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Completion of Restoration at Lavaca Bay, Texas

Date Posted: January 30, 2007

The Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) in partnership with Alcoa and our co-trustees, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the State of Texas, are celebrating the completion of restoration at Lavaca Bay, Texas. The restorations are the culmination of fifteen years of cooperative natural resource damage assessment and restoration (NRDAR) with Alcoa and our co-trustees. Service resources were injured by mercury releases from Alcoa into Lavaca Bay. Restoration to compensate for those injuries is valued at over $10 Million, and includes the:

Transfer of 729 acres of wetland and upland property to Aransas National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), and construction of a 70 acre inter-tidal marsh on ANWR. A record number of whooping cranes (237 individuals) have returned to the central Texas coast this winter. Their need for wintering marsh habitat is increasing and we expect them to begin using the newly constructed marsh.
Construction of three fishing piers and improvements to three boat ramps in Lavaca Bay to increase recreational opportunities; and,
Creation of an 11 acre oyster reef in Lavaca Bay.

Contacts:
Ken Rice (361)994-9005 ext 248

Karen Cathey (505)248-6648

Links:
Aransas National Wildlife Refuge web pages of interest:

Biological Program

History of Whooping Cranes

Useful Whooping Crane Information

Last Updated: See Date Posted, Above