CORPUS CHRISTI - Area landowners and citizens interested in learning about the development of a Watershed Protection Plan (WPP) for the Lower Nueces River are invited to a public meeting on Tuesday, July 22, 2014. The meeting, hosted by the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board (TSSWCB) and the Nueces River Authority (NRA), will be from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Hilltop Community Center located at 11425 Leopard Street in Corpus Christi, Texas.
This 39 mile reach of the Nueces River, between Lake Corpus Christi and the saltwater barrier dam at La Bonte Park, is the primary source of drinking water for the area. The watershed is approximately 116,862 acres within parts of Jim Wells, San Patricio, and Nueces counties. This waterbody is listed on the Texas Integrated Report for elevated levels of total dissolved solids.
The meeting will provide an update on the development of the WPP and associated studies and activities being conducted. The Nueces River is the main source of water for the Coastal Bend, serving over half a million people, supporting the industrial economic base of the area, and providing freshwater inflows to maintain a healthy bay and estuary system.
"We commend the Nueces River Authority and the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board for taking the lead in the development of a comprehensive watershed plan to protect the quality of the water using the community’s input. This is the first step as well as a logical approach to identifying risks and actions that will protect and improve the quality of this valuable resource for the people of the Coastal Bend," said Leo Trevino, Deputy Executive Director, Coastal Bend Bays and Estuaries Program.
Funding for the development and support of the Lower Nueces River WPP is through a Clean Water Act grant provided by the TSSWCB and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
For more information about the Lower Nueces River WPP, including the agenda for the July 22, 2014 meeting, visit http://www.nuecesriverpartnership.org or contact Rocky Freund at (361) 653-2110 or rfreund [at] nueces-ra [dot] org.