AWWA ACE65515

Without a concerted effort to protect Texas' best potential reservoir sites, such as theFastrill Reservoir, the state's water security will be in great peril in the near future. The 80thLegislature's overreaching attempt at protecting these sites gives little to no actual defense fromthe grasp of the United States Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS). If something is not done at the state or federal level to change the law,considerable barriers will exist to block the development of most reservoir sites in Texas,particularly those in East Texas where most of the remaining bottomland hardwoods occur. Reservoir construction that results in a new loss of riverine, wetland and woodedbottomland habitats, should include requirements to compensate for those impacts, and toparticipate in preserving and managing remaining areas. Both state and federal law requires suchmitigation of impacts. Hopefully, the emerging spirit of cooperation between water developers,conservationists, and other affected interests can be extended to cooperation in reservoirdevelopment to provide the funds and increase the political will necessary for increasedprotection of bottomland hardwoods and other natural resources beyond what can occur from theestablishment of refuges alone. The Fastrill project can be a model example of the potential forthis process by relocating the proposed refuge to a site with better habitat using land that isacquired in fee at the project sponsors' costs that can be managed to the benefit of all Texans, notjust a wealthy few.

Product Details

Edition:

Vol. - No.

Published:

06/01/2007

Number of Pages:

17

File Size:

1 file , 360 KB