Highlights from Plum Creek Watershed Partnership Ne w Citi z e n Sci e nce Water Q ual ity Mo n ito r in g Gro up T h e Plu m Creek Stewa rds is a new gro up m o ni t o r ing t h e Plum Cree k Wat e r sh ed u n d e r Tex as Stream Tea m. Our tra ined ci tize n sc ie nt ist s co llect st a nd a rd wat e r qua l i t y p arameters at o ne s i te monthly. The d at a inc lud e d isso lved ox yge n, a ir a nd wat e r t emperature, pH, wate r tra ns pa re ncy, a nd f ie ld o b se r vat io ns suc h a s f low, weat h e r, p resen ce of alg a e , wate r s urf a ce a nd o d o r. Th e St ewa rd s no t o nly a d d t o t h e s t at e w i de database he l d by Texa s Strea m Tea m ; t h ey a lso se r ve a s o b se r ve r s of Plum C ree k, esp eci ally i n the ra pidly urb a nizing area s w h ic h m ay b e sub ject t o sw if t c h a nge s i n wat e r q u a l i t y that meri t re por ting.
Events: Tra s h a nd Trees
" Ke e p Lockha r t Beaut ifu l" Volu n t e e r s
Th e f ir st wee ke nd in Nove m b e r was a bu s y a nd b e ne f ic ia l t im e fo r t h e Plum C ree k Wat e r sh ed . Two succe ssful vo lunt ee r eve nt s o cc ur red : Kee p L o c k h a r t B eaut ifu l Fal l Clea nup a nd t h e Re -lea f Re fo re st at i o n . T he Kee p L o c k h a r t B eaut iful 2 02 1 Fa ll C l ean an d G ree n eve nt wa s t h e f ir st in-pe r s o n c l ean u p eve nt in t h e wat e r sh ed since t h e o n s et of t h e pa nd e m ic . O ve r 12 0 vo lunt ee r s co l l ect ed nea rly 1,000 po und s of t ra sh in 6 p arks a c ro ss L o c k h a r t , inc lud ing Tow n Bran c h Cree k . Th a nk s t o a ge ne ro us d o nat i o n fro m Sce nic Tex a s, 100 t ree s we re g i ve n t o c lea nup pa r t ic ipa nt s. Vo lunt eer s we re a lso fed b rea k fa st t a co s a nd recei ved “ Kee p L o c k h a r t B eaut iful” re usa b le fa ce m as ks .
T h e G u adalupe-Bl a nco R ive r Trus t h e ld i t s seco nd Re L ea f event at th e Pl um Cree k Wetl a n d s P re se r ve . Th e P re s e r ve, located jus t nor th of Lockh a r t , co nt a ins 2 1 co n s t ru cted wetl a nd ponds , which at t ra ct a va r iet y of w i ldli fe i n cluding dee r, a mphi b ia ns, re pt ile s, a nd p ol l i n ators. The Re -l ea f Re fore s tatio n pro ject a im s t o ret u r n the 2 65 -a cre Pre s e r ve to i ts nat ive ve get at io n. D u r i ng the t wo-day eve nt, 30 vol unt ee r s pla nt ed ove r 7 0 0 nati ve trees . T he eve nt at tra cted vo lunt ee r s fro m var i ous org ani z ations , s uch a s the Lo st P ine s Ma st e r Nat u rali sts, G u ada l upe Count y Ma s te r Nat ura list s, L ock har t IS D, Texa s A&M Fore s t Se r vice , G ua d a lupe Bl an co Ri ver A uthori t y, Pl um Cree k Wat e r sh ed Pa r t n ershi p , Kee p Lockha r t Beautif u l, a nd Tex a s St at e U n i ve rsi t y. Re - L e a f Tre e P l a n ti n g Ev ent Vol unt eers
CLEAN RIVERS PROGRAM
23
