6 months of water quality monitoring.  Seeing a good opportunity, Ruben used his volunteer sampling as a subject for his school science project.  Being the aspiring scientist that he is, he took his project all the way to the state science fair, earning first place in the district and regional fairs along the way.  After doing this, he presented his findings to the Arroyo Colorado Partnership’s last Stakeholder Meeting. 

While most teenagers would be quite nervous delivering a presentation to a regional meeting of a diverse group of adults, Ruben is no stranger to public speaking.  He has presented to other groups such as the Bob White Brigade about quail management and his fellow 4H Club members about his experiences with Texas Stream Team monitoring.  As if this wasn’t already completely above and beyond the extra-curricular activities of an average 8th grader, Ruben is also very involved in the 4H Club raising goats, an avid photographer of nature, and a seasoned hunter and fisherman.  To top it all off, he will be occupying Trombone first chair in the top school Jazz band this fall as an incoming freshman.  So, when Ruben is engaged in indoor activity, he is often listening to, playing, and writing Jazz music.  Of course, a driven individual like Ruben has plans for the future.  He would like to attend Texas A&M University and major in Biology with the hopes of eventually going into wildlife management as a career.  Between his participation in 4H working with animals and his environmental monitoring, he is certainly building the right foundation for himself.  He knows he does not want a job where he is required to sit in the office all day. 

Unfortunately, the Arroyo Colorado is an impaired water body.  The water quality data that Ruben has collected supports this statement.  He describes that he sees the conditions to be the worst in Harlingen with the Secchi disk transparency usually registering at 0.15 meters with a total depth of 1.5 meters.  All 3 sites usually have high E.coli readings, with it typically being the highest in Weslaco.  Ruben believes the high E.coli to be coming from all the dogs being walked along the Arroyo in this area and most evidence of human activity exists on the stream banks.  The site in Rio Hondo is another story entirely.  Most recreational activity there is done in the water with much boating, fishing, water skiing, and wakeboarding going on.  There are signs at this site for fish consumption advisory.  Ruben states that he would like to see pet waste stations and other warning signs installed at his sites warning about the consequences of illegal dumping. 

Ruben is an inspirational figure and sets an example as a responsible citizen in his community.  He wholeheartedly believes that “a lot of little steps lead somewhere,” and would like to see more people walking in the same step.  The Arroyo Colorado is lucky to have such a model environmental steward caring for its health.

Ruben will be speaking at Texas Stream Team’s 2010 Volunteer Recognition on Saturday, June 26th at the Aquarena Center in San Marcos.

Look for an article on Ruben in the Headwaters newsletter this summer!

Jim and Therese Simmons, of Sunrise Beach in Llano County, sample a site in Lakeside Park on Lake Marble Falls for the Lower Colorado River Authority’s River Watch Network.  They were trained around a year and a half ago after seeking out volunteer opportunities on the LCRA’s website.  While they live on Lake LBJ, they drive 36 miles roundtrip to sample once a month right before church in Marble Falls on selected Sunday mornings.  Jim and Therese moved out to Sunrise Beach in 2002 after living in the Austin area for a time.

Jim describes their site at Lakeside Park as having consistently good water quality with high dissolved oxygen and fairly constant pH and conductivity values.  The E.coli values are typically low which is good for all the human contact recreation that occurs at their site; there are usually a good number of people boating, skiing, and fishing there.  While the site does see some negative impacts from non-point source pollution after a heavy rain, the water quality comes back within acceptable values once the initial flush of runoff has passed.

Mr. and Mrs. Simmons enjoy fishing and birding during their leisure time and believe that “one hour out of your life is not that much” to sample water quality and help in the protection of the great natural resources of Texas.  They find that being the “extra eyes and ears” that are needed on large water bodies like Lake Marble Falls to be fulfilling and rewarding.  They have many times invited other people out to their sampling site to demonstrate how water quality monitoring works and aided in the recruitment of more volunteers to the Texas Stream Team program.  The State of Texas appreciates Jim and Therese’s efforts in protecting the Colorado River!

