exTRA by the Trinity River Authority of Texas

Texas Parks and Wildlife confirmed zebra mussels in Lake Travis on June 22. Zebra mussels have now spread to 11 lakes and five river basins in Texas. Boats and infrastructure at the marina were the sources of the findings. However, after further investigation, officials confirmed the presence of established colonies in parts of the lake.

The development of water sources for EOR; recycling of fracturing water; and management, treatment and disposal of produced water can result in substantial costs for oil and gas project operators. A 2016 Columbia University and Barclays report said that unconventional drilling accounts for close to half of U.S. oil and gas production, and this production is dependent on reliable and sustainable access to water.

In the Gulf of Mexico off South Texas, officials dropped 50 concrete pyramids as part of an artificial reef. They are to act as artificial reef in order to increase fish habitat in the area. The project was backed by the group Friends of RGV Reef, and it involves marine scientists in the Rio Grande Valley and elsewhere who are studying reefs and red snapper populations. According to U.S. News, the project features 3-ton concrete pyramids up to 10 feet tall that are placed in the water about 8 miles off South Padre Island.

Jun 26, 2017: A $200,000 grant from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department will fund a trail expansion from San Gabriel Park toward the Katy Crossing subdivision, according to the city of Georgetown. The grant was awarded in early June as part of a $3.46 million state program to enhance recreational projects throughout Texas.

SEGUIN, Texas — Following a brief hiatus in the issuing of Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority (GBRA) permits for work performed on property adjacent and/or near its Guadalupe Valley Hydroelectric System, GBRA is implementing a “provisional” permit process using a temporary rate structure with approval from the Board of Directors during its June 21 board meeting.

The North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD) is promoting the use of a free irrigation tool, WaterMyYard.org, that teaches consumers when to water their lawn and when to wait. The tool, which uses real-time weather station data, can help homeowners learn to use water wisely and manage their summer water bills by only watering their lawns when needed.

SAN ANTONIO – On June 21, the Board of Directors of the San Antonio River Authority (SARA) adopted a $241.7 million budget for fiscal year 2017-18, with a general fund budget of $41.1 million. The budget is based on a proposed tax rate of 1.729 cents per $100 property valuation, which is unchanged from the two previous fiscal years. The approved budget, which begins on July 1, supports projects and programs that advance the agency’s vision to inspire actions for healthy creeks and rivers. 

A handful of volunteers lugged a dozen trash bags and a vacuum cleaner from the area surrounding the Ventura subdivision pond on Saturday, and the organizer of the rather spontaneous cleanup venture said it won’t be the last. Kim Earle, the clean-up effort organizer, said she saw some of the trash that people have left or dumped in the area. The pond, off Walzem Road just south of Elm Trail at the entrance to the Ventura subdivision, is one of three ponds in the area. 

[...] zebra mussels are an outsize threat to Texas' waters, alien invaders bringing with them the prospect of significant ecologic and economic damage to the state's inland lakes and rivers. McGarrity leads the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's aquatic invasive species team, a group of scientists focused on the invasive, non-native organisms that threaten the state's waters and the life in them. Native to Eurasia, where they are found on deep, cool waters and do not exhibit the behaviors that cause so much trouble in North America, zebra mussels were not thought to be able to survive in the state.