Passport to Texas

Passport to Texas From Texas Parks and Wildlife

Just seeing all those maple trees in one location and when the weather changes it’s just so beautiful up there.

Which state park this visitor is talking about?

I’m Kevin Barker and I visited Lost Maples over there in the Hill country Area.

This gorgeous park got its name from the rare pocket of Big Tooth Maples that fill the area. But hike around, like Kevin, and you’ll find plenty other natural gems!

What I also enjoyed was finding little pockets of springs where the water was coming up through the aquifer and just kind of dipping in. You know, when you’re walking around in 90 degree heat on top of the mountain, it was real nice to kick off your shoes and kind of jump in with your bathing suit and cool off a little bit. So it was real neat.

Beyond the inviting refreshment of its pools, Lost Maples Park Superintendent, John Stuart, says those same waters quench the thirst of Central Texans…and it’s like drinking ancient history.

We’re right at the head waters of the Sabinal River and it comes out of springs out of the sides of the hills and caves and then it flows on down and most of the water drops into the Edwards Aquifer and then goes back over towards Austin. And they say it takes a thousand years for the water to get from here to there. Geologically speaking that’s just a blink, but it’s quite a long time for a man.

That’s our show…with research and writing help from Sarah Loden… For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

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Passport to Texas Legacies …from Texas Parks and Wildlife

Joe Moore is an educator and former Executive Director of the Texas Water Development Board. He understands the importance of freshwater inflows to the health of bays, estuaries and to us. Getting others to understand has been a challenge.

You cannot imagine the reaction you get from an audience in Lubbock when you tell them that instead of pumping the water to Lubbock, you’re going to let it flow into the Gulf of Mexico.

A major engineering consulting firm was meeting with an advisory group one time, and we were talking about freshwater inflows. He suddenly realized we were talking about assuring freshwater inflows, and he said, ‘You mean you’re going to give the water to a fish before you give it to people?’ They didn’t understand the economics of freshwater inflows.

There was a 1957 conference on this campus [Texas Tech] in which waste was described as a bucket of water that escaped into the Gulf of Mexico. The objective at that point was to dam every river in Texas so that there was not a drop of water that went out of a Texas river into the Gulf of Mexico. So the Trinity would stop flowing before it got to Galveston Bay. Every river in Texas would be so controlled that no water would quote, be wasted into the Gulf of Mexico, end quote. That’s how little understanding there was of the significance of freshwater inflows.

Protecting freshwater inflows protects out future.

Our show is produced in cooperation with the Conservation History Association of Texas. Visit them at texaslegacy.org.

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

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Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife

Texas Parks and Wildlife Magazine has a great adventure lined up for readers this month as they go deep underground into karst caves. Managing Editor, Louie Bond.

The way they were created geologically is that the bedrock dissolves, and what you have forming is a sink hole on top, and underneath you have these caves and these wonderful springs. And what’s really special about these formations, I think, are the wonderful creatures that come to live there. And there’s a whole “genre” of species that are called troglobites.

And once we start losing these species, we realize something’s wrong and we need to do something about it. So, this is really important work, as well as being just an incredible adventure for our readers.

Thanks, Louie.

That’s our show…For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.
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Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife

Think of buoys and water markers just like you would a traffic signal or sign on a roadway…

There may be some that indicate a speed limit…some that indicate there is not a wake allowed…a lot of inland buoys will contain information telling you where boat traffic is restricted…information such as hazards or rocks, that’s a danger to boating.

That’s Alfonso Campos, the Assistant Chief of Marine Enforcement for Texas Parks and Wildlife. Buoys can also help keep you steering in the right direction…or on the right channel.

The main thing to remember is red right returning…that simply means that when you’re returning you keep the red buoy on your right and it will bring you inland.

And just because you leave your car in the garage…you can still get a ticket for not obeying these signs on the water.

If people failed to obey the laws a game warden or other marine safety officer may issue citations…and the penalties are quite stiff. They range anywhere from 25 to 500 dollars.

Boater safety classes will introduce you to the buoy system…to learn more, log on to our website, passporttotexas.org.

That’s our show…we receive support from the Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration Program…reminding you that June 6th through 14th is National Fishing and Boating week…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 Restoration Program

You would think if you’re in your boat on a wide-open waterway you’d be less likely to have an accident…but it happens. When it does you can’t tell a fish story…

An accident must be reported under Texas law if there is at least 500 dollars in damages, if there is a person that is killed or injured…injured means an injury that is beyond first aid.

Alfonso Campos, is the Assistant Chief of Marine Enforcement at Texas Parks and Wildlife. He says you’d be surprised how many people don’t report boating mishaps.

A national statistic, provided by the Coast Guard shows as few as 10 percent of the accidents are actually reported.

Accident reports need to be filed within 30 days of the incident…and it’s an up to a 500-dollar fine if you don’t comply. To encourage more folks to fill out the paperwork, he says the report is not admissible in court as evidence against you.

It can’t be held against you that you reported an accident…if you write something down it’s not going to incriminate you…it’s simply a statistical report and we use it to look at trends in boating…what things are causing accidents.

If you have an aquatic fender bender, download a copy of the boating accident report online, we have a link to it at passporttotexas.org.

That’s our show…we receive support from the Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration Program…reminding you that June 6th through 14th is National Fishing and Boating week…For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

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