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Bird Island Marsh Restoration Project Completed
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) recently completed the Bird Island Cove Marsh Restoration Project located along the south shoreline of West Galveston Bay. CCA Texas funded $50,000 to this project in May of 2011 and these funds were used in the construction of the project and as matching funds for a Coastal Wetland Planning, Protection and Restoration Act (CWPPRA) grant application in the amount of $1,000,000. CCA Texas's matching funds are an important part of federally issued grants and are used as local matching dollars.
Texas coastal wetlands are one of the most important parts of the ecosystems up and down the Texas coast. These wetlands serve over 95% of fish species found in the Gulf of Mexico and the intertidal marshes serve as nursery areas for fishery species such as brown and white shrimp, blue crab, sand seatrout, Gulf menhaden, southern flounder, red drum, bay anchovy and many other marine organisms. Coastal wetland loss in Texas and in the Galveston Bay system in particular is significant and an ongoing concern because of the important and necessary roles that the wetlands perform. TPWD, CCA Texas and other organizations recognize the importance of these wetlands and are working continuously to protect and restore these resources. TPWD takes the lead in this effort and CCA Texas is there to provide community matching dollars for federal and state grants, outreach about the importance and roles of these resources, and volunteers for marsh grass planting events and other types of habitat events when volunteers are needed.
This project will directly benefit approximately 114 acres of existing coastal wetlands in the Bird Island Cove area. This project includes approximately 4,000 linear-foot of segmented breakwater that protects existing estuarine marsh. In addition, hydraulic dredging was used to pump sediments from a nearby designated borrow area to restore the site to intertidal marsh elevations. These materials and elevations are suitable elevation for restoring salt flat marsh/sand flat habitat in addition to intertidal Spartina alterniflora marsh and allow for the migration of intertidal marsh to higher elevations in response to sea level rise. This method of restoration has been successfully used at six other projects (Jumbile Cove, J-Cove, Delehide Cove, Starvation Cove, Carancahua Cove and McAllis Point) in the West Galveston Bay system and CCA Texas looks forward to seeing more success in this project. Since the completion of the construction and as of mid February 2015, 9,700 sprigs of Spartina alterniflora have been planted and once completed a minimum of 32,000 sprigs will be planted within the project.
Louisiana Joins Texas in the Abandoned Crab Trap Clean up on Sabine Lake
The State of Louisiana joined Texas in the crab trap clean up on Sabine Lake and the success was measurable and volunteers were in action. CCA Texas chapters from the Sabine-Neches, Orange County, Trinity Valley and Golden Triangle Chapters were on hand, as well as members of the CCA Texas staff, to help remove traps and it was a great success despite the weather the volunteers faced. Sabine Lake, Galveston Bay System and San Antonio Bay System were once again hot spots for derelict traps. CCA Texas has sponsored this event since its inception and is proud to continue the support in the on going effort to remove the forgotten traps from the local bays.
CCA Texas Banquet Season Begins to Kick into Full Speed
CCA Texas is excited about the early success of the banquets held to date and looks forward to a busy spring. Be sure to check out the CCA Texas calendar and attend the banquets of your choice in your local area and across the state.
* April 2, 2015 Prairie Chapter Cat Springs Hall
Texas coastal wetlands are one of the most important parts of the ecosystems up and down the Texas coast. These wetlands serve over 95% of fish species found in the Gulf of Mexico and the intertidal marshes serve as nursery areas for fishery species such as brown and white shrimp, blue crab, sand seatrout, Gulf menhaden, southern flounder, red drum, bay anchovy and many other marine organisms. Coastal wetland loss in Texas and in the Galveston Bay system in particular is significant and an ongoing concern because of the important and necessary roles that the wetlands perform. TPWD, CCA Texas and other organizations recognize the importance of these wetlands and are working continuously to protect and restore these resources. TPWD takes the lead in this effort and CCA Texas is there to provide community matching dollars for federal and state grants, outreach about the importance and roles of these resources, and volunteers for marsh grass planting events and other types of habitat events when volunteers are needed.
This project will directly benefit approximately 114 acres of existing coastal wetlands in the Bird Island Cove area. This project includes approximately 4,000 linear-foot of segmented breakwater that protects existing estuarine marsh. In addition, hydraulic dredging was used to pump sediments from a nearby designated borrow area to restore the site to intertidal marsh elevations. These materials and elevations are suitable elevation for restoring salt flat marsh/sand flat habitat in addition to intertidal Spartina alterniflora marsh and allow for the migration of intertidal marsh to higher elevations in response to sea level rise. This method of restoration has been successfully used at six other projects (Jumbile Cove, J-Cove, Delehide Cove, Starvation Cove, Carancahua Cove and McAllis Point) in the West Galveston Bay system and CCA Texas looks forward to seeing more success in this project. Since the completion of the construction and as of mid February 2015, 9,700 sprigs of Spartina alterniflora have been planted and once completed a minimum of 32,000 sprigs will be planted within the project.
Louisiana Joins Texas in the Abandoned Crab Trap Clean up on Sabine Lake
The State of Louisiana joined Texas in the crab trap clean up on Sabine Lake and the success was measurable and volunteers were in action. CCA Texas chapters from the Sabine-Neches, Orange County, Trinity Valley and Golden Triangle Chapters were on hand, as well as members of the CCA Texas staff, to help remove traps and it was a great success despite the weather the volunteers faced. Sabine Lake, Galveston Bay System and San Antonio Bay System were once again hot spots for derelict traps. CCA Texas has sponsored this event since its inception and is proud to continue the support in the on going effort to remove the forgotten traps from the local bays.
CCA Texas Banquet Season Begins to Kick into Full Speed
CCA Texas is excited about the early success of the banquets held to date and looks forward to a busy spring. Be sure to check out the CCA Texas calendar and attend the banquets of your choice in your local area and across the state.
* April 2, 2015 Prairie Chapter Cat Springs Hall
* April 2, 2015 West Texas Chapter Midland Country Club
* April 3, 2015 San Antonio Chapter 2nd Annual Hooked on Clays Shoot National Shooting Complex in San Antonio.
* April 9, 2015 Greater Sugarland Chapter Stafford Centre
* April 10, 2015 Texas State University Chapter Hill Country Events Center
* April 11, 2015 Northeast Houston Chapter Humble Civic Expo Center
* April 16, 2015 Dallas Chapter Frontiers of Flight Museum
* April 17, 2015 Bay Area Chapter Bay Area Community Center
* April 18, 2015 Redfish Bay Chapter Port Aransas Civic Center
* April 23, 2015 Rio Grande Valley Chapter Boggus Ford Event Center Pharr
* April 23, 2015 Fort Bend Chapter Fort Bend County Fairgrounds
* April, 23, 2015 Brenham Chapter Silver Wings Ballroom
* April 24, 2015 Tri County Chapter Atascosa County Show Barn
* April 30, 2015 Central Houston Chapter Bayou Events Center
* April 30, 2015 Ft. Worth Chapter Joe T's