ecological aspects of region l by: joseph trahan, stephanie collinge, maura kush and wes crochet

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Ecological Aspects of Region L By: Joseph Trahan, Stephanie Collinge, Maura Kush and Wes Crochet

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Page 1: Ecological Aspects of Region L By: Joseph Trahan, Stephanie Collinge, Maura Kush and Wes Crochet

Ecological Aspects of Region L

By: Joseph Trahan, Stephanie Collinge, Maura Kush and Wes

Crochet

Page 2: Ecological Aspects of Region L By: Joseph Trahan, Stephanie Collinge, Maura Kush and Wes Crochet

Region L

Page 3: Ecological Aspects of Region L By: Joseph Trahan, Stephanie Collinge, Maura Kush and Wes Crochet

Hydrological Features of Region L

Rivers: Guadalupe, San Antonio, Nueces, Lavaca-Guadalupe, San Antonio-Nueces

Aquifers: Edwards (BFZ), Trinity, Carrizo-Wilcox, Gulf Coast

Page 4: Ecological Aspects of Region L By: Joseph Trahan, Stephanie Collinge, Maura Kush and Wes Crochet

Nueces

San Antonio

Guadalupe

Page 5: Ecological Aspects of Region L By: Joseph Trahan, Stephanie Collinge, Maura Kush and Wes Crochet

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.

Page 6: Ecological Aspects of Region L By: Joseph Trahan, Stephanie Collinge, Maura Kush and Wes Crochet

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.

Page 7: Ecological Aspects of Region L By: Joseph Trahan, Stephanie Collinge, Maura Kush and Wes Crochet

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.

Page 8: Ecological Aspects of Region L By: Joseph Trahan, Stephanie Collinge, Maura Kush and Wes Crochet

Problems that we MUST address

In order to prevent drought and increase conservation of our water, we must implement two important plans.

Page 9: Ecological Aspects of Region L By: Joseph Trahan, Stephanie Collinge, Maura Kush and Wes Crochet

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.

Page 10: Ecological Aspects of Region L By: Joseph Trahan, Stephanie Collinge, Maura Kush and Wes Crochet

Drought Management

In times of drought, we must consider existing local statuary limitations on non-essential water use during times of drought. This directly causes and inflated demand on more and more costly water projects.

Page 11: Ecological Aspects of Region L By: Joseph Trahan, Stephanie Collinge, Maura Kush and Wes Crochet

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

Page 12: Ecological Aspects of Region L By: Joseph Trahan, Stephanie Collinge, Maura Kush and Wes Crochet

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.

Page 13: Ecological Aspects of Region L By: Joseph Trahan, Stephanie Collinge, Maura Kush and Wes Crochet

Bibliography

http://www.texaswatermatters.org/region_l.htm

http://www.regionltexas.org/

http://www.tapestryofgrace.com/year3/geography.php

http://www.edwardsaquifer.net/species.html