Direct Mailing Education Campaign Impacts on the Adoption of Grazing Management Practices

Abstract

N onpoint source pollution is the leading cause of water quality impairments in the United States, and Texas waters are monitored for and impacted by point and nonpoint source pollution (U.S. EPA 2017). In Texas, the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board (TSSWCB) and Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) are responsible for maintaining and improving water quality through many programs including the Clean Rivers Program, the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) program, and the Texas Nonpoint Source Management Program (TCEQ 2020). The Texas Integrated Report, delivered in compliance with the federal Clean Water Act Sections 305(b) and 303(d), evaluates the state's natural surface waters' quality based on historical records and criteria aligning with the Texas surface water quality standards (TCEQ 2019b). Water bodies not meeting the established water quality standards

Linking watershed nutrient loading to estuary water quality with generalized additive models

“…The evidence of decreased Lavaca River NO 3 loading, although weak, is a potential positive sign for water quality managers working to implement practices that improve water quality in the freshwater sections of the Lavaca River watershed. Planning and implementation efforts to increase agricultural producer participation in water quality protection practices have been ongoing in the watershed since 2016 ( Schramm et al, 2018 ; Berthold, Olsovsky & Schramm, 2021 ), however little work has been conducted to directly link these efforts with water quality outcomes. The decrease in flow-normalized NO 3 loads could be a reflection of those collective efforts but the lack of evidence for similar changes in flow-normalized TP loads provide contrary support.…”

“…There are ongoing efforts between local, state, and federal agencies to address water quality impairments in the freshwater portions of the Lavaca Bay watershed ( Jain & Schramm, 2021 ; Schramm et al, 2018 ; Berthold, Olsovsky & Schramm, 2021 ). However, on a statewide scale, these approaches have shown limited success and emphasize a need for improved methods to assess and link management actions with downstream water quality ( Schramm, Gitter & Gregory, 2022 ).…”