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Item EM-128 Texas Riparian and Stream Ecosystem Training Booklet(Texas Water Resources Institute, 2019-10) Entwistle, Clare; Dictson, NikkiThis booklet is used in the Texas Riparian and Stream Ecosystem Trainings to accompany presentations by the course instructors, provide educational content and more.Item EM-127 Urban Stream Processes and Restoration Program Training Booklet(Texas Water Resources Institute, 2019-09) Entwistle, Clare; Glavy, Nathan; Jaber, FouadThis document is the training booklet used in the Urban Stream Processes and Restoration Program workshops with slideshow presentations from the course instructors and more.Item EM-126 Septic System Maintenance & Inspection Pocket Guide(Texas Water Resources Institute, 2019-11) Glavy, Nathan; deVilleneuve, Stephanie; Berthold, Allen; Richardson, SarahA pocket guide with septic system best practices with maintenance and inspection recommendations, tips for a longer-lasting septic system, resources and more.Item EM-125 Is Your Septic System Failing?(Texas Water Resources Institute, 2019-11) deVilleneuve, Stephanie; Glavy, Nathan; Richardson, SarahOn-Site Septic Facilities, also known as septic systems, are systems designed to treat and dispose of wastewater effluent on the same property that produces the wastewater, hence the term “on-site.” When septic systems begin to fail, not only do they not function properly, but they can damage your property and are costly to replace. The key is to catch the warning signs early on.Item EM-124 Maintenance Tips for a Longer Lasting Septic System(Texas Water Resources Institute, 2019-03) deVilleneuve, Stephanie; Glavy, Nathan; Richardson, SarahRegular maintenance and upkeep of your septic system is crucial to ensure its proper function and longevity. Not maintaining your septic system can result in economic and ecological harm to your local environment and property. This document includes standard maintenance practices that will help keep your system healthy.Item EM-123 Healthy Livestock Practices BMP(Texas Water Resources Institute, 2018-06) Schramm, Michael; Berthold, Allen; Glavy, NathanThis document includes a list of practices that not only help improve livestock and crop production, but they also help improve the water quality in ponds, streams, and rivers in your area!Item EM-122 Vegetated treatment areas: Reducing soil, nutrient, & bacteria runoff from small hog farms(2017-03) Wagner, K.; Pampell, R.; Harmel, R.D.Vegetated Treatment Areas (or VTAs) are composed of perennial grasses used to improve runoff water quality associated with livestock, poultry, and other agricultural operations. 70-75% of swine operations nationwide are considered ‘small’ with less than 100 head. Producers need practical, low-cost waste management options to protect local water resources. VTAs are inexpensive alternatives compared to standard waste management systems (i.e. lagoons, etc.), and they help reduce soil, nutrient, and bacteria runoff from small operations with small acreage.Item EM-121 South Texas Irrigation Training Program Manual, 2016 Update(Texas Water Resources Institute, 2016) Porter, Dana; Wagner, Kevin; Gutierrez, VictorGoal • Equip irrigation managers and technical support personnel with information and resources to support improved irrigation management and water conservation. Objectives 1. Provide participants with core knowledge base, including irrigation fundamentals, irrigation technologies, and best management practices. 2. Compile currently available and new educational materials into a convenient resource package. 3. Develop a series of educational events to deliver the information to the target audiences to improve their knowledge base.Item EM-111, Revised 2015, Bacterial Source Tracking: Learn why Bacterial Source Tracking is the foremost tool for identifying sources of fecal pollution(Texas Water Resources Institute, 2015-04) Di Giovanni, George; Wagner, Kevin; Lee, LeslieThere are 273 bacterially impaired water bodies in Texas. Identifying and assessing sources of these bacteria — E. coli, Enterococcus, fecal coliforms — is critical to properly determining risk to water recreation, developing effective watershed restoration strategies such as watershed protection plans (WPPs) and total maximum daily loads (TMDLs), and efficiently targeting management measures.Item EM-120 Utility Customer Profile Guide for Water Conservation Planning(Texas Water Resources Institute, 2015-12) Wolff, Aubry; Boellstorff, Diane E.; Berthold, T. AllenConservation coordinators and managers often seek recommendations for best management practices (BMPs) that produce the greatest amount of water savings