Human Ecology- Watershed

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The Brazos River emerges at the convergence of Double Mountain Fork and Salt Fork near the east boundary of Stonewall County. It runs 840 miles through Texas to its mouth on the Gulf of Mexico (The Official Website of the State of Texas, n.d). It is the longest river in Texas, and it has the greatest discharge. There are several watersheds along its course as shown on the map above. I am going to deal with the Bosque River Watershed.

The Bosque River Watershed starts in Erath County, and includes sections of Bosque, Hamilton, and Coryell Counties. The watershed discharges its water into the Brazos River, downstream of Lake Waco in McLennan County, and drains approx. 1,653 sq. miles. The watershed encompasses portions of Blackland Prairie and Oak Woods eco-regions (The Official Website of the State of Texas, n.d). The soils in this area range from fine-textured clays to coarse-textured sands. The distinctive land uses include animal-feeding operations, agriculture, pasture land, range land, and urban areas. Lake Waco acts as flood control in the area, while at the same time providing drinking water for the surrounding communities.

The Brazos River Authority is the organization that is mostly involved in watershed projects in the Bosque River Watershed. It has been working to coordinate efforts to improve the watershed. Its efforts have been made possible by the Clean Water Act. Its main objective has been to identify all projects dealing with pollution prevention, monitor their progress, track the rules and regulations, identify trends in water quality, assist in the efficient use of resources, and enhance communication between the relevant parties. The Authority also provides a point of contact between the various stakeholders a...

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...ime soon. The experience was worth every penny, and I will not hesitate to grab any chance I get to go back. I know that the watershed can turn out to be a major tourist attraction, especially since it favours activities such as sport fishing, rafting, canoeing, and kayaking. I am definitely going back to that place with some of my friends, and this time I will try out each and every water sport available, especially the ones I did not try out last time.

References

http://www.brazos.org/crpPDF/Subwatershed_Index_Map_2007.pdf

The Official Website of the State of Texas. (n.d). Retrieved April 13, 2011, from

http://www.texas.gov/

The Watershed. (n.d). Retrieved April 13, 2011, from

http://www.brazos.org/projectsNBAbout.asp

North Bosque Watershed Coordination. (n.d). Retrieved April 13, 2011, from

http://www.brazos.org/projectsnorthbosque.asp

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