Trinity River Authority, TX

PUBLIC COMMENT SOUGHT ON PLAN TO PROTECT LAKE ARLINGTON

(ARLINGTON, TX) – The Trinity River Authority, city of Arlington and Village Creek-Lake Arlington Watershed Protection Partnership need the public’s help in approving a plan to help protect Lake Arlington’s water quality. Public comments for the draft Village Creek-Lake Arlington Watershed Protection Plan will be accepted through Jan. 31, 2019. Written comments may be submitted, between 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., or mailed to the Trinity River Authority office at 5300 South Collins, Arlington 76018. Comments may also be transmitted by email or mailed to Aaron Hoff, watershed coordinator, at the Arlington office.

Lake Arlington provides drinking water to more than half a million residents in North Texas. Village Creek, Lake Arlington’s main tributary, is currently impaired for recreational use due to elevated levels of bacteria. A watershed protection plan was recommended by area partners to restore water quality in Village Creek, and in turn protect Lake Arlington’s water quality and maintain it for recreational and water supply use.

A draft copy of the watershed protection plan can be viewed online at: http://www.trinityra.org/lakearlingtonvillagecreek. Residents who would like to view a hardcopy, may do so at the Arlington office beginning Jan. 8, 2019, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Hoff will be available to assist with questions or comments.

“While Lake Arlington currently meets federal and state water quality standards, adding the public’s input to help finalize the draft plan is important toward maintaining Lake Arlington’s integrity as a valuable resource,” stated Hoff. “Members of the Partnership have worked diligently to ensure the draft plan represents a wide range of viewpoints and that it addresses water quality issues at the local level,” Hoff added.

After the draft plan is finalized, the Partnership, in conjunction with TRA and the city of Arlington, will begin implementing the plan. Implementation measures are voluntary and include technical and financial assistance programs for local stakeholders. Plans to provide additional environmental education programming for homeowners, local governments and business professionals will also be developed.

Funding for the planning phase of this effort was provided by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality through a Clean Water Act § 319(h) grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, with matching funding from the city of Arlington and in-kind contributions from TRA. Securing further funding for implementation initiatives will require commitments from local partners to meet grant requirements and ensure the plan’s continued success and long-term water quality protection benefits.

ABOUT THE TRINITY RIVER AUTHORITY OF TEXAS:

The Trinity River Authority of Texas is a conservation and reclamation district providing water and wastewater treatment, along with recreation and reservoir facilities, for municipalities within the nearly 18,000-square-mile Trinity River basin. TRA also maintains a master plan for basin-wide development, and serves as a conduit for tax-exempt financing for municipal projects and as a local sponsor for federal water projects. Each TRA operating project is an independent financial entity, and TRA receives no tax revenues or appropriations. For more information, visit www.trinityra.org.