Collin County, Texas -- The Collin County Soil & Water Conservation District #535 is pleased to announce the winner of our John D. Wells Conservation Awards Program "Friend of Conservation" award to Galen Roberts with North Texas Municipal Water District. Galen was instrumental in the development of the Lavon Lake Watershed Protection Plan.

Through this plan, the Texas State Soil & Water Conservation Board received a 319 (h) Federal Clean Water Act grant to address non-point source pollution in the watershed. Through this grant, the Collin County SWCD received funds to hire a district technician and provide cost-share incentives to develop Water Quality Management Plans throughout the watershed. This is a voluntary program to implement best management practices on private, agriculture land.

As the local winner, Galen's entry as a "Friend of Conservation" advanced to the Area 5 contest. We have recently been notified that this entry won the area contest, and Galen and the CCSWCD will be recognized at the Area 5 banquet on May 5 in Dublin, TX.

The CCSWCD's Conservation awards program is named after former Director and Chairman, John D. Wells, who was a champion of conservation and agriculture in Collin County for many years. Galen was presented the award at the Texas Watershed Stewardship workshop at Myers Park on March 3, 2020. We were honored to have three of Mr. Wells' daughters attend to recognize Galen and honor the program named after their father.

Pictured below (L-R): SWCD Director Bill Stelzer,
Kathy Wells Power, Sarah Wells Macias, Galen Roberts, Marianne Wells,
SWCD Technician Ryann Cline, SWCD Director Rick Foster.

For more information on a WQMP, contact Ryann Cline at our office, 972-542-0081 ext. 3.