because extended periods of inflow 

 conditions which consistently fall 

 above or below the maintenance level 

 of the ecosystem can lead to a de- 

 graded estuarine environment, loss of 

 important "nursery" areas for 

 estuarine-dependent fish and shell- 

 fish species, and a reduction in the 

 potential for assimilation of organic 

 and nutritive wastes. For example, 

 Texas estuaries severely declined in 

 their production of economically 

 important fisheries resources during 

 historic drought events and began to 

 take on characteristics of marine 

 lagoons, including the presence of 

 starfish and sea urchin populations. 

 Likewise, when inflows are extremely 

 high, fisheries production is 

 lowered. The department's studies 

 show that where the estimated season- 

 al inflow needs of different fishery 

 species are similar, the species 

 reinforce each other's need; however, 

 where species are competitive by 

 exhibiting opposite seasonal inflow 

 needs, a management decision must be 

 made to balance the divergent needs 

 or to give preference to the needs of 

 a particular species. A choice could 

 be made on the basis of which 

 species' production is more ecologi- 

 cally characteristic and/or econo- 

 mically important to the estuary. 

 Whatever the decision, even a well 

 regulated freshwater inflow manage- 

 ment regime can only provide an op- 

 portunity for an estuary to be viable 

 and productive because there are no 

 guaranties for estuarine product- 

 ivity. 



The results of recent studies 

 being carried out under S.B. 137 will 

 provide the legislature and others in 

 decisionmaking positions some of the 

 important information necessary to 

 establish policies and management pro- 

 grams for each of the State's 

 important estuarine systems. De- 

 cisions as to how each of these 

 systems are to be managed, insofar as 

 resolving the issue of the quantity 



of freshwater inflow to be made 

 available from total freshwater sup- 

 plies available to meet all fresh- 

 water requirements within the State, 

 must be made by the Texas Legisla- 

 ture. Given these decisions, the 

 Texas Department of Water Resources 

 can then develop the necessary mech- 

 anisms whereby the Texas Water 

 Commission can administer the appro- 

 priation of state-owned water to 

 accommodate the freshwater needs for 

 each of the estuarine systems. 



FEDERAL INVOLVEMENT 



The Federal Government plays an 

 important, although usually indirect 

 role, in maintaining the proper 

 amount and timing of freshwater in- 

 flows to the State's bays and 

 estuaries. Federal policies in the 

 area of water resources are directed 

 to control of flooding, erosion and 

 sedimentation, and construction of 

 multipurpose water projects. The 

 Department of the Army improves 

 stream channels, constructs dams to 

 impound waters for flood control pur- 

 poses. The Water and Power Resources 

 Service also constructs reservoirs; 

 other Interior agencies, including 

 the Fish and Wildlife Service, im- 

 pound water in projects for municipal 

 and industrial water supplies, rec- 

 reation, and fish and wildlife fea- 

 tures. The Department of Agriculture 

 constructs runoff and erosion control 

 works and small flood-water retarding 

 projects. The Water Resources Coun- 

 cil studies and assesses the Nation's 

 water supplies and grants funds to 

 the States for comprehensive water 

 resource planning. 



The Department of the Army is 

 under a blanket directive to examine 

 its flood control projects to consid- 

 er the probable effect of the 



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