Restoring Abandoned Agriculture Fields

This project supported the restoration of approximately 268 acres of freshwater wetlands in Matagorda County. The project area is located on a 13,000 acre private ranch in southern Matagorda County. This project created three (3) wetland units by constructing levees around old rice fields which are no longer in production. Levees were built to NRCS specifications, and water levels are managed to have a maximum depth of 18 inches, with an average depth of 2-4 inches. The objective is to retain tail water which overflows from three major endpoints of the Lower Colorado River Authority canal system. During the period of March through October, substantial amounts of tail water overflow the end canals on this ranch, water can be retained at these three wetland units and provide habitat for a variety of avian species.

Saltwater intrusion from Oyster Lake and nearby water bodies has denuded the habitat value of these locations. Each year, approximately 5-10 acres of land have been lost to saltwater intrusion on this tract. Land which used to be productive rice farmland as recently as the late 1980's, has been rendered useless. This project provides valuable freshwater, as well as limits additional saltwater intrusion and habitat conversion. We anticipate these areas to be heavily used by migratory waterfowl as well as nesting resident mottled ducks

Partners: Texas R.I.C.E., Private Landowners, & the Texas Coastal Program