Kathleen Green, of Amarillo in Randall County, teaches Pre-AP Aquatic Science at Caprock High School, grades 9-12.  She was trained as a certified water quality monitor around 20 years ago, when Texas Stream Team was then called Texas Watch and still a part of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (before becoming a part of Texas State University).  She uses the monitoring procedures for ongoing classroom activities.  While she and her students are routinely monitoring a site at Southeast Park Lake in Amarillo, they also use the same monitoring procedures in their school’s three aquariums to ensure the water is suitable for all the aquatic life that are contained in them.  They have two saltwater aquariums and one with fresh water.

Kathleen is one of the northern most monitors in the Texas Stream Team network, and as a result, her and her students must endure some unique obstacles related to adverse weather conditions.  While every Stream Team monitor must face the rain, heat, and occasional flooding, Kathleen’s group sometimes deals with blizzards and even frozen lake water.  This makes their experience quite unique among Texans.  When not frozen over, Southeast Park Lake is used for fishing and positioned along a golf course.  Kathleen reports that the water quality parameters have stayed consistent for the whole time she has been monitoring, which is once again, 20 years.

Originally from Kermit, TX, Kathleen attended West Texas State and studied Biology and Education.  She then took the job working at Caprock High School teaching Biology, serving as the Lab Coordinator for all Biology classes, as well as coaching track and volleyball for 20 years.  She now thoroughly enjoys teaching Aquatic Science and is able to take her students scuba diving every once in a while.

Joe Piazza, of San Marcos in Hays County, has been monitoring Spring Lake for the San Marcos River Rangers since February 2001. He monitors the lake immediately upstream of the dam next to the building that is currently the Saltgrass Restaurant; the headwaters of the San Marcos River. He describes his site as “paradise” and feels very fortunate to be able to monitor such a beautiful location. Joe first became involved in water quality monitoring through his involvement with the Hays County Master Naturalists. During his training for the Master Naturalist program in 1999, he was introduced to the Texas Stream Team program (then called Texas Watch). He eventually became the Training Coordinator for the Hays County Master Naturalists for a time.

Joe is originally from New Orleans and moved to Texas just over 30 years ago. He has been working for Texas State University since 1991 and today is in charge of Safety Training in the Facilities Department. Joe likes to canoe and kayak many different water bodies around Central Texas. Some of his favorite runs include: the San Marcos River from Westerfield Crossing down to Fentress, the Blanco River from University Camp to 5-mile Dam, and the Guadalupe River from Boerne to Guadalupe River State Park.

While the San Marcos River is known to have very pristine water quality, Joe has noted that sometimes Sessom Creek, which flows into the San Marcos River just downstream of his site, can sometimes contribute sediment to the waterway and change the conditions of the river. With this in mind, Joe believes it is extremely important to have scientific evidence of the ambient conditions in any waterway to be able to correctly characterize the potential influence of any type of pollution. Joe is definitely helping to do this in his local watershed.

Jim King, of Beaumont in Jefferson County, is involved in environmental stewardship in many different facets. While Jim is employed as a world geography and world history teacher for Beaumont ISD, he also uses his time volunteering for multiple different groups. He is active with Clean Air and Water, a 40 year old environmental group, and he works with the Coast Guard Auxiliary as well.

Jim is originally from Houston and attended Texas A&M University – Galveston. While there, he graduated from the Maritime Academy. He continues to use his boating expertise driving boats at the Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center in Orange, near the Louisiana border. In between boat tours, he finds time to conduct his Texas Stream Team monthly water quality monitoring on Adams Bayou in the Nature Center. So far, in the time he’s spent monitoring, Jim reports the Bayou to have a better water quality than he initially expected. Let’s hope it stays that way. With volunteer efforts like those of Jim King, it’s a very good possibility.

