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BAHIA GRANDE RESTORATION PROJECT DW14945947
Impact/Purpose:
This interagency agreement will generate products that will assist the GMPO Habitat and Nutrient Enrichment Focus teams in meeting their environmental goals and objectives to enhance/restore the functions and values of degraded Gulf habitats. The informational products associated with this agreement will be utilized by non-governmental organizations and by many local, state, and federal agencies to track the ecological and economic impacts of wetland restoration. This interagency agreement contains several tasks that support the objectives of the Gulf of Mexico Program Nutrient Enrichment Focus Team. The tasks are as follows. Task 1. To document the functional role and potential contribution of restored estuary habitat for several commercial and recreationally important species in juvenile life stages; Task 2. To document the association between fish and shellfish species of the Gulf of Mexico and their estuarine habitats, and characterization of the ecological processes that contribute to species productivity and distribution; and Task 3. To identify specific coastal habitat areas that, through restoration, offer potential to contribute to the growth, reproduction, and survival of fish and shellfish species, and measure the potential productivity associated with restoration of these habitat types.
Description:
The Bahia Grande Restoration Project is located on a 6,000+ acre shallow basin that at one time was inundated with biological resources. The basin supported large flocks of wintering and migratory waterfowl. Also, it contributed to a productive recreational and commercial fisheries industry. This all was prior to the construction of the Brownsville Ship Channel in the 1930's that cut off the natural tidal flows from the Gulf of Mexico. In the 50’s the construction of Highway 48 from Port Isabel to Brownsville further diverted water away from the basin leaving it extremely dry. For nearly 75 years, the basin has been dry and has generated tremendous sources of airborne sand and dust in neighboring areas. This project will help to restore the area that has been devoid of water and wildlife for almost 75 years.