water development projects, and re- 

 view permit applications by private 

 groups or individuals seeking Fed- 

 eral permits for various types of 

 private development. 



For several years now, Region 2 

 has also identified the problem of 

 reduced freshwater inflow to Texas 

 estuaries as our number one regional 

 environmental problem. We have 

 realized that there is a need for 

 more comprehensive water resource 

 planning in order to preserve fresh- 

 water inflows and to protect valu- 

 able fish and wildlife habitats. 

 Consequently, the Director of the 

 Service gave this region the lead 

 to investigate environmental prob- 

 lems specific to the Texas coast. 

 In 1977 and 1978, we contracted two 

 studies designed to determine, in 

 part, the freshwater needs of fish 

 and wildlife resources in Nueces/ 

 Corpus Christi Bay and in Matagorda 

 Bay, Texas. The objectives of these 

 studies were to develop water man- 

 agement plans and recommendations to 

 assist Federal and state agencies in 

 future development planning, and 

 thus insure the future biological 

 productivity of these bay systems. 

 The study designs and progress have 

 been closely coordinated with state 

 and other Federal agencies. The 

 Nueces-Corpus Christi Study is 

 essentially complete and the Mata- 

 gorda Bay Study is scheduled for 

 completion in late 1981. 



In 1979, as an outgrowth of 

 these studies, our Region was as- 

 signed the lead role in developing 



a National Freshwater Inflow Budget 

 Issue Paper in cooperation with the 

 National Coastal Ecosystems Team and 

 the other segments of the FWS. The 

 purpose of this proposal was to con- 

 duct similar studies of all remaining 

 bay systems in the entire United 

 States. However, because of funding 

 restraints, a national, multi-year 

 study was not established at that 

 time. But that pioneering effort set 

 the stage for this week's national 

 symposium. 



In Texas, we have also identi- 

 fied Galveston Bay as the next bay 

 that needs to be studied for fresh- 

 water inflow needs. The Office of 

 Environment (FWS) is presently pre- 

 paring a budget issue paper on Gal- 

 veston Bay which will describe the 

 serious problems associated with 

 energy development, water resource 

 development, and pollution and their 

 relationships to freshwater inflow 

 needs of that bay system. 



In summary, the FWS is proud of 

 its past record and efforts on this 

 issue of estuarine freshwater inflow 

 needs. We also pledge our continued 

 effort and support. 



During your stay at the sympo- 

 sium, if there is anything we can do 

 to assist you, please contact one of 

 our FWS Regional employees. We'll do 

 everything possible to assist you and 

 to make this symposium one of the 

 great milestones in our common goal 

 to preserve the Nation's valuable 

 coastal estuaries for future genera- 

 tions . 



