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ECOREGION DELINEATION IN TEXAS
Impact/Purpose:
GENERIC RARE OBJECTIVE: The Regional Applied Research Effort (RARE) provides the Regions with a mechanism to address near term research needs through an ORD Laboratory/Center. Any applied research project that a Region identifies and that an ORD laboratory has the expertise to carry out will be considered if the three following conditions are met: 1) projects must be funded through an ORD Laboratory or Center, 2) the project must fall within with defined mission of the selected ORD Laboratory/Center, and 3) proposals must be research-oriented.
State agencies will use the ecoregion framework to help structure their regulatory programs more effectively. For example, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) will use the map as a tool to evaluate water bodies for listing on the Section 303(d) list with respect to the appropriateness of criteria. By further refining the ecoregion and stream classifications, resulting from level IV delineation, the appropriateness of stream standards and criteria application along these natural boundaries instead of along geo-political or watershed boundaries will greatly improve the certainty of impairments and whether total maximum daily loads (TMDL) are warranted. In addition, the regions will be useful in helping determine appropriate TMDL targets.
Description:
Level III ecoregions are being refined and subdivided into level IV for the state of Texas. This work is consistent with ecoregion revision and subdivision that has been completed or is on-going in 37 of the conterminous United States. The two-year project is collaborative, involving the scientists and resource managers from the NRCS, TCEQ, Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board, EPA Region 6, EPA/NHEERL-Western Ecology Division, US Geological Survey, Natural Area Preservation Association, and Texas A&M University. The final products will comprise a map/poster which will be published by the USGS and which will contain the map, photos, and descriptions of the Level III and IV ecoregions.