Month: May 2010

Brush Control Will Increase Groundwater Supply

For over 50 years, Hill Country ranchers have been telling tales of springs bursting from the ground after they removed ashe juniper infected areas. Actually, they probably didn’t call it ashe juniper. In Texas, it’s “affectionately” known as cedar. A recent study on 700 acres owned by the state (40 miles north of San Antonio) is giving federal researchers the data to find out just how much water the trees use, and if a massive program to restore grasslands across the Hill Country would result in more water for cities, farms and wildlife.

“Now we are controlling the water with the landscape,” said George Ozuna, the deputy director of the U.S. Geological Survey’s Texas Water Science Center. Until now small-scale studies on parcels up to 50 acres have shown juniper removal from the Edwards Plateau might result in an increase of stream flow and groundwater recharge equal to about 5 percent of annual rainfall. Continue reading Brush Control Will Increase Groundwater Supply

Brush Management and Streamflow

In the past, abundant woody growth (brush) was considered to be bad for Central Texas streams and rivers. However, a recent analysis of long-term streamflow for the major rivers in the Edwards Plateau has indicated that baseflows in these rivers has significantly increased since the 1950 drought. Further, recent levels of baseflows (supplied from springs) appear to be about twice as high as they were before the 1950’s drought. These increases have occurred even as woodlands have expanded in the region, probably because the landscape is recovering from historic overgrazing.

The results of this study are important because they clearly demonstrate that how the land and habitat is managed does have a large scale effect on water supplies. That being said, does this new research conflict with earlier studies showing that recharge may be enhanced through brush management? Continue reading Brush Management and Streamflow

Texas Wildlife Agencies Follow Gulf Oil Disaster

Texas’ natural resources agencies have been following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, but so far Texas has not seen any wildlife or fisheries impacts from the event. But an estimated 5,000 barrels of oil a day continues to spew from 5,000 feet beneath the surface of the Gulf of Mexico. Due partially to rough seas and heavy weather, the oil slick has expanded to roughly 3,000 square miles—an area the size of Puerto Rico.

While the emergency is unfolding in waters off the Mississippi delta, ground zero for coping with the spill is a suite of offices on the third floor of well-owner BP’s Houston headquarters, where company officials and an assemblage of scientists and engineers from a variety of other companies have been pursuing several options to contain the spill while at the same time lessening its impact.

Will the oil spanning much of the Gulf of Mexico find it’s way to Texas’ shores, impacting critical coastal wetlands? Hard to say, but here’s the latest from Don Pitts, of their Environmental Assessment and Restoration Program: Continue reading Texas Wildlife Agencies Follow Gulf Oil Disaster

Texas Birding Classic Raises Much Needed Funds

The 14th annual Great Texas Birding Classic wrapped up Sunday in the Rio Grande Valley. This marked the sixth year that Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and the Gulf Coast Bird Observatory have worked together on the birding event, which is held every April to coincide with the annual spring bird migrations in the state. TPWD employees Cliff Shackelford and Shelly Plante represented the department this weekend.

The winning Energy Saver team has won now for three years in a row in this competition category to see the most species of birds per mile, with a 50-mile minimum. The winning Weeklong team has won for six years straight. Continue reading Texas Birding Classic Raises Much Needed Funds

Texas Master Naturalist Statewide Annual Meeting

The 11th Texas Master Naturalist Statewide Annual Meeting and Advanced Training will be held October 22-24, 2010 at T bar M Ranch in New Braunfels. Members may begin reserving accommodations now! The Lindheimer Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalist program will be assisting as hosts of this years conference and together we have already planned many exciting trainings and features for the conference. This year, the overnight accommodations will be separate from the conference registration expense. While, the conference registration is not yet available, members may begin reserving their rooms at T bar M.

A block of rooms is available to reserve at the special rate of $85.00 per room per night (plus tax, where applicable). The rooms are extremely nice hotel-style rooms. There are also a limited number of 2 and 3 bedroom condos available at $85 per bedroom as well. The more people you care to have in your room, the less of a per person cost there will be to you. The majority of the rooms are double/doubles that may sleep up to 4 individuals. If you are planning to share a room with someone, only one person needs to make the reservation. However, once the conference registration becomes available each person attending the conference will need to register for that. Continue reading Texas Master Naturalist Statewide Annual Meeting