The document discusses the Trinity River Basin, which supplies water to 40% of Texas' population. It faces challenges like increasing population, poor water quality, and habitat loss. The Trinity River Basin Restoration Initiative aims to improve water quality through habitat restoration. The Middle Trinity Basin group's mission is to improve the quality of life and ecological integrity in the area through partnerships between landowners, non-profits, and agencies. Their goals include restoring wildlife habitat, improving water resources, and fostering conservation.

1. All Things Trinity,
All Things Conservation

2. Trinity Key Points
– Connects D/FW to
Houston
– Supplies water to
~40% of Texas
population
– 8 million people in
the basin
– 512 miles long
– 1,983 miles of
tributaries
– 18,000 square
miles (7% of Texas)

4. Texas’ Projected Growth

5. The Challenges
• Rapidly increasing
population
• Poor water
quality
• Habitat loss
• Declining wildlife
populations
• Reduced
recreational
opportunities

6. Water Quality
• 2010 Water Quality
Inventory and CWA 303(d) List
– 37 segments “impaired”
– 67 segments of concern
– 4 segments delisted
from 303(d)
– 7 segments added
– 27 of 37 impaired segments
due to bacteria

7. Trinity River Basin
Restoration Initiative
• Governor’s 2006
Announcement
• Improve water quality
by habitat restoration
• Build capacity of
Trinity Waters
• Foster natural
resources
conservation culture

8. Middle Trinity Basin

9. Purpose
• Landowners at the
forefront
– Neighbor working with
neighbor
– Proactive stance can
prevent future,
unnecessary regulation
– Magnify conservation
dollars
– Develop resource
management
leadership

10. Mission
Improve the quality of life, economic sustainability
and ecological integrity of areas associated with the
Trinity River Basin through a coalition of local
communities, NGOs and stewards of private and
public lands.

11. Goals
• Establish cooperative conservation partnerships
among landowners, NGOs, and agencies
• Foster a cooperative natural resources culture

12. Goals
• Restore and conserve
wildlife habitat
– Increase wildlife
populations
– Greater recreational
opportunities
• Improve water
resources
– Allow for land-water
interactions
– Reduce pollutants

13. Tasks
• Enhanced communication and data accessibility
• Deliver information to the public and work with
land managers to restore habitat

14. Delivering Information
to Landowners and the Public
• Website
– Landowner Library
with over 400 natural
resource publications
and links
– Highlights projects,
news, and events
within the Trinity
River Basin

15. Delivering Information
to Landowners and the Public
• Educational Programs
– Watershed
Management
– Water Quality
– Habitat Restoration
– Livestock & Wildlife
Management
– Feral Hog Control

16. Delivering Information
to Landowners and the Public
• Youth Education
– T.W.A.’s Learning Across New
Dimensions in Science
(L.A.N.D.S.)
– Wide assortment of teachers
and natural resource
partners
– Outdoor classrooms to teach
students the value of natural
resource conservation

17. Delivering Information
to Landowners and the Public
• Educational Materials
– Publications
– Internet, e-mail,
personal
communication
– Landowner Groups
and other
Conservation
Organizations

18. Delivering Information
to Landowners and the Public
• Social Media
Facebook Twitter
WFSC
Scoop.it! Extension
Wild Wonderings
Photos
Blog

19. Trinity River Information Management System
(TRIMS)
• Accessible
• Interactive
• Watershed scale
(local to regional)
• Soils, vegetation,
elevation, stream
data
• Restoration
potential
trims.tamu.edu

20. Conservation Example
• 50% cost share with Johnston Family Properties
USFWS
• 200 acres of wetlands
and bottomland
hardwoods
• 400 acres of cropland
seeded to native
prairie

21. Conservation Example
A Strategic Approach to Bobwhite Recovery
in the Western Trinity River Basin
Jay Whiteside
Technical Guidance Biologist
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

22. Conservation Example
Water As A CropTM
• Empowering people
to enhance water
resources on their
land
• Education and
financial incentives
• Riparian buffers
Photo courtesy of Sand County
Foundation

23. Conservation Example
Chambers Creek Water Quality Initiative
• Joint project with
NRCS and local SWCDs
announced May 2012
• $5.4 million in
financial assistance for
60 contracts
• Conservation practices
that benefit water
quality and soil health

25. What Can I Do?
• Set conservation goals
for your land
• Contact TPWD
Biologists, County
Extension Agents,
NRCS for guidance
• Get involved with your
neighbors (WMAs),
Trinity Waters and
other conservation
groups (T.W.A.)

26. Restoration of the Trinity Basin is a Common Link
Between Urban and Rural Texans

27. Partners
• NGO’s
– Texas Wildlife Association
– Sand County Foundation
– Ducks Unlimited
– Houston Wilderness
• State Agencies
– Texas A&M AgriLife
Extension
– TPWD • Federal Agencies
– Texas A&M IRNR – NRCS
– TWRI – U.S. Fish and Wildlife
– TSSWCB
– TRA

28. Funding by

29. Contacts
Ken Klaveness
Executive Director, Trinity Waters
ken@trinitywaters.org or 214-454-4000
Blake Alldredge
AgriLife Extension Associate
balldredge@tamu.edu or 979-845-0916