In this episode, Teri MacArthur joins us to discuss water quality, what compromises it, why it is important, why it matters to you, and what we can do about it.


About Teri: Teri MacArthur serves The Woodlands Township as an Environmental Education Specialist in the Environmental Services Department. Her specialty is water conservation. She also acts as the department’s Volunteer Coordinator. She is currently recruiting volunteers to assist local Municipal Utility Districts operating in the Township with installations of storm drain markers to remind people not to put anything in the drains. Today she’ll be talking to me about bacteria problems in local waterways and the relation to the storm drain project.

Contact Teri about the Woodlands Township water conservation program, education programs, or volunteering:
a. 281-210-3928
b. [email protected]


Contact Michael:
1. [email protected]
2. http://www.goldams.com
3. https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-gold-2883921/
4. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1152144714995033/

Join us at CCERP on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/groups/1152144714995033/



Show notes (material to help in your research; I have not read all these, and so cannot recommend or disrecommend):
1. The webpage for Environmental Services with list of departmental Upcoming Events:
https://www.thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov/Environment

2. Registration information for:
a. 2021 June 5 Invasive Species Workshop on Aquatic Invasive Plants (Online class) : https://environmentalservicesdepartment.wufoo.com/forms/z1v0mxue1rajwbm/
b. 2021 July 17 Watershed Project discussion: The Pet Waste Problem (in person at Meadowlake Park): https://environmentalservicesdepartment.wufoo.com/forms/z1wehlyv1f766o6/
c. 2021 August 14 Invasive Plants and Pests of our Region (online class): https://environmentalservicesdepartment.wufoo.com/forms/zcfllcg0oa5ik0/

3. "Township designated a Monarch Champion by National Wildlife Federation"
https://www.thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov/civicalerts.aspx?AID=3438

4. Parks in the Woodlands
https://www.thewoodlandstx.com/parks/

5. HGAC Clean Rivers Program (reports, data, methodologies, etc.)
https://www.h-gac.com/clean-rivers-program

6. San Jacinto Watershed, of which Cypress Creek is part
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cypress_Creek_(Texas)#/media/File:SanJacinto_Watershed.png

7. Dogs in the US
a. https://financesonline.com/number-of-dogs-in-the-us/
b. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dogs_in_the_United_States

8. "Common Fish in Precinct Four"
https://www.hcp4.net/parks/fishing/#1563910377846-5e96ad4b-136c

9. About River Mussels
a. https://www.fws.gov/southwest/es/Documents/R2ES/AUES_ctx_mussels_20171101.pdf
b. https://www.fws.gov/southwest/es/documents/r2es/5_central_texas_mussels_fact_sheet_2011.pdf
c. https://www.fws.gov/warmsprings/FishHatchery/species/mussels.html

10. Some River Mussels in Cypress Creek
a. Yellow Sandshell: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/rsg/profile.html?action=elementDetail&selectedElement=IMBIV21240
b. Fragile Papershell: https://gf.nd.gov/wildlife/id/freshwater-mussels/fragile-papershell
c. Giant Floater Mussel: https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/giant-floater
d. Pimpleback (different species; I have not nailed down which yet)
e. Pondhorn: https://mollusk.inhs.illinois.edu/field-guide-to-freshwater-mussels-of-the-midwest/freshwater-mussels-species-accounts/pondhorn/

11. Some Mussels in Texas
a. https://www.inaturalist.org/lists/66510-Texas-Freshwater-Musselss-Check-List
b. https://nri.tamu.edu/media/1109/status_of_freshwater_mussels_in_texas_tamu-irnr_05-2010_1.pdf

12. "Common Freshwater Organisms"
https://tpwd.texas.gov/education/resources/texas-junior-naturalists/bugs-bugs-bugs/common-freshwater-organisms

13. River Otters
a. https://www.fox7austin.com/news/river-otters-appear-to-be-making-comeback-in-texas
b. https://wildlifecenteroftexas.org/otters/

14. Butterflies of Texas
a. https://texasbutterfly.com/butterflies/
b. https://www.butterflyidentification.org/butterflies-by-state-listing.php?reach=Texas

15. Birds of Texas
a. https://www.pbase.com/dadas115/txbirds
b. https://tpwd.texas.gov/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_br_w7000_1673a.pdf
c. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_birds_of_Texas

16. Cadmium
a. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadmium
b. https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/substances/cadmium
c. https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/cadmium/default.html

17. Fertilizers as pollutants
a. https://homeguides.sfgate.com/fertilizers-pollutants-78452.html
b. https://www.epa.gov/agriculture/agriculture-nutrient-management-and-fertilizer
c. https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/nutpollution.html
d. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-fertilizers-harm-earth/

18. Pesticides and alternatives
a. https://extension.psu.edu/pesticides-and-alternatives

19. Biological inoculants
a. https://www.theenvironmentalblog.org/2018/09/what-you-need-to-know-about-biological-inoculants/
b. https://www.ecofarmingdaily.com/build-soil/biological-inoculants-for-soil-health/
c. https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=C990
d. examples
i. https://www.microlifefertilizer.com
ii. https://keystonebioag.com/biological-inoculants/


Bio and picture courtesy Teri MacArthur