The Green River Watershed Council/STEERING Committee met on Thursday to discuss the watershed plans for the area. The purpose of the Watershed Plan, sponsored by the Green River Conservation District, is to enhance the quality and productivity of natural resources by achieving compatibility among multiple uses in a specific area. It’s objective is also to improve and maintain natural resources in ways consistent with the priorities of land owners, land users, interest groups and land management.
The STEERING Committee is composed of local people and entities who have interest in the watershed areas. Their role is to determine which resource concerns need to be addressed in the watershed. There is also a technical committee that is made up of multiple agencies, some government entities and others who can provide technical information and expertise to the steering committee.
During the meeting, these committees came together to discuss their concerns in the following areas: soil, water, animal, plant, air, energy and human.
Some examples of concerns discussed were soil erosion from wind and water as well as erosion from recreational use. There were also concerns about the invasive species of plants, including poison ivy, Russian olive and tamarisk. These, along with numerous amounts of dead wood, can pose a fire hazard in the area.
The next meeting is scheduled for April 23 at 6 p.m. at the Green River City Hall. Those with questions or concern should contact Wayne Urie, Watershed Coordinator with the National Resources Conservation Service, at wayne.urie@usda.gov.