1) Which delivery schediile provides more benefit to 

 estuary productivity: pulsed or continuous? 

 Included in this question would be a determination 

 of the release volume necessary to trigger a delta 

 diversion event. 



2) How far downstream in Rincon Bayou do 

 beneficial effects accrue? That is, the idea that 

 there is a functional linkage between the marsh, 

 delta, and bay should be tested explicidy. 



3) Does export from the marsh benefit the bay, and 

 how much water is necessary for this benefit to 

 accrue? There is Utde doubt of an existing linkage 

 between the marsh and the bay, but it is not clear 

 what volume of fresh water is necessary to 

 maintain a functional linkage. 



4) What are the specific trophic linkages between 

 marsh, planktonic, and benthic production, and 

 how do these resources affect production of 

 commercially and recreationally important species 

 {e.g., shrimp, fish and wildlife). 



The minimum freshwater flow necessary for 

 maintaining the ecological integrity of bay and estuary 

 ecosystems is an emerging issue in water resources 

 management, nation-wide. The complexity of this issue 

 is further magnified in estuary systems that are 

 supported by a semi-arid watershed and located 

 adjacent to a large metropolitan area. Therefore, the 

 Nueces Delta and Estuary is an ideal place to develop 

 definidve answers to the question of how to most 

 effectively allocate limited freshwater resources. 



Figure 8-1 : View of the lower Nueces Delta with the City of Corpus Christi in the background. 



Photo courtesy of the Bureau of Reclamation. 



Chapter Eight ♦ 8-5 



