Achieving measurable water quality improvements requires that stakeholders have the necessary resources (staffing, knowledge, skills, technology, funding) and guidance to develop complete, effective, achievable plans consistent with their organizational and individual missions and activities.  Thus, because of the wide range of knowledge and water management resources and experience among individuals and stakeholder institutions, the diversity and complexity of watershed issues identified in the targeted areas, and the myriad local pressures competing with water resource protection initiatives, the Initiative for Watershed Excellence establishes a comprehensive and integrated five-part program to be implemented over the long-term in collaboration with multiple institutions throughout EPA Region 6.  These five program components are: 

• Watershed Assessment
• Education and Outreach
• Facilitation and Planning
• Monitoring
• Technology Development and Deployment               

Current Activities

The current focus of the Initiative is to support:

• Reduction of nonpoint source pollution in impaired, threatened, or at-risk watersheds
• Capacity building and adaptive watershed management programs that support the achievement of pollution reduction targets in key watersheds
• Alignment of stakeholder information and resources with the Watershed Protection Plan goals and objectives 

The Initiative is now developing and implementing capacity building programs (staffing, knowledge, skills, technology, funding) and assisting in strategic planning and adaptive watershed management consisting of:

• Professional training with a goal of developing a nationally-accredited watershed management training program
• An interdisciplinary watershed management practicum course
• An integrated, participatory watershed assessment and management program
• Direct contact with watershed stakeholders through surveys and interviews that identify salient watershed management concerns, preferences, and training needs

Desired Results

These efforts are directed toward achieving the following results:

• Increased stakeholder knowledge, skills, and experience in adaptive water resources management
• Enhanced capacity for cooperation in, and support of, watershed planning and implementation
• Development, demonstration, and deployment of adaptive watershed planning and management systems and technologies
• Increased number of university graduates who pursue careers in water resource management

Target Audience

The target audience for this program is broad-based, yet with a special emphasis on stakeholders involved in Watershed Planning and Implementation including:

• Municipal and county staff
• Land owners
• Non-profit organizations
• General Public
• Watershed Coordinators
• University professors and students

Current projects
Cypress Creek Watershed-Stakeholder Surveys

Houston-Galveston TMDL/TPDES Storm Water Workshops

Integrated Watershed Management Practicum

Consortium for Watershed Excellence  

Project Coordination

Eric Mendelman

em20@txstate.edu

512-245-1409