FACT SHEET
December 2004

Aransas National Wildlife Refuge - Myrtle Foester Whitmire Unit

The 3,440-acre Myrtle Foester Whitmire Unit (Whitmire Unit) in the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge (Refuge) is located at the end of the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority’s (GBRA) Calhoun Canal System on lands that were once part of the historic Indianola port area. That port was an important point of entry for European immigrants in the 19th century, but was destroyed by devastating hurricanes in the 1880’s. The Foester-Whitmire Unit now serves as an important environmental project by providing food, water, and shelter for up to 20 percent of the Central Flyways waterfowl population migrating to the Texas Gulf Coast.

When early migration starts in mid-October you can see as many as 10,000 migrating birds on any given day, including Whooping Cranes. More than 40,000 Pintail Ducks have been seen in the area, as well as the Mottled Duck, whose breeding habitat is found in the Unit. This critical habitat needs a more reliable source of water to support the moist soils, wetland and native grasses the migratory birds, indigenous wildlife and endangered species depend upon.

The Unit also contains 160 acres of environmentally-friendly organic rice farming in any given year, a successful operation that is one of only three organic rice farms in Texas that are certified to supply this product to food wholesalers. The tailwater remaining on the rice fields after the regular growing season is available as a resource for freshwater-dependent waterfowl, wading birds, song birds, and shore birds.

Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority Calhoun Canal System

The GBRA Calhoun Canal System is composed of the Lower Guadalupe Diversion Dam and Salt Water Barrier, two salt water barriers on Hog and Goff Bayous, a pump station operated jointly by Union Carbide and GBRA, a separate GBRA-operated pump station for area refineries, and approximately 80 miles of delivery canals and eight miles of water supply pipeline.

The Canal System provides water to rice, pasture and row crop producers and waterfowl and aquaculture ventures, BP Chemicals Company, Seadrift Coke, Union Carbide Corporation, the GBRA Port Lavaca Water Treatment Plant, and Calhoun County Rural Water Supply System, as well as the Whitmire Unit.

Guadalupe-Blanco River Trust

The Guadalupe-Blanco River Trust (the Trust) is a charitable, non-profit organization that promotes and encourages conservation, stewardship and enjoyment of the land and water resources of the Guadalupe River watershed and works to maintain the watershed’s unique and irreplaceable natural heritage. Such a vision is increasingly important as planners and citizens work to maintain a suitable and proper balance among environmental, residential, industrial, and agricultural interests and needs.

The Trust, GBRA, and the Refuge have formed a partnership to provide a more reliable water supply source to, and improve the efficiency of the delivery of water within, the Whitmire Unit.

Goals and Benefits of Cooperative Project

The overall goals of the project are to establish a more reliable water supply for the Unit and to enhance the Calhoun Canal System in order to improve water delivery efficiencies to and within the area. The benefits will include improved water resources for the Unit and an enhanced water delivery system for the existing and future customers of the Calhoun Canal System.

These goals and the expected benefits provide positive stewardship for natural resources. They also support GBRA’s mission to protect, conserve, reclaim and steward the resources of the Guadalupe River watershed in order to ensure and promote quality of life for those served by the 10-county agency.

Project Elements:

• Establishing the water needs of the Whitmire Unit in the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge.

This will be accomplished based on information provided by the Refuge staff and an onsite study of the Unit and the canal system and laterals within the area. The study will be directed by GBRA with input and cooperation from the Refuge staff. The study will begin with data gathering, such as topographic analysis and mapping.

• A five year run-of –river water supply contract for wildlife enhancement purposes on the Whitmire Unit.

The contract will be based on the results of the onsite study and will include an option to extend the contract beyond five years upon agreement of both parties. Water would be provided by the GBRA to the Unit at GBRA’s standard run of the river rate for row crops.

• Cooperative applications for grants and other funding resources:

Funding will be sought for:

o Topographic work and the mapping needed to accurately plan the rehabilitation of the canals and laterals within the Whitmire Unit.

o Rehabilitation of the GBRA canal system, and the canals and laterals within the Unit, as needed to provide a reliable and efficient supply of water to the Unit.

o Control of invasive aquatic plant and animal species within the canal system and the Whitmire Unit.

o Operating expenses associated with the delivery of water to the Unit.

• Establishment of the Whitmire Unit as a separate budgetary item for the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge

The Refuge and the Trust will work together to establish the budget requirements necessary to ensure future funding for management of the Unit.

• A Public Education effort to establish awareness of the cooperative project to provide water for the Whitmire Unit.

Education efforts will include information-sharing within the cooperating organizations (the Trust, GBRA and the Refuge) through the exchange of informational materials like brochures and linked websites and through signage, media relations efforts and other appropriate communications vehicles.

Summary

The Whitmire Unit/Calhoun Canal System project is a logical result of efforts by the GBRA, the Trust and the Refuge to seek practical solutions in a cooperative manner addressing the need to preserve the area’s natural resources and heritage and to provide an economically beneficial infrastructure in the Guadalupe River watershed.

Additional benefits from this cooperative effort include:

• Metering of water usage in the Unit so water deliveries are based on measured flow. This will provide research data that could benefit similar resource management efforts and encourage water conservation;
• Monitoring of the Unit’s internal canal system and associated water deliveries;
• Opportunity for educational projects. For example, a partnership has been formed with Travis Middle School in Port Lavaca, (Calhoun County ISD). Students will use field technology, and conduct evaluative studies to determine the location and extent of the invasive species within the canals at the Whitmire Unit. The Unit could also provide a valuable opportunity for local schools to observe shorebirds and waterfowl;
• Record keeping on the operational and maintenance activities related to the Unit’s canals and laterals. This will facilitate analysis of its water requirements and help to promote research regarding the efficient use of water for wildlife management;
• Collaborative efforts to document the results of research and water management projects conducted on the Unit;
• Cooperative efforts to address issues like the control of water hyacinth and other aquatic vegetation in the Calhoun Canal System and Whitmire Lake.

To learn more about this project and its anticipated benefits, please contact Troy Littrell at the Refuge (361-286-3559), Todd Votteler or Janet Thome (jthome@gbra.org) at the Trust (1-800-413-4130), or Bryan Serold at GBRA (361-575-6366).