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YEAR 2008 - CRP Project #7002 (Gulf of Mexico)
Project #7002
TM Pass Project
Matagorda Island, Texas
Mullet Pass - triple
culvert |
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Project name: |
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TM Pass Project |
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Project number: |
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7002 |
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Project status: |
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In Progress |
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Grant Administrator: |
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Gulf of Mexico Foundation (for NOAA) |
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Grantee: |
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Friends of Aransas and Matagorda Island National Wildlife Refuge (FAMI) |
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Project location: |
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Matagorda Island, Calhoun County, Texas |
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Grant period: |
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Jan 1 - Dec 31, 2008 |
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Grant amount: |
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$45,000 |
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Land Ownership: |
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Public land owned and operated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
on Matagorda Island National Wildlife Refuge part of the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge Complex |
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Lat/Long: |
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Mullet Pass: 28.1323° N 096.7980°W,
Triple Culvert: 28.167° N 96.783° W. |
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Types of Habitat: |
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Salt marsh composed of smooth cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora),
saltmarsh bulrush (Scirpus maritimus) and open water on a barrier island. |
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Project leader: |
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Darrin Welchert
Wildlife Biologist
P.O. Box 74, Austwell, TX 77950
4172 Commanders Drive, Mobile, AL 36615
Friends of Aransas NWR website |
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Species Benefiting From Restoration:
• Red drum (Sciaenops ocellata)
• Black drum (Pogonias cromis)
• Spotted seatrout (Cynoscion nebulosus)
• Mullet (Mugil species)
• Stone crab (Menippe adina)
• Blue crab (Callinectes sapidus)
• Mud fiddler crab (Uca rapax)
• Brown shrimp (Penaeus aztecus)
• Grass shrimp (Palaemonetes spp.)
• Bottlenosed dolphin (Tursiops truncatus)
• Sea turtles
Acres of Habitat To be Restored:
189.1 acres total, comprised of approximately 75.6 acres open
water, and 113.4 salt marsh
Project Summary:
The objective of the project is to increase and enhance water
flow to 189.11 acres of highly productive feeding and nursery
habitat for NOAA trust resources including fish, shrimp, and
mollusks along with aquatic vegetation. Restoration will
greatly benefit migratory birds included the federally listed
whooping crane (Grus americana) and piping plover (Charadrius
melodus). In addition, the project will provide a
participative learning experience in biological science for
local high school students. Teachers/students from Tivoli
High School guided by the Refuge biological staff and
environmental education staff learn about wetlands and
estuarine ecology collect scientific data and prepare an
evaluation report of project results.
Project Objectives:
- Provide all of the materials and services required to
restore and protect tidal water to TM.
- Provide an interactive learning experience for local high
school students in biological science. The teacher and
students from Tivoli High School, guided by the refuge
biologist, will collect scientific data and prepare an
evaluation report of project results.
- Further goals of the Coastal Bend Bays Plan developed by
the Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program (CBBEP), Texas
Wetland Conservation Plan by Texas Parks and Wildlife
Department, and the North American Wetland Conservation Act.
Community Involvement:
The Tivoli High School teachers and students will make at
least two site visits (one before and one after project
completion) and spend one day analyzing data. The students
will monitor physical changes in water chemistry and
vegetation coverage that occur over time as a result of
project efforts. As part of their contribution, the students
will compile and evaluate monitoring results and a written
report on their findings will be prepared with help from the
refuge biologist.
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