Tag: wetlands

Balmorhea State Park Wetland Project Finished!

Wetlands provide important habitat for the animals that use them. Believe it or not, this is even the case in semi-arid regions such as west Texas! The construction of new wetlands at Balmorhea State Park to benefit several species of conservation concern has been completed. This system was designed to provide high-quality habitat for two endangered fish and three rare invertebrates.

Reports state that water began flowing through the newly constructed ciénega in April, and there are now large numbers of juvenile Comanche Springs Pupfish and Pecos Gambusia as well as a suite of other aquatic life including frogs, softshell turtles and a wide variety of invertebrates. It sounds like this wildlife management practice will have ongoing benefits into the future for both native plants and animals of the park and region. Continue reading Balmorhea State Park Wetland Project Finished!

Grants for Habitat and Wildlife Management

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and local water conservation districts work together to provide technical assistance to provide Texas landowners to help conserve, improve, and develop their soil, water, plant, wildlife and related resources. There are several financial assistance programs available through the NRCS that can help you develop a wetland and offer wetland management incentives.

The Texas Prairie Wetlands Program is administered and funded by the USDA-NRSC, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and Ducks Unlimited. Cost-share assistance (75 to 100%) is available to restore, improve, and create wetlands on private lands for waterfowl management. A 10 to 15 year wetland management plan and written agreement is developed jointly and is carried out by the landowner. NRCS and Ducks Unlimited write the management plan, survey, and design any need water control or earthen structures. The landowner agrees to follow the management plan (Wetland Development Agreement) for the life of the contract. Continue reading Grants for Habitat and Wildlife Management

Ducks Unlimited Donations Help Texas Wetlands, WMA

DU helps Texas wetlands and the Murphree WMA 

Ducks Unlimited announced last week it was awarded a federal North American Wetlands Conservation Act grant to enhance more than 5,728 acres of wetland habitat in Chambers and Jefferson counties along the Texas coast. Partners contributed more than $2 million to match the $1 million received from the federal grant. The project will restore high priority wintering habitat for ducks, geese, and other migratory birds within the Chenier Plain of Texas, including at TPWD sites such as the J.D. Murphree Wildlife Management Area. The project will replace degraded culverts and pipes with modern water control structures, improve existing levees, and construct new levees to provide efficiently managed wetland habitat.

“This partnership project will enhance management capabilities on approximately 1,100 acres of freshwater coastal marsh habitat,” said Jim Sutherlin, area manager at Murphree WMA for TPWD. “The aging water management infrastructure is in need of upgrades to enhance wetland habitat for wildlife and especially migratory waterfowl.”

The NAWCA grant project is made possible with financial support from partners BP America, Suemaur Exploration and Production, LLC, and Jefferson County Drainage District #6.