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TPWD celebrates Richland Creek wetland enhancements, says projects will add millions of gallons in filtration and habitat
Summary
TPWD reported completion of two wetland enhancement projects on Richland Creek Wildlife Management Area — Wildcat Marsh (111 acres) and North Unit expansion (238 acres) — which TPWD and partners say will filter and hold substantial volumes of water and improve habitat.
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department told commissioners that Ducks Unlimited and multiple partners completed two wetland enhancement projects on the Richland Creek Wildlife Management Area (WMA) intended to expand habitat and improve water quality in the Trinity River floodplain.
David Jaskowitz, TPWD executive director, described a dedication held April 16 and credited multiple corporate, nonprofit and foundation partners coordinated through the Texas Water Action Collaborative led by Texan by Nature. TPWD said Ducks Unlimited installed water-control infrastructure that expanded the Wildcat Marsh by 111 acres and that the impoundment will filter and replenish nearly 54,000,000 gallons of water annually before it flows into the Trinity River. TPWD said a North Unit expansion developed about 238 additional wetland acres and will supply over 232,000,000 gallons of volumetric water benefits annually while providing habitat for wetland-dependent wildlife.
Partners listed in the presentation included Ducks Unlimited, Microsoft, PepsiCo, Bonneville Environmental Foundation, Meta, Keurig, Dr Pepper, Arca Continental, Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages, The Coca-Cola Company, The Littmann Foundation and the Amon G. Carter Foundation. The collaborative model matches funders to projects that benefit natural resources, TPWD said; the Richland Creek WMA was created to compensate for habitat losses associated with construction of the Richland Chambers Reservoir.
Jaskowitz showed comparative imagery of water entering and leaving the marsh complex to demonstrate filtration benefits and concluded the presentation by answering commissioner questions. No formal commission action was requested during the work session; staff closed the report and invited questions.
