TABLE OF CONTENTS

List of tables and figures...... i

Abbreviation List...... ii Acknowledgements...... ii

Introduction ...... 1

Ecologically significant river and stream segment descriptions...... 5

Nueces River (upstream of )...... 6 Nueces River (downstream of Lake Corpus Christi)...... 9 Nueces River Tidal...... 17 Aransas River Tidal...... 22 References ...... 26

LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES

Table 1. Ecologically significant river and stream segments...... 3

Figure 1. Coastal Bend (Region N) water planning area...... 4 Figure 2. Location of the ecologically significant Nueces River Segment (TNRCC Segment 2103) Upstream of Lake Corpus Christi...... 6 Figure 3. Extensive forested riparian habitat along the Nueces River near George West, ...... 7 Figure 4. Nueces River at US 59 bridge near George West, Texas...... 8 Figure 5. Nueces River near FM 799 upstream of Lake Corpus Christi, Texas...... 8 Figure 6. Location of the ecologically significant Nueces River Segment (TNRCC Segment 2102) between Calallan Dam and Wesley Seale Dam...... 9 Figure 7. Extensive forested riparian habitat along the Nueces River downstream of Lake Corpus Christi (within TNRCC segment 2102)...... 11 Figure 8. Extensive forested riparian habitat along the Nueces River near Bluntzer, Texas (within TNRCC segment 2102)...... 12 Figure 9. Extensive wetland habitats along the Nueces River upstream of Calallan Dam (within TNRCC segment 2102)...... 13 Figure 10. Mapped wetland habitat associated with a segment of the Nueces River upstream of Calallan Dam...... 14 Figure 11. Nueces River within the City of Corpus Christi Wildlife Sanctuary downstream of Lake Corpus Christi...... 15 Figure 12. Nueces River at TX 359 bridge, downstream of Lake Corpus Christi...... 15 Figure 13. Nueces River at FM 666 bridge near Bluntzer, Texas...... 16 Figure 14. Nueces River at Hazel Bazemore County Park near Calallan, Texas...... 16 Figure 15. Location of the ecologically significant Nueces River Tidal Segment (TNRCC segment 2101) between Calallan Dam and ...... 17 Figure 16. Estuarine wetlands associated with the tidal segment (TNRCC segment 2101) of the Nueces River ...... 18 Figure 17. Mapped wetland habitat of the Nueces River Delta...... 19 Figure 18. The saltwater barrier on the Nueces River at Calallan, Texas...... 20 i Figure 19. The dredged channel between the Nueces River and just downstream of IH-37 ...... 20 Figure 20. Irregularly flooded intertidal estuarine wetlands within the Nueces River Delta marsh...... 21 Figure 21. Location of the ecologically significant tidal segment of the Aransas River (TNRCC segment 2003)...... 22 Figure 22. Extensive estuarine wetlands of the Aransas River Delta, ...... 23 Figure 23. Mapped wetland habitats of the Aransas River Delta...... 24 Figure 24. (a) & (b) Shorebirds and wading birds in the extensive estuarine habitats at Egery Flats off FM 136...... 25

ABBREVIATION LIST

Fed. - Federal St. - State E. - Endangered T. - Threatened

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The authors of this report would like to thank Cindy Loeffler and Gordon Linam for reviewing and editing draft versions of the report and for providing valuable input.

ii