March, 1997

United States Department of the Interior

Fish and Wildlife Service

Southwestern Region

Albuquerque, New Mexico

D. W. Moulton

Texas Parks and

Wildlife Department

Austin, Texas

T. E. Dahl

U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service

St. Petersburg, Florida

D. M. Dall

U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service

Albuquerque, New

Mexico

Shrimp Harvest

ESTUARINE SYSTEM

TEXAS PARKS & WILDLIFE

DEPARTMENT

Texas Coastal Wetlands 

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Executive Summary

Introduction

Survey Methods

Results and Discussion

Conclusions

Literature Cited

Appendix A: Habitat Categories

Appendix B: Data Tables

Acknowledgments

List of Figures

List of Tables

Cultivated Rice

PALUSTRINE

FARMED

Texas Parks and Wildlife

Department

English/Metric

Conversions

1 acre = 0.4 hectare

1 square mile = 259.1

hectares

1 mile = 1.61

kilometers

1 foot = 0.3 meter

Contents 

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The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service prepared this report on the

status and trends of coastal Texas wetlands in accordance with

the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection, and Restoration Act

of 1990 (Title III of Public Law 101-646). This report is a

product of the Coastal Texas Project completed by the Fish and

Wildlife Service in cooperation with the Texas Parks and

Wildlife Department and the Texas General Land Office.

This report analyzes data collected for the 12.8 million-acre

coastal Texas study area (Fig. 1). The design of the study

consisted of a stratified random sample of 754 four-square-mile

plots. Aerial photographs from the mid-1950s and early 1990s

(mean dates 1955 and 1992) for each of the plots were analyzed

to detect changes in wetlands, deepwater habitats, and uplands

acreage. Changes were determined to be either natural or

human-induced. The total wetlands acreage estimate for 1992

was subtracted from the 1955 total estimate and divided by the

37-year study period to give an estimate for average annual net

wetlands loss.

Figure 1.

Texas Physiographic

Regions and Coastal

Texas Study Area

An estimated 4.1 million acres of wetlands existed on the Texas

coast in the mid-1950s. By the early 1990s, wetlands had

decreased to less than 3.9 million acres including 3.3 million

acres of freshwater wetlands and 567,000 acres of saltwater

wetlands. About 1.7 million acres (52 percent) of the 3.3

million acres of freshwater wetlands were classified as farmed

wetlands. The total net loss of wetlands for the region was

approximately 210,600 acres, making the average annual net

loss of wetlands about 5,700 acres. The greatest losses were of

freshwater emergent and forested wetlands.

Estuarine (saltwater) wetlands decreased by about 9.5 percent,

with an estimated net loss of 59,600 acres, making the average

annual net loss approximately 1,600 acres. Loss of estuarine

emergent wetlands occurred primarily between Freeport in

Brazoria County and Port Arthur in Jefferson County. The

major cause was faulting and land subsidence, due to

withdrawal of underground water and oil and gas, which has

resulted in the submergence (drowning) of marshes.

Palustrine (freshwater) wetlands showed a net decline of

151,000 acres (4.3 percent). However, this average figure

includes a 96,500-acre net increase in palustrine farmed

Executive Summary 

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wetlands.

Palustrine emergent wetlands (fresh marsh, wet prairie, etc.)

declined by about 29 percent, with an estimated net loss of

235,100 acres, making the average annual net loss about 6,400

acres. This was the largest acreage change for any wetland

category studied. Most of the palustrine emergent loss was to

upland agriculture and other upland land uses. Also, there was

conversion of palustrine emergents to the palustrine farmed and

palustrine scrub-shrub wetland types.

Over 96,000 acres (a 10.9 percent decrease) of forested

wetlands (swamps, hardwood bottomlands, etc.) were lost or

converted to other wetland types. Most of the losses were to

upland agriculture and other upland land uses, with conversions

to the palustrine scrub