at the least cost. In practice, it is difficult to create a hierarchy of BMPs based on cost and water-savings effectiveness because numerous factors may affect those results, including available conservation funding, how conservation affects revenue generation, differences in customer classifications, conservation goals set by the utility or provider, staff availability and training, economic and social values of water, and customers’ attitudes regarding conservation. Therefore, performing a customer profile in each utility service area is necessary for determining the BMPs that may help achieve water conservation goals.Item EM-118 Texas Well Owner Network brochure(Texas Water Resources Institute, 2014) Gholson, Drew; Lee, LesliePublic drinking water supplies are monitored through requirements of the U.S. Safe Drinking Water Act, but private well owners are responsible for monitoring the quality of their wells and are frequently at greater risk for exposure to compromised water quality. The Texas Well Owner Network (TWON) is an educational training program offered by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service.Item EM-119 Considerations for adopting AMI and AMR: A comprehensive guide for water utilities(Texas Water Resources Institute, 2015) Jones, Chelsea; Berthold, AllenWhen considering using Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI)/ Automated Meter Reading (AMR) systems, every utility has different needs and will have varied experiences in making decisions about changes to its system and how to carry out those changes. As a result, this primer serves as an overview of major considerations for utilities that are considering, or are currently undergoing, a project to change from standard meters to AMI/AMR systems. What follows is a review of important technological aspects, the benefits of an AMI/AMR system, and major considerations important to a successful conversion project. In addition, the book includes some real-world examples of utilities’ and water professionals’ experiences with AMI/AMR conversion projects along with some of the best pieces of advice for tackling conversion projects.Item EM-117 Best Management Practices for Water Quality: Agriculture in the Lower Rio Grande Valley(Texas Water Resources Institute, 2014) Berthold, AllenThe Arroyo Colorado Watershed is 706 square miles and runs from McAllen to the Lower Laguna Madre. The water body is impaired for dissolved oxygen, bacteria and legacy pollutants. In 2007, local stakeholders developed and published A Watershed Protection Plan for the Arroyo Colorado Phase I that identifies strategies to address water quality issues. The plan is currently being implemented throughout the watershed. Agricultural production comprises almost half of the land within the Arroyo Colorado Watershed. A goal of the watershed protection plan is to have best management practices (BMPs) implemented on half of the irrigated agricultural lands by 2015. Runoff from these agricultural lands carries nutrients and sediments, which contribute to the above impairments in the Arroyo Colorado. A BMP is a method or technique that has consistently shown results superior to those achieved with other means, and that is used as a benchmark. In addition, a BMP can evolve to become better as improvements are discovered. BMPs designed to reduce nutrient and pesticide runoff from agricultural land have been implemented in the Arroyo Colorado watershed on a producer-by-producer, voluntary basis. There are many state and federal programs that can provide funding and assistance for implementing BMPs.Item EM-114 Bacteria and Surface Water Quality Standards(Texas Water Resources Institute, 2012-06) Berthold, AllenSection 303(d) of the Clean Water Act requires that each state set water quality standards to ensure all uses of a water body have the appropriate water quality. Some of those uses include aquatic life, drinking water, recreation and other general uses. Standards are also used to assess water quality from permitted dischargers such as Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4s) and Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs). If water bodies do not meet water quality standards, as evidenced by monitoring results, then water bodies are placed on the Texas Integrated Report for Clean Water Act Sections 305(b) and 303(d) list.Item EM-116 Urban Landscape Water Use in Texas(2013) Cabrera, Raul I.; Wagner, Kevin L.; Wherley, Benjamin; Lee, LeslieUrban-municipal use is the second largest category of water use in Texas. Within this use category, lawn and landscape water use is a significant, but largely unmeasured, component. Landscapes are important components of