Brazos river conservation coalition

e-newsletter

Issue # 19

June 6, 2008

In This Issue

Dr. C. Alan Jones of TWRI will address the June meeting

M. Vaklenkamp, Hood County Ext. Agent addressed the May meeting

BRCC Activity Update and website changes

Important websites and E-mail addresses

BRCC Officers

President:

Billy Teels

Vice President:

JoAnn Matthews

Corp. Secretary:

Sandy Wilkins

Temp. Recording Secretary:

Phyllis Webster

Treasurer:

Phil Delucchi

Website Address

www.brazosriverconservation.org

Newsletter Publisher:

Jack D’Amario, Chairman

Programs and Publicity Committee

jndamario@alltel.net

Dr. C. Alan Jones, Director of the Texas Water Resource Institute to speak at the BRCC June public meeting

On Tuesday, June 10 at 7 PM, Dr. C. Alan Jones will be the featured speaker at the Brazos River Conservation Coalition regular public meeting in the Concert Hall of the Langdon Center, Bridge and Brazos streets, in Granbury.

Dr. Jones is Director of the Texas Water Resources Institute at Texas A & M University. He fosters research, education and service related to planning and management of Texas water resources. The institute has conducted several studies into the sources and effects of golden algae and bacteria/nutrient pollution on Texas rivers and lakes. Dr. Jones will discuss the results of those studies and other aspects of water management.

After receiving a B.A. at the University of Texas at Austin Dr. Jones obtained a PhD in Botany at Washington State University. He has authored and co-authored several books and research papers centering on crop physiology, agronomy and cropping systems modeling. His extensive international experience includes work in Brazil and Colombia. He has worked at the Hawaiian Sugar Planters’ Association and USDA-ARS in Temple, Texas. He served eight years as Resident Director of Research at Blackland Research Center in Temple.

This is another opportunity to gain valuable, authoritative information on a subject of vital importance.

Marty Vaklenkamp Offers Water Conservation Tips at May Meeting

About twenty people had the benefit of hearing County Extension Agent, Marty Vaklenkamp, discuss residential water conservation at the May BRCC public meeting. A person has to be very alert to catch the occasional mass media story about the growing fresh water shortage. Yet water conservation and availability will be major issues in the near future.

Mr. Vaklenkamp distributed several informative handouts containing comprehensive but simple recommendations for conserving water around the home, from finding and stopping modest leaks to covering pools and spas to prevent evaporation. Surprisingly, as much as the entire volume of water can evaporate over a summer from an uncovered pool.

The major thrust of Marty’s talk was on the topic of rain water harvesting. He pointed out that using rain water for landscape irrigation has several very positive advantages, not the least of which, rain water is FREE. And we have all observed that rain water, drop for drop, does a better job of nourishing shrubs and lawns. Collection systems can range from simple and inexpensive to elaborate and costly. From sources of water for hand or simple automatic watering systems to whole house water supply. Apparently all one actually needs is a roof, gutters and downspouts and something to catch and store the water. Plans for a simple trash can rain water collector are included in one of the handouts available at Marty’s office located at Bridge and Lambert streets.

Comprehensive information on water conservation is available from the Texas Cooperative Extension http://texasextension.tamu.edu and Texas Water Development Board www.twdb.state.tx.us

BRCC Activity Update

BRCC President Billy Teels is working to set up several important meetings over the summer. The proposed County Commissioners Resolution of Support for the John Graves Scenic Riverway legislation is ready to be presented to the court as soon as a date is agreed on. He is also trying to find a time that will accommodate the schedules of state legislators’, members of the BRCC and Friends of the Brazos so a meeting can be held to plan the JGSR extension legislation and it passage. There are plans to meet with Granbury Mayor Southern and City Council members and separately with Michael Stewart, President of the Texas Aggregates and Concrete Assn., to secure support for the JGSR extension.

Several maps of the Brazos River basin have been obtained from the BRA. These will be used as support material for presentations to promote the riverway designation.

Communications are moving back and forth between the offices of Representative Jim Keffer, Senator Kip Averitt and President Billy Teels and Ed Lowe, president of the Friends of The Brazos River, in an effort to find a date for them all to meet and lay out the plan for the introduction and passage of the riverway legislation. The FBR is eager to have the designation extended through Somervell County.

A busy time is coming up!

BRCC Website Changes

The BRCC website is undergoing some changes. BRCC Hood and the BRCC had been maintaining separate websites. To ensure that there is no ambiguity about the unity of the BRCC it has been decided to use the BRCC’s original website exclusively. Phil Delucchi and the new web manager, Bradley Davis, have been busy shutting down the BRCC Hood website and transferring the content to the BRCC website. There may be a delay in getting some content posted, but Phil assures that the result will be worth any temporary interruptions. Visit the site at: www.brazosriverconservation.org.

Important Websites and E-mail Addresses

U. S. CONGRESS

Senator Kay Bailey-Hutchison Senator John Cornyn

http//Hutchison.senate.gov http//cornyn.senate.gov

(e-mail both via website)

Representative Chet Edwards

chris.kelly@mail.house.gov

TEXAS LEGISLATURE

State Senator Kip Averitt State Representative Jim Keffer

becky.dixon@senate.state.tx.us trent.thomas@house.state.tx.us

STATE INFORCEMENT AGENCIES

Brazos River Authority Texas Commission on