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South Llano River: One of 2011’sTop Ten
• National Fish Habitat Action Plan named SLR as “water to watch”
• WHY??– Conserve freshwater, estuarine, and marine
habitat
For more information go to www.fishhabitat.org
Guadalupe Bass Initiative
• Central Texas endemic (streams of the Edwards Plateau region)
• State Fish of Texas
• Declining numbers– Decreased stream flow– Habitat degradation– Hybridization with smallmouth bass
A Watershed
• An area that drains to a common waterway, such as a stream, lake, estuary, wetland, aquifer, or even the ocean.
Source: http://water.epa.gov/type/watersheds/index.cfm
What Does a Watershed Look Like?
• There are watersheds of all types– They can include farmland, rangeland, small
towns or large cities– They can be only a few acres to millions of
square miles– Watershed have four major features: uplands,
floodplains, riparian zones, and water-bodies
WE ALL LIVE IN ONE!!Source: Texas Watershed Stewardship Program Workshop April 2010
Uplands
• Area of land above a water-body – Typically forms watershed boundaries– Provides habitat for wildlife, minimizes soil
erosion and acts a filter
Source: Texas Watershed Stewardship Program Workshop April 2010
Floodplains
• Flat land that surrounds a water-body that is prone to flood events– Traps excess water– Filters sediment– Provides habitat for wildlife
Source: Texas Watershed Stewardship Program Workshop April 2010
Riparian Zone
• “River Bank”
• Interface between land and water-body– Filters sediment and surface runoff– Minimizes soil erosion– Provides habitat for wildlife
Source: www.wikipedia.org
Water-Body
• Stream, river, pond, lake, reservoir, estuary, bay, or ocean
• Flowing (lotic) or non-flowing (lentic)
• Influence and affected by soil, slope, vegetation and topography
Source: Texas Watershed Stewardship Program Workshop April 2010
Watershed hydrology
• Hydrology is the study of water
• 70% of the Earth’s surface is water
• Water continually cycles through a process known as the water cycle
Where Does the Rain Go?
• Runoff
• Absorb by plants and used for photosynthesis
• Infiltrate soil and percolate down into groundwater aquifers
• Evaporation
• Trapped in ice caps, glaciers, lakes, and reservoirs
Source: Texas Watershed Stewardship Program Workshop April 2010
Land Use/Land Cover
• Land use is how WE use the land– Agriculture, industry, urban, recreation
• Land Cover is the physical and biological features– Forests, grassland, rivers, buildings
• Changes can effect watershed function
Watershed Functions
• Hydrological– Water capture: captured from rainfall and
infiltrates into soil– Water storage: stored in areas between soil
particles and soil profile– Water release: released underground, through
soil, or across land
Source: Texas Watershed Stewardship Program Workshop April 2010
Watershed Functions
• Ecological– Provides areas for nutrient transformation
found in air, water, and soil– Provides habitat for plants and wildlife
Source: Texas Watershed Stewardship Program Workshop April 2010
Benefits of a Watershed Approach
• Hydrologically and geographically defined– Considers many stressers (air, water, land)
• Includes all stakeholders– Agencies (federal, state,& local)– Community-based
• Identifies and prioritizes water resource issues (e.g. water quality, water quantity, invasive species)
Source: http://water.epa.gov/type/watersheds/approach.cfm
What is a Watershed Conservation Plan?
• Helps identify and prioritize issues facing the watershed
• Framework for community participation in land and water management with regard to issues
• Guide restoration efforts with regard to important species (e.g. Guadalupe Bass)
So, Why the Upper Llano River Watershed?
• EPA’s Healthy Watersheds Initiative
– Collaborative systems-approach to protecting healthy watersheds
• Why do it?
– Provides clean water for healthy ecosystems
– Habitat for fish and wildlife
– Drinking water
– Recreational opportunities
– Reduces vulnerability from negative impacts (e.g. land use changes, exotic & invasive species)