urban environments and provide an array of economic, environmental, human health and social benefits. A recent report in the Texas Water Journal, summarized in this publication, evaluated urban landscapes in Texas and associated water use and offered strategies and practices that can significantly reduce water use for urban landscape irrigation.Item EM-106 Rainwater Harvesting at the Marfa Activity Center(Texas Water Resources Institute, 2009-05) Bryant, GaryThe Marfa Activity Center rainwater collection system is designed to provide water for drip irrigation and small wildlife and birds. It includes two collection tanks and irrigation systems.Item EM-115 Status and Trends of Irrigated Agriculture in Texas(Texas Water Resources Institute, 2012-09-12) Wagner, K.Irrigation is critical to our food production and food security and is a vital component of Texas’ productive agricultural economy. Texas ranks third in the United States in both agricultural acres irrigated and irrigation water applied. Significant advances have been made in irrigation efficiency; however, challenges remain. The following information is drawn primarily from data and reports published by the Texas Water Development A SPECIAL REPORT BY THE TEXAS WATER RESOURCES INSTITUTE Board, the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service, and Texas A&M University. Together these sources provide valuable perspective on the status and trends of irrigated agriculture in Texas.Item EM-113 Best Management Practices (BMPs) and Water Quality Parameters of Selected Farms located in the Arroyo Colorado Watershed(Texas Water Resources Institute, 2012-06-05) Berthold, A.; Enciso, J.Excess water from various landscape activities in the Lower Rio Grande Valley are drained through the Arroyo Colorado eventually emptying into the lower Laguna Madre. The Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge and several county and city parks are located within the Arroyo Colorado watershed. The watershed is also the habitat of several semi-tropical plants and animal species. The Arroyo Colorado also boasts many recreational opportunities and attracts a large number of tourists annually. Agriculture, municipal and industrial activities are all contributors to water quality issues and impairments in the Arroyo Colorado watershed. The main concern coming from agriculture are chemicals such as fertilizers and pesticides that can be carried with the irrigation water through runoff and deep percolation. Agricultural producers can improve the water quality of the Arroyo Colorado by implementing best management practices (BMPs) that reduce nonpoint source (NPS) pollution from agricultural lands. Several demonstrations, one further described below, have been developed since 2006 to characterize the water quality of irrigation and runoff water and to evaluate the effectiveness of BMPs on water quality at the field and sub-watershed level. These activities have been conducted in an effort to implement the Arroyo Colorado Watershed Protection Plan and achieve its goals of reducing pollution from various sources, one of those being agriculture.Item EM-112 Approaches to Watershed Planning in Texas(Texas Water Resources Institute, 2012-06-12) Berthold, A.Water is used for various purposes, whether it is for drinking, swimming, fishing, irrigating or any other reason. To meet the needs of all these uses, the state is required by Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act to set standards and put forth efforts to clean up waters that do not meet the standards. The Clean Water Act also requires states to compile a list of water bodies that do not meet the standards for these uses, known as the 303(d) List, and to update the list every two years. To address impaired water bodies, Texas utilizes a variety of methods that result in plans to restore water quality. Two of the most common methods for developing plans to restore water quality are 1) a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) paired with an Implementation Plan (I-Plan) and 2) a Watershed Protection Plan (WPP).Item EM-111 Bacterial Source Tracking: Learn why Bacterial Source Tracking is the foremost tool for identifying sources of fecal pollution(Texas Water Resources Institute, 2012-02-24) Di Giovanni, D; Lee, L.; VanDelist, B.There are 273 bacterially impaired water bodies in Texas. Identifying and assessing sources of these bacteria — E. coli, Enterococcus, fecal coliforms — is critical to properly determining risk to water recreation, developing effective watershed restoration strategies such as watershed protection plans (WPPs) and total maximum daily loads (TMDLs), and efficiently targeting management measures.