Passport to Texas

Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife

A few conservation methods can go a long way. Gretchen Mahan tells us more.

It doesn’t take much to conserve water. My family and I conserved about 3,000 gallons this summer by changing a few habits. Right after we began the project, the city implemented water restrictions. So we followed the rules and only watered by sprinklers once a week in the early morning.

In Texas, watering the lawn can account for 50 percent of residential water use in the summer. So to make sure our sprinkler system was efficient, my dad and I hammered rocks behind them so they would shoot closer to the ground to prevent unnecessary evaporation.

Yeah, that’s pretty low to the ground.

My mom, René, tends to beautiful gardens, but, unfortunately, gardens require water. And she says since we’ve been in a drought, the plants aren’t looking their best.

Most of them are real yellow and dry. I got several that are just absolutely crying. They’re just laying on the ground begging me to come water them.

Fortunately, none of our plants died, but we might need look into replacing some of our gardens with more native plants that use less water. The 3,000 gallons we saved was 13 percent of our total water use. If every Texan saved that much, we could put a major dent in the amount of water we use.

Thanks Gretchen. That’s our show…Find more information about water conservation at passporttotexas.org. For Texas Parks and Wildlife I’m Cecilia Nasti.

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Passport to Texas from Texas parks and Wildlife and the Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration Program

Estuaries act as nurseries for juvenile species of saltwater fish. And freshwater inflows keep estuaries in top form.

Freshwater brings sediments which builds nursery areas. Freshwater also brings nutrients which feed the plants and animals that grow and form the basis for the food web in the estuary.

Former TPW Coastal Studies Team Leader, Dave Buzan, says since the 1950’s we’ve restricted water flow to the gulf by building reservoirs and flood control structures.

Historically we have controlled water because we know we need water for people to drink, for industries, and for agriculture.

Human need has effectively changed Texas from a land of rivers and streams into a land of impounded water, meaning less fresh water reaches our estuaries.

In hindsight, we’re able to see that the more of these reservoirs and flood control structures we’ve built have really reduced our ability to get water to the estuary on a consistent basis.

And when fresh water doesn’t flow consistently into estuaries, the health of these ecosystems as well as the health of a significant segment of our economy suffers the consequences.

We’ll look at that tomorrow.

That’s our show … made possible by the Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration Program…working to increase fishing, hunting, shooting and boating opportunities in Texas.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

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Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife and the Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration

At first glance, hydrilla—an exotic aquatic plant—seems beneficial to large mouth bass.

The hydrilla acts just as a habitat, refuge, cover for the bass. And so they’ll hide out in that, waiting for a bait to come by.

John Wedig is a supervisor of aquatic sciences at the Lower Colorado River Authority. He says many fishermen use hydrilla to their advantage.
The fishermen realize that [the way bass wait for bait], and now they mimic or imitate that bait with their lure and it improves their chances of catching a bass.

But the fun and games don’t last. Hydrilla is an invasive species, and if it’s not controlled, it can grow into a thick mat that becomes detrimental to fish and frustrating to fishermen.
That’s what we actually experienced on Lake Bastrop years ago, where we had a 900 acre lake with about 600 acres of hydrilla in it. And so there was so much cover, they [the bass] couldn’t get to their food fish. So we actually had what was referred to as “skinny bass.”

Earl Chilton, Parks and Wildlife aquatic habitat enhancement director, says combating hydrilla is an ongoing battle, and total eradication is highly unlikely.

Hydrilla produces tubers. They’re potato like structures that can remain dormant in the sediments for years, sometimes over a decade. So when you think you’ve got it under control, these things are sitting down there waiting to come back.

That’s our show…with research and writing help from Gretchen Mahan. We receive support from the Sport Fish restoration Program…funded by your purchase of fishing equipment and motor boat fuel.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife, I’m Cecilia Nasti.

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Passport to Texas From Texas Parks and Wildlife and the Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration Program

Before Houston and surrounding communities took root, and farmers turned wild land into farmland, the area was covered in tall grass prairies.

We’re restoring these croplands back to the historic tall grass prairies that they were fifty, a hundred years ago.

Robert Comstock is superintendent of Sheldon Lake State Park, outside of Houston. Four hundred acres in the park have been identified for restoration, and volunteers have already replanted 100 acres with native grasses.

And they’re what we call rescuing grasses from, say, highway projects, construction projects all throughout the city. They bring them out here, and cut them up, and pot them into smaller pots, and then grow them out, and then transplant them into the prairie.

Comstock says he’s already seen an increase in wildlife.

That’s what’s most exciting about this. A year or so after we did the first one hundred acres, our bird census has already documented close to a dozen species of birds that we’ve never seen before in the park. So there’s tangible results right then and there that we’re doing is good and is improving the environment and the habitat in the area.

Volunteers are always welcome to help with this project. Find more information at passporttotexas.org.

That’s our show…made possible by a grant from the sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration program…working to restore native habitat in Texas.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

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August 2009 — Sheldon Lake SP — Prairie Restoration — Every Tuesday. Volunteers are needed to help with the ongoing restoration of 80 acres of tall grass prairie. Activities include separating and potting rescued grasses, planting mature grasses and collecting seed. No training necessary, work gloves and boots recommended. Meet at the Park Office. 8-11a.m. (281) 456-2800.

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Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife and the Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration Program

Robert Comstock can see the Houston Skyline from his office at Sheldon Lake State Park.

And yet, I can walk out the back door and go around the corner, and there is a chance that I will see bobcats, 250 different species of birds, coyotes, rabbits, and deer—there’s no telling what. And it’s all in Houston’s backyard.

Superintendant Comstock says the 3-thousand acre park, located in northeast Harris County, is unique among other parks in the system.

It’s actually one of the few state parks whose main reason is education with recreation as a secondary aspect.

Thousands of area school children visit the Sheldon Lake SP each year, and environmental education, including alternative energy, is on the curriculum.

[We] have a wind turbine out here generating a one and a half kilowatts of electricity, two solar arrays and geothermal air conditioning, and all our water in our restrooms are heated with solar heaters. And then there’s compost and recycling demonstration areas. They can get a well-rounded experience during their stay here.

From high tech to high touch–Sheldon Lake SP is restoring 400 acres of native tall grass prairie—and you can help. Learn how on tomorrow’s show.

That’s our show…made possible by a grant from the Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration program…working to restore native habitat in Texas.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

Sheldon Lake State Park Play Now | Play in Popup | Download