The Texas Water Resources Institute is hosting two programs spotlighting watershed restoration and protection on July 26-27 in Austin.

The programs are designed for watershed stakeholders, including watershed coordinators and water resource professionals.

First will be the Stakeholder Facilitation Training Program to be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 26 at the Lower Colorado River Authority, 3700 Lake Austin Blvd. The training will be presented by Charlie MacPherson of Tetra Tech, an environmental engineering and consulting firm. MacPherson will highlight tools used to effectively identify, engage and involve stakeholders throughout a watershed to restore and maintain healthy environmental conditions.

"Effective stakeholder engagement is essential to address watershed issues," says Kevin Wagner, an associate director of the institute. "Solving the water quality problems we face today requires commitment and participation of stakeholders throughout the watershed."

The Texas Water Resources Institute is part of Texas AgriLife Research, the Texas AgriLife Extension Service, and College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University.

"Stakeholder engagement is more than just holding a public hearing or seeking public comment on a new regulation," McPherson says. "Effective stakeholder engagement provides a method for identifying public concerns and values, developing consensus among affected parties, and producing efficient and effective solutions through an open, inclusive process."

The second program, the Texas Watershed Coordinators Roundtable, will be from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. July 27 at the river authority's Dalchau Service Center at 3505 Montopolis Dr.

"These roundtables, held biannually, provide a forum for watershed coordinators where they can develop interactive solutions to common watershed issues faced throughout the state, and add to the fundamental knowledge conveyed at other courses," says Courtney Smith, the institute's training program coordinator.

Presentations at this roundtable will focus on bacterial dynamics, assessment methods, and best management practices. For more on these programs or to register, you can go online to http://watershedplanning.tamu.edu or contact Smith at 979-845-1851 or through Email to courtneysmith@ag.tamu.edu.