The Texas Water Source

TEXAS FOREST SERVICE MARCH 2009

THE TEXAS WATER SOURCE

UPDATING CASS AND MARION CO. FOREST LANDOWNERS ON FORESTRY AND WATER ISSUES

Texas Forest Service BMP Project

This newsletter is the first of four water issues as they relate to forests For more information: scheduled to be published over the and forestry practices. Forestry next year for Cass and Marion BMPs are common-sense practices • http://texasforest County forest landowners. that help reduce soil erosion and service.tamu.edu protect water quality. Texas Forest Service is the state forestry agency and works closely with BMPs can include measures such as • http://texasforest private landowners and others in a leaving a buffer zone of trees next service.tamu.edu/ wide variety of disciplines associ- to a stream, installing a culvert to BMP ated with forests and related natural cross a stream, or establishing resources. The Best Management grass on forest roads to prevent Practices (BMP) Project deals with erosion.

BMP Implementation Report Texas Forest Service recently com- and Marion County combined was For more information: pleted the seventh round of Best 92.6%, slightly above the overall Management Practices Implementa- average. Nine sites were monitored • http://texasforest tion Monitoring. This was done to in Cass County with an implementa- service.tamu.edu/ measure the degree of implementation of 90.1%, while Marion County BMP tion of BMP guidelines by the for- had three sites with an implementa- estry community; in other words, tion of 100%. • Shane Harrington how well BMPs are being used in the field. sharrington@ tfs.tamu.edu Sites on which forestry operations (936) 639-8180 had occurred were randomly se- lected and evaluated for the pres- ence, where applicable, and func- tionality of BMPs. Overall BMP implementation on Inside this issue: sites monitored was 91.5%. National Overall in Cass and Marion County Forest sites had an overall imple- The Texas Water and East Texas in general, a good 2 mentation of 100%, while industrial Development Board job is being done at implementing sites had a 91.1% implementation BMPs on silvicultural operations. TWDB and Regional 2 rating. Corporate lands scored Water Planning 95.7% overall, while family forest The use of BMPs in Texas is non- owners scored 88.7%. regulatory, and the sites that are monitored are done only with land- What is a Watershed? 3 The overall implementation for Cass owner consent. Texas Forest Service 4 Offices THE TEXAS WATER SOURCE Page 2

Agency Spotlight The Texas Water Development Board

For more information: The Texas Water Development Board’s projects including wastewater treat- (TWDB) mission is: To provide leader- ment, municipal solid waste manage- • http:// ship, planning, financial assistance, ment and nonpoint source pollution www.twdb.state.tx information, and education for the control; flood control projects; agricul- tural water conservation projects; and .us/about/ conservation and responsible development of water for Texas. Its mis- groundwater district creation ex- aboutTWDBmain.a sion is a vital part of Texas’ overall vi- penses. sp sion and its mission and goals which It also supports regions in developing relate to maintaining the viability of the their regional water plans that will be • http:// state’s natural resources, health and incorporated into a statewide water www.twdb.state.tx economic development. plan for the orderly development, .us/ABOUT/ To accomplish its goals of planning for management and conservation of the history.asp the state’s water resources and for pro- state's water resources by studying viding affordable water and wastewa- Texas' surface and groundwater re- ter services, the TWDB provides water sources. planning, data collection and dissemi- Also, the TWDB administers the Texas nation, financial assistance and techni- Water Bank, which facilitates the trans- cal assistance services to the citizens of fer, sale or lease of water and water Texas. rights throughout the state, and admin- Among other things, the TWDB pro- isters the Texas Water Trust, where vides loans to local governments for water rights are held for environmental water supply projects; water quality flow maintenance purposes.

TWDB and Regional Water Planning

For more information: In June 1997, Governor George W. water supplies, meet future water sup- Bush signed into law Senate Bill 1 (SB ply needs and respond to future • http:// 1), enacted by the 75th Texas Legisla- droughts in the planning areas. ture. This comprehensive water legis- www.twdb.state.tx SB 1 designated the TWDB as the lead lation was a result of increased aware- .us/wrpi/rwp/ state agency for coordinating the re- ness of the vulnerability of Texas to gional water planning process and de- rwp.htm drought and to the limits of existing veloping a comprehensive state water water supplies to meet increasing de- • http:// plan. The water plans are updated mands as population grows. www.twdb.state.tx every five years. So far, there has With passage of SB 1, the Legislature been a 2002 and a 2007 State Water .us/wrpi/rwp/ put in place a "bottom up" water plan- Plan. d.htm ning process designed to ensure that To participate in regional water plan- the water needs of all Texans are met. • ning efforts, you may attend any of the http:// SB 1 allowed individuals representing RWPG meetings. Region D - Northeast www.twdb.state.tx 11 interest groups to serve as mem- Texas - will hold its next meeting on .us/wrpi/swp/ bers of Regional Water Planning March 25, 2009, at 1:00 p.m. at the Mt. Groups (RWPG) to prepare regional swp.htm Pleasant Civic Center. Check the web- water plans for their respective areas. site on the left, as times and locations These plans map out how to conserve are subject to change. Page 3 TEXAS FOREST SERVICE

