An Ecological Assessment of the Louisiana Tensas River Basin Chapter 3 
Watershed Indicators 
While streamside conditions are important, it is also 
important to have indicators of potential impacts on water 
quality from sources throughout the watershed. It was 
mentioned earlier that the watershed indicators pre¬ 
sented here are primarily concerned with soil erosion and 
runoff processes. These indicators are relatively easy to 
determine from existing databases. In any case, erosion 
processes are extremely important. The results of in¬ 
creased erosion may include reduced agricultural produc¬ 
tivity, increased water treatment costs, introduction of 
pesticides and fertilizers in the water supply, loss of 
habitat for fish and other species, and reduced recreation 
potential. 
In years past the freshwater marshes, stream bank 
areas, and bottomland swamps of the Tensas River 
Basin were under strong development pressures. Large 
portions of forest near streams and in backwater swamp 
areas were converted to agriculture. This loss of for¬ 
ested areas interfered with the soil and water interactions 
in forested wetlands that removes pollution (excess 
nutrients) before it enters streams, lakes, and estuaries. 
Wetland forests also dissipate peak flows during floods 
and release the waters slowly, reducing damage to down¬ 
stream farms and cities. Preserving or restoring wetland 
forests has other economic benefits including wetland- 
based recreation such as hunting and harvesting wetland 
plants. Residents of the Tensas River Basin realize that 
the vegetation along a stream and in backswamp areas 
can influence the condition of both the stream bank and 
the water in the stream. They began restoration efforts in 
the early 1990s. 
Figure 3.18 
Stream network in the Tensas River Basin. Source: EPA RF3. 
