April 18, 2008

Dear Sabine River Basin Stakeholder and Others: 

As someone interested in the Sabine River Basin, you may want to know about a series of public meetings that will resume a state study of how much water should flow in Texas rivers for a healthy environment.

The study of the Lower Sabine River is part of the Texas Instream Flow Program, which will host meetings in Orange on May 6 and 7.

The meetings will explain:

• Purpose of the studies - statewide and Lower Sabine River
• Geographical areas covered by the Lower Sabine studies
• How the public and stakeholders can help design the studies

The meetings also seek local knowledge and perspectives:

• Historical and cultural information
• Values and aspirations for the river
• Priorities for conducting the studies

Meetings will be held at:

The Garden District, a private dining facility

7536 Hwy 87 North

Orange, Texas 77632

May 6 6:30 pm

May 7 11:30 am

Please RSVP for the meetings by May 2 by calling (512) 936-0817.

About the Texas Instream Flow Program

 The Texas Instream Flow Program seeks to balance the needs of competing water users so that rivers are shared fairly.

The program was created by the state legislature in 2001 to study rivers across the state in an effort to protect the environment.

The program's objectives are to determine:

1. What makes a health environment for each river.
2. How much water should flow in rivers to ensure a healthy environment.

The program is administered by three agencies:

· Texas Commission on Environmental Quality

· Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

· Texas Water Development Board

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Sabine River Basin Study Design

Technical studies will assess how water flow affects river characteristics, such as:

· Aquatic life and habitat

· Water quality

· Movement of nutrients and organisms

· Stream channel formation

· Relationships between rivers and surrounding habitat

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 We look forward to seeing you in Orange on May 6 or May 7.

Thank you,

Wendy Gordon, Ph.D.
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality

Kevin Mayes
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

Mark Wentzel, Ph.D.
Texas Water Development Board

Texas Instream Flow Program

P.O. Box 13231
Austin, TX 78711

(512) 936-0817