How much water does a river need to stay healthy?

Interested in helping our state, rivers and bays? Or know someone who would? Either as a Stakeholder (that's us.....anyone who lives in a watershed) or as a science/technical advisor....... the Guadalupe/San Antonio river basin and bay starts in 2008. Check it out....................

----- Original Message -----

From: Lacey McCormick

To: Server, Riparian

I know there has been talk on this list in the past about the environmental flows allocation process created by Senate Bill 3. If you are interested in potentially becoming a stakeholder or know someone who might be a good stakeholder, please give me (Lacey McCormick) or Jennifer Ellis a call (512-476-9805).

For more information, go to www.texaswatermatters.org/flows.htm.

Stakeholder process to set goals for Texas rivers and bays

How much water does a river need to stay healthy? How much water can we take out of a river for use in cities, on fields, and in factories before we do serious harm?

These are important questions. A new state law passed earlier this year creates a stakeholder process to begin to answer them. Nothing less than the future health of Texas rivers and coastal bays is at stake.

The issue is pressing: Texas' population could double by mid-century. Projections, such as the National Wildlife Federation's 2004 report Bays in Peril, indicate that as water use increases many of the state's rivers and estuaries could end up deprived of adequate freshwater, particularly in drier years.

This new process offers us a chance to change course and to avoid serious long-term damage to Texas rivers and estuaries. Strong participation from people who care about riparian areas and the state's natural heritage will make the difference in the outcome. Industry, river authorities, municipalities, ranchers, farmers, recreational water users, commercial fishermen, public interest, and environmental interests and others will all be represented on the stakeholder group.

Stakeholders will not need to be technical or scientific experts--there will be a science team that makes recommendations based solely on the best available science. It will be the stakeholders job to come up with their own recommendations based on both science and policy considerations. The stakeholder positions are unpaid and will require real commitment.

This process is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to help ensure that Texas maintains its healthy natural heritage for future generations. Please consider being a part of it.

Find out more about the new Environmental Flows Allocation Process and how you can get involved at www.texaswatermatters.org/flows.htm or by contacting Jennifer Ellis at the National Wildlife Federation, 512-476-9805 or ellis@nwf.org.

STARTING NOW

a. Sabine & Neches Rivers/Sabine Lake Bay

b. Trinity & San Jacinto Rivers/Galveston Bay

FALL 2008

d. Colorado & Lavaca Rivers/Matagorda & Lavaca Bays

e. Guadalupe, San Antonio, Mission, & Aransas Rivers/Mission, Copano, Aransas & San Antonio Bays

FALL 2009

f. Nueces River/Corpus Christi & Baffin Bays

g. Rio Grande/Rio Grande Estuary & the Lower Laguna Madre

d. Brazos River/Bay & Estuary

Lacey McCormick

Communications Manager

National Wildlife Federation

512-476-9805/cell 512-203-3016

44 East Avenue, Suite 200

Austin, TX 78701

www.nwf.org

The National Wildlife Federation's mission is to inspire Americans to protect wildlife for our children's future.