Houston Monthly Meeting: Improving Surface Water Quality in Texas

This meeting will be conducted using Zoom. Everyone is welcome.
7:20 - 7:30 pm: Time for log in, announcements, meet & greet.
Featured program presentation starts at 7:30 pm.

This program requires advance registration at this Zoom link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwkfumurD8vHNJtT8RDLP9z3k_yAbxsxtJg#/registration

September Program Topic:
A Stream Come True: Improving Surface Water Quality in Texas

This month our speaker will be Dr. Evgenia Spears, the new
Water Program Coordinator for the Sierra Club Lone Star Chapter.

As Texas continues to grow, the pressure on its water resources intensifies, necessitating more stringent and comprehensive water policies to protect the 'lifeblood' of the Lone Star State. Fast population growth, land use changes, increasing industrialization, and worsening droughts are among the key factors affecting water quality in Texas water bodies. To help mitigate these impacts and protect public health and the environment, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) establishes and updates surface water quality standards every three years. Public participation is a critical part of this process, as required by the Clean Water Act. With around 40% of the state's surface water bodies currently impaired and demographic projections predicting a near doubling of the Texas population within the next 50 years, Texans' involvement in water quality protection is more important than ever. Join us as we explore the current state of Texas surface waters and learn how you can contribute to shaping water quality decisions in our state.

Speaker's Background:
Dr. Evgenia Spears recently joined the Sierra Club Lone Star Chapter as the Water Program Coordinator. Prior to this role, she was a Postdoctoral Research Associate at Texas A&M University, where she contributed to the development of major natural resource strategic planning documents for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. She has also worked with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service as a Watershed Coordinator, providing statewide public outreach and education on best practices to protect water resources. Dr. Spears envisions a future for Texas where water is not only clean and abundant but also accessible to everyone. She is confident that by committing to responsible stewardship and working together, we can make this vision a reality.

Photo by Tom Douglas.