BAYTOWN - A public meeting of the Cedar Bayou Watershed Partnership (Partnership) will be held from 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 30, 2015 at the Eddie V. Gray Wetlands Center, 1724 Market Street in Baytown.
At the meeting, individuals will receive an update on the overall progress of the project, and review the draft Watershed Protection Plan prior to the public comment period that will follow. Public input on these aspects of the project can have a significant impact on its outcome, so participation is strongly encouraged. The Watershed Protection Plan will serve as a roadmap to guide voluntary efforts to improve water quality in Cedar Bayou for decades to come.
Cedar Bayou, which forms part of the border between eastern Harris County and western Chambers and Liberty Counties, has been identified by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality as failing to meet state water quality standards. One of the primary impairments is elevated levels of bacteria, which may be harmful to human health.
The Partnership, facilitated by the Houston-Galveston Area Council and the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board, consists of a variety of local stakeholders from across the Cedar Bayou watershed. Partnership efforts focus on finding solutions for the water quality issues in Cedar Bayou which affect public health, the local economy, and the environment.
"The local draft Cedar Bayou Watershed Protection Plan is the result of the hard work of our stakeholders," said Justin Bower, Senior Environmental Planner at H-GAC. "They have been instrumental in identifying a set of voluntary, cost-effective solutions to help protect public health, the environment, and the local economy."
Light refreshments will be served at the meeting.
For more information, contact Justin Bower at (713) 499-6653, or at justin [dot] bower [at] h-gac [dot] com.
The Cedar Bayou Watershed Partnership is funded by the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board through a Clean Water Act §319(h) grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and through additional funding from the Galveston Bay Estuary Program.