WELLINGTON--Landowners and others interested in learning about and contributing to the development of the Buck Creek Watershed Protection Plan are invited to a public meeting July 21 in Wellington.

The meeting will be from 6:30-8 p.m. at the Wellington Auditorium, 802 10th St. Light refreshments will be served and the meeting sign-in will begin at 6 p.m.

“Texas AgriLife Research and Texas AgriLife Extension Service staffs have been working with landowners to evaluate water quality and examine watershed management options that can be voluntarily implemented to reduce bacteria levels in the creek to meet Texas Surface Water Quality Standards,” said Phyllis Dyer, research assistant and watershed coordinator with AgriLife Research in Vernon.

The final report for the “Bacterial Monitoring for the Buck Creek Watershed” project, published in 2008, suggested that possible sources of the elevated E. coli bacteria include free-ranging animals such as feral hogs, livestock and wildlife as well as human sources, Dyer said.

Lucas Gregory, project manager for the Texas Water Resources Institute, said the meeting will highlight progress in the development of the watershed protection plan.

Scientists will present initial watershed modeling results that will indicate what level of bacterial reduction is needed in Buck Creek to achieve water quality standards.

Modeling information will also help identify areas in the watershed with the highest potential for decreasing bacterial levels through such voluntary practices as alternative watering sources, rotational grazing and others.

Stakeholders will have an opportunity to provide feedback on the information presented, Gregory said.

Project staff will also present a summary of data collected throughout the course of the Buck Creek projects to illustrate trends in water quality since the project began in 2003. Further discussion on water quality data and their implications is also planned, he said.

"It is critical for stakeholders to participate in the project and public meetings to ensure that each stakeholder has a chance to decide what voluntary management measures will be recommended in the watershed protection plan," said Mitch Conine, Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board project manager.

The state board provided grants to AgriLife Research and the Texas Water Resources Institute to conduct the water quality study and develop the plan.

For more information see the project website: http://twri.tamu.edu/buckcreek or contact Dyer at 940-414-0195 or PMDyer@ag.tamu.edu .