South Llano River: One of 2011’sTop Ten

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

http://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


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


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

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


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


Watershed Functions

• Ecological– Provides areas for nutrient transformation

found in air, water, and soil– Provides habitat for plants and wildlife


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)

Documents

South Llano River: One of 2011’sTop Ten