Nueces Estuary Ecosystem Management Initiative Publication CBBEP – 72 Project Number – 1018 July 2011 Prepared by: Principal Investigator: Paul A. Montagna, Ph.D., Principal Investigator Lauren M. Hutchison, M.S. Damon Scholz, M.S. Terry Palmer, M.S. Sandra Arismendez, Ph.D. David Yoskowitz, Ph.D. Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi 6300 Ocean Drive, Unit 5869 Corpus Christi, TX 78412-5869 361-825-2040 Telephone 361-825-2049 Facsimile Submitted to: Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program 1305 N. Shoreline Blvd., Suite 205 Corpus Christi, TX 78401 The views expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of CBBEP or other organizations that may have provided funding for this project. Nueces Estuary Ecosystem Management Initiative An Ecosystem Services-based Plan Paul A. Montagna, Ph.D., Principal Investigator Lauren M. Hutchison, M.S. Damon Scholz, M.S. Terry Palmer, M.S. Sandra Arismendez, Ph.D. David Yoskowitz, Ph.D. 6300 Ocean Drive, Unit 5869 Corpus Christi, Texas 78412-5869 Phone: 361-825-2040 Email: [email protected] Final report submitted to: Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program 1305 N. Shoreline Blvd., Suite 205 Corpus Christi, Texas 78401 CBBEP Project Number 1018 July 2011 Cite as: P.A. Montagna, Hutchison, L.M., D. Scholz, T. Palmer, S. Arismendez, and D. Yoskowitz. 2011. Nueces Estuary Ecosystem Management Initiative: An Ecosystem Services-based Plan. Final Report submitted to the Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program for project number 1018. Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi, Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies, 170 pp. Table of Contents LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................................ v LIST OF TABLES ....................................................................................................................... viii ACRONYMS ................................................................................................................................. xi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ......................................................................................................... xiii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ......................................................................................................... xiv INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 1 Background/Project Description ................................................................................................. 1 Region Description ...................................................................................................................... 1 Ecoregion Summary .................................................................................................................... 2 Project Area Description ............................................................................................................. 3 Stakeholder Engagement ............................................................................................................. 4 HABITATS OF PROJECT AREA ................................................................................................. 5 Habitat Types in the Project Area and their Importance ............................................................. 5 Seagrass Bed ............................................................................................................................ 6 Salt Marsh/Emergent Wetland................................................................................................. 8 Intertidal Flat ........................................................................................................................... 9 Beach ..................................................................................................................................... 10 Marine/Estuarine Open Water ............................................................................................... 11 Oyster Reef ............................................................................................................................ 13 Scrub-Shrub Wetland ............................................................................................................ 14 Freshwater Wetland ............................................................................................................... 14 Tree Canopy/Live Oak Motte ................................................................................................ 14 Rookery Island ....................................................................................................................... 15 Dune....................................................................................................................................... 15 THREATS AND RISKS TO THE AREA.................................................................................... 16 Biological .................................................................................................................................. 16 Water Quality ............................................................................................................................ 17 Climatic Anomalies ................................................................................................................... 18 Sea-level Rise and Shoreline Change ........................................................................................ 18 i Development ............................................................................................................................. 20 Climate Change ......................................................................................................................... 20 Future Concerns ........................................................................................................................ 21 PROJECT APPROACH AND PROCESS ................................................................................... 30 Existing Plans and Resources .................................................................................................... 30 Individual Meetings ................................................................................................................... 32 Workshops ................................................................................................................................. 36 Workshop One ....................................................................................................................... 36 Workshop Two ...................................................................................................................... 39 ECOSYSTEM SERVICE VALUATION OF HABITATS .......................................................... 42 Ecosystem Services ................................................................................................................... 42 Ecosystem Services Surveys ..................................................................................................... 45 Incorporation of Stakeholder Input ........................................................................................... 49 Ecosystem Services Provided by Habitats ................................................................................ 51 Freshwater Wetland ............................................................................................................... 55 Salt Marsh Wetland ............................................................................................................... 55 Tree Canopy/Live Oak Motte ................................................................................................ 56 Scrub-shrub Wetland ............................................................................................................. 56 Seagrass Bed .......................................................................................................................... 56 Marine / Open Water ............................................................................................................. 57 Oyster Reef ............................................................................................................................ 57 Dune habitat ........................................................................................................................... 57 Beach ..................................................................................................................................... 58 Flat ......................................................................................................................................... 58 Rookery Island ....................................................................................................................... 58 Heat Map of Ecosystem Services .............................................................................................. 59 GIS Methods ............................................................................................................................. 59 INVENTORY AND PRIORITIZATION OF AREAS FOR PROTECTION/RESTORATION/CREATION ........................................................................... 71 Introduction of the Sub-regions ................................................................................................. 71 Status and Trends of Habitats ...................................................................................................