Posted: March 5, 2008

For more information
Tammy Beutnagel, [830] 379-5822 or email

SEGUIN - The Guadalupe River Basin Steering Committee for the Clean Rivers Program will meet at 9 a.m. Thursday, March 20, 2008, at the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority (GBRA) River Annex building, 905 Nolan Street, Seguin, Texas.

This annual meeting, sponsored by the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority and the Upper Guadalupe River Authority (UGRA), is open to the public. Debbie Magin, GBRA director of water quality services, said, "The Steering Committee is composed of local leaders and community representatives from throughout the Guadalupe River Basin. Each year, GBRA and UGRA convene the meeting to provide direction for the general Clean Rivers Program activities in the Guadalupe River Basin, as well as development of the work plan, monitoring plan and review of major reports."

Anyone planning to attend the meeting should RSVP to Magin at (830) 379-5822, and further questions regarding the meeting also may be directed to Magin.

This year's meeting agenda includes review of the draft 2008 Basin Summary Report, status reports on the 2008 water quality assessments and "total maximum daily load (TMDL) studies being conducted by the Texas Commission of Environmental Quality (TCEQ), and presentations by additional monitoring entities such as the Wimberley Valley Watershed Association and the Texas Stream Team (formerly called Texas Watch).

Magin said that one of the most important objectives of the meeting is to receive feedback directly from the members of the Steering Committee for setting new basin priorities and monitoring activities.

The Clean Rivers Program encourages public input by establishing basin-wide steering committees to gather community input and identify water quality issues in their local areas. Through these efforts, citizens and communities gain a greater appreciation for their natural resources and the importance of making water quality protection a part of their daily lives.

The GBRA was established by the Texas Legislature in 1933 as a water conservation and reclamation district. GBRA provides stewardship for the water resources in its 10-county statutory district, which begins near the headwaters of the Guadalupe and Blanco rivers, ends at San Antonio Bay, and includes Kendall, Comal, Hays, Caldwell, Guadalupe, Gonzales, DeWitt, Victoria, Calhoun, and Refugio counties.

The Upper Guadalupe River Authority was created as a conservation and reclamation district by the Texas Legislature in 1939. UGRA aspires to be respected for its efficient, responsive and forthright stewardship of the Upper Guadalupe River and its tributaries. The Guadalupe River originates in Western Kerr County, deep in the Texas Hill Country. This beautiful spring fed river is one of the highest rated recreational and scenic rivers in Texas and is Kerr County's central asset.

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