CHAPTER EIGHT 



Future 

 Opportunities 



"In nature there are neither rewards nor 

 punishments - there are consequences." 



♦♦♦ R.G. Ingersoll 



The Rincon Bayou Demonstration Project was a short- 

 term initiative undertaken to answer two fundamental 

 questions about the Nueces Delta ecosystem. First, 

 "Was there an opportunity to meaningfully increase the 

 amount of fresh water diverted into the upper delta?", 

 and second, "Would the biological resources in the 

 delta measurably respond to increased fresh water in a 

 favorable way?" The demonstration project answered 

 the first question with a definitive "Yes." Data indicate 

 that project features increased the total amoiont of 

 diverted fresh water by 732% during the demonstration 

 period (Chapter 3). In the long-term, had the 

 demonstration project features been in place since 

 1982, the average annual amount of freshwater 

 diversion into the upper delta would have been 

 increased by 633% (Irlbeck and Ward 2000). Project 

 results also answered the second question with an 

 equally definitive "Yes". Because of the freshwater 

 diversions made by the demonstration project, the 

 "reverse esmary" salinity gradient that had previously 

 characterized Rincon Bayou and the upper delta 

 reverted to a more natural pattern (Chapter 7). Primary 

 productivity in the water column was stimulated 

 (Chapter 4), and the abundance, diversity and 

 distribution of both benthic and emergent vegetation 

 communities increased as a result of additional fresh 

 water (Chapters 5 and 6). In summary, the 

 demonstration project was more successful than had 

 been anticipated, both in the amount of fresh water 

 diverted and in the biological responses observed. 



Because of limitations in program authority and 

 landowner agreements, the Rincon Bayou 

 Demonstration Project was conducted as only an 

 investigation of the potential for restoration of natural 

 estuary function. Based upon project results, actual 



Chapter Eight ♦ 8-1 