What is a Watershed?

may not have a well-defined channel. For more information: An intermittent stream carries water at least 30%, or about four months, of the • http://

year continuously, but not year-round. cfpub.epa.gov/ Intermittent streams have well-defined surf/huc.cfm? channels with scoured bottoms, a re- huc_code=111403 sult of the flow. 06 A perennial stream flows year-round, but may pool during drought condi- • http:// tions. www.epa.gov/ Ephemeral stream These distinctions become important owow/watershed/ Ephemeral when deciding where Streamside Man- Intermittent Intermittent stream agement Zones are recommended. As Perennial PerennialWa stream a general guideline, SMZs should be used along intermittent and perennial Watershed boundary streams. These are the recommended minimum voluntary guidelines. Your A watershed is an area of land that common sense should guide your final drains rainfall into a stream or lake. It determination. is generally named for the water body that is at the end, or downhill, portion Caddo Lake watershed (illustrated be- of the area being considered. low) includes these creeks: Big Cy- press Bayou, Black Cypress Bayou, Watersheds vary considerably in size. Deboldin Creek, Flat Creek, Frazier For example, Little Cypress Creek Creek, Harrison Bayou, James Bayou, drains an area of 718 square miles. Jims Bayou, Kelly Creek, Kitchens However a small stream on your prop- Creek and Little Cypress Bayou. This erty may drain only a hundred acres. watershed drains 28,884 acres and has Keep in mind that your small stream 158 lakes and ponds. flows into a larger stream that would Did you know… The Caddo Lake watershed includes be part of an even larger watershed. Losing a layer of soil portions of the Texas counties of Cass, the thickness of one While forested watersheds provide the Harrison, Marion, and Morris, plus dime across one highest quality water, some forestry Caddo Parish in Louisiana. activities have the potential to lead to acre (about the size erosion. The use of Best Management of a football field Practices keeps the soil in place in the including the end watershed, preventing siltation into zones) amounts to streams. losing 10,000 lbs. (5 tons) of soil per The figure above depicts a three- acre? dimensional watershed with its associ- ated streams. An ephemeral stream, sometimes called a drain or swag, carries water only during and for a short time after a rain. An ephemeral stream may or TEXAS FOREST SERVICE THE TEXAS WATER SOURCE

Updating Cass and Marion Co. Forest Landowners on Forestry and Water Issues

Texas Forest Service Offices

Texas Forest Service (TFS) has offices all over the state, including Central and West Texas. District offices serve for- Distribution of The Texas Water Source is est landowners in all parts of East Texas. Urban foresters provided free of charge to forest land- are housed in many of our larger cities such as Fort Worth, owners of Cass and Marion Counties. Houston and even El Paso! TFS fire personnel have offices Funding has been provided through co- all across the state. Some personnel in various offices deal operation of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Texas State Soil and with insects and diseases. In the Lubbock area, there is a Water Conservation Board (TSSWCB) nursery that grows tree and shrub seedlings used for wind- and Texas Forest Service (TFS). PLEASE breaks and wildlife. Learn more at our website at http:// ADVISE US IF YOU WISH FOR YOUR texasforestservice.tamu.edu. NAME TO BE REMOVED FROM OUR MAILING LIST. Texas Forest Service offices serving Cass and Marion Co.: Russell Lykins Chris Duncan The Texas Forest Service is an Af- District Forester BMP Forester firmative Action/Equal Opportunity P. O. Box 458 1203 W. Loop 281, Suite B102 Employer committed to Excellence Linden, TX 75563 Longview, TX 75604 Through Diversity. 907 Hwy. 59 S., Linden Vantage Plaza (903) 756-5571 (903) 297-3910 [email protected] [email protected]

Best Management Practices Project P. O. Box 310 Lufkin, TX 75902-0310

Phone: 936-639-8180

Email: [email protected]