To learn more about the Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center, visit www.shangrilagardens.org

Teri MacArthur, of Spring in Montgomery County, is an extremely active environmental steward and outdoor educator.  She was certified to monitor water quality in 2004 and has since become one of Texas Stream Team’s lead trainers in the Houston-Galveston Area.  Teri monitored Panther Branch for her first two years, Spring Creek the next two years, and now has shifted her focus more to training and educating others about water quality monitoring procedures and its many benefits.  She has served as Chair of Training for the Texas Heartwood Master Naturalists in the past and now fulfills the role of Environmental Education Coordinator for Legacy Land Trust, teacher liaison for the Houston-Galveston Area Council (HGAC), as well as continuing to serve on the Training Board for the Heartwood Master Naturalists.  Furthermore, she can also be known as a “satellite equipment manager” for those Stream Team monitors in the vicinity of southern Montgomery County.

Being raised in Corpus Christi, Teri has deep Texan roots.  While she has always been an avid hiker and outdoor enthusiast, Teri first joined the Gulf Coast Master Naturalists in 2001 before the Heartwood Chapter was founded in 2004.  Upon becoming Chair of Training for the chapter, she decided to incorporate water quality monitoring into the standard training required for those interested in joining the group.  More recently, Teri works for Legacy Land Trust to bring students on field trips to nature preserves.  She reports that the most popularly requested topic among the groups has been water quality.  She uses this opportunity to introduce students anywhere from 4^th to 12^th grade about the details of water quality monitoring.  Between training Master Naturalists and other interested adults in the HGAC area, Teri has trained approximately 350 adults and 1,000 students to date. 

Teri is a committed volunteer who believes whole-heartedly in environmental education, stating it to be the “key to change” in citizens’ awareness and attitudes toward the importance of water quality.  Teri continues to put her beliefs into action every day and is one major reason why Texas Stream Team is able to communicate with people on a state-wide basis.

Teri was awarded an Outstanding Service Award at the Texas Stream Team Meeting of the Monitors Conference in July 2009.

Myra Winfield, of Cedar Park in Williamson County, was certified through Texas Stream Team (then Texas Watch) 10 years ago and has been monitoring water quality routinely ever since. Myra samples 4 sites each month on her family farm. Each site is positioned on a different water body within the boundaries of her farm. She samples Post Oak Creek, Cottonwood Creek, and Spanish Oak Creek as they enter her property and also samples the lake they all feed into. The lake was created in 1960 by the Soil Conservation Service as a series of flood control lakes called “the Brushy Creek Project.” Spanish Oak Creek continues flowing after the lake-dam and confluences with Brushy Creek 1.5 miles downstream of Myra’s farm. Post Oak Creek is an intermittent stream while Cottonwood Creek is spring-fed and very pleasant for recreation. They both flow into Spanish Oak Creek where they are impounded to create the lake. Myra samples all Texas Stream Team parameters of pH, specific conductivity, dissolved oxygen, Secchi disk transparency and temperature but has a special interest in E. coli monitoring.

While Myra is a retired water chemist, and naturally attracted to water quality monitoring, she sought her certification for another reason as well. In 1999, the City of Cedar Park accidently spilled 150,000 gallons of raw sewage into the lake while installing new infrastructure. After a nearby lift station failed, polluted water flowed into the lake on her property, and one of Myra’s grandchildren became very ill after swimming. Motivated by this incident, Myra became a certified volunteer water quality monitor and began sampling her 4 sites weekly. A while after this, when the water quality had been restored, Myra continued to sample those sites once a month and still does to this day. She has recently reported a good level of water quality with high dissolved oxygen and low E. coli levels. She also claims that her relationship with the City of Cedar Park is now in good standing. While the development sprawl of the city and many offers to buy the place are slowly but surely encroaching, she does not believe the land will ever be sold and subdivided. Myra bought the 175 acre farm in 1953 and intends on keeping it in the family for generations.

Myra Winfield provides an excellent example of a very committed Texas Stream Team volunteer with 10 years of consistent monitoring and a success story under her belt.

As of now, mission accomplished Myra.

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 https://gato-edit.its.txstate.edu/texas-watch/Projects/Past-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/Hours.html#ODLC. 

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.