Stakeholder Engagement is Key
A primary element of the Clean Rivers Program (CRP) is the involvement of the public. The Nueces River Authority (NRA) depends on public participation and input from stakeholders in the development of water quality objectives and priorities for each basin. NRA delivers education and outreach activities to enhance stakeholder knowledge and involvement.
Our CRP Steering committee members represent a variety of interests from across the area. NRA facilitates regular steering committee meetings to discuss water quality issues of each basin as well as NRA’s overall management of the Clean River Program (CRP). NRA uses input from these meetings and communications received from individual stakeholders to helpdevelop and guide its CRP program.
The steering committee process is important because it provides NRA with new ideas for work plans and allows NRA to focus on the needs and interests of the stakeholders of the basins. Such ideas have included: increased education, more public outreach, additional special studies, expanded routine and systematic monitoring, and increased targeted monitoring.
In between regular meetings, stakeholders are kept up to date on CRP activities via regular newsletters. Please contact us if you would like to join the steering committee and receive the newsletter by email.
Steering Committee and Stakeholder Updates and Archive
Youth Education is a Priority
NRA also utilizes classroom and community presentations as a component of its CRP public outreach to strengthen appreciation of basin water resources and the symbiotic relationship between land and water. Our classroom education program uses a watershed model and other hands-on activities to show thousands of students each year how pollutants enter and contaminate rivers and aquifers and how everyone can help protect and conserve water resources. This approach has been key to NRA’s success in informing the public about the water quality issues and concerns.
Local groundwater conservation districts, businesses, community groups, and others partner with us to deliver our Up2U litter prevention campaign to promote personal responsibility for clean rivers. NRA’s education program is a recognized winner, receiving the National Wetlands Award in 2004, the Texas Environmental Excellence Award in 2008, and Lonestar Land Steward Award in 2012.
