TSSWCB Receives Over $4 Million from EPA to Manage Water Pollution

TEMPLE – The Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board (TSSWCB) recently received a grant of $4,003,350 from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The grant will support TSSWCB’s Texas Nonpoint Source (NPS) Management Program which addresses water pollution caused by water runoff that carries pollutants into rivers, lakes, and other waterbodies.

Projects include implementing agricultural components of watershed protection plans for Leon River, Lavon Lake, Petronila, and San Fernando Creeks. In addition, the funds will provide educational and outreach opportunities for landowners through the Lone Star Healthy Streams Program and Lone Star Healthy Streams Feral Swine Component as well as provide supplemental water quality monitoring in the Plum Creek, Lampasas River and the Geronimo and Alligator Creeks watersheds. 

“TSSWCB is proud to work alongside conservation partners and local Soil and Water Conservation Districts to provide technical and financial assistance to landowners in impaired watersheds. We aim to implement conservation practices that will encourage the protection and wise use of Texas’ natural resources,” said Jana Lloyd, TSSWCB NPS Grant Coordinator.

The federal Clean Water Act requires States to develop a plan to protect the quality of water resources from the adverse effects of nonpoint source water pollution. NPS pollution is all water pollution that does not originate from regulated point sources. Types of regulated point sources include wastewater treatment facilities, municipal stormwater systems, and concentrated animal feeding operations. NPS pollution occurs when rainfall flows off the land, roads, buildings, and other features of the landscape. This diffuse runoff carries pollutants into drainage ditches, lakes, rivers, wetlands, bays, and aquifers.

The Texas NPS Management Program is a comprehensive strategy for addressing nonpoint source pollution across Texas, where assessment has determined that water quality is impaired or threatened. TSSWCB implements the agricultural and silvicultural aspects of Total Maximum Daily Loads and Watershed Protection Plans through assessment, planning, implementation, education, and research.