Transcript Ecological Aspects of Region L

Ecological Aspects of Region
L
By: Joseph Trahan, Stephanie
Collinge, Maura Kush and Wes
Crochet
Region L
Hydrological Features of Region L
Rivers: Guadalupe, San Antonio, Nueces,
Lavaca-Guadalupe, San Antonio-Nueces
Aquifers: Edwards (BFZ), Trinity, CarrizoWilcox, Gulf Coast
Guadalupe
Nueces
San Antonio
Issues
The Region needs to start lessening its
dependence on water from the Edward’s
Aquifer in order to protect spring flows at
Comal and San Marcos Springs and
protect the threat against endangered
species.
Guadalupe River Diversion to San
Antonio
This strategy would include serious
reductions in freshwater inflows to the
Guadalupe estuary, and threatens
endangered Whooping Cranes at the
Aransas National Wildlife Refuge. And
although Region L has begun to back out
of this plan, they have not dropped it
entirely.
Groundwater Projects
The Groundwater projects proposed in the
Plan could result in a draw down in the
Trinity, Carrizo and Gulf Coast Aquifers,
thus affecting the flow of both spring flow
and the base flow to aquifers and
estuaries.
Problems that we MUST address
In order to prevent drought and increase
conservation of our water, we must
implement two important plans.
Irrigation Water Conservation
Strategies
We must formulate and implement some
sort of strategy that insures that irrigation
conservation is being practiced to the
extent feasible. This is one of the primary
issues Region L must address when
discussing the conservation of their water
solely because irrigation is such a great
user of water.
Drought Management
In times of drought, we must consider
existing local statuary limitations on nonessential water use during times of
drought. This directly causes and inflated
demand on more and more costly water
projects.
Endangered Animals of the
Edwards Aquifer
•
•
•
•
•
•
Fountain Darter
Texas Blind Salamander
San Marcos Gambusia
Comal Springs Riffle Beetle
Comal Springs Dryopid Beetle
Peck’s Cave Amphipod
Habitat Degradation
Over 40 species of highly adapted,
aquatic, subterranean species are known
to live in the Edwards Aquifer. The main
problems for all the species are reduced
spring flows caused by increased
pumping, elimination of habitat, and
degradation of water quality caused by
urban expansion.
Bibliography
http://www.texaswatermatters.org/region_l.ht
m
http://www.regionltexas.org/
http://www.tapestryofgrace.com/year3/geogr
aphy.php
http://www.edwardsaquifer.net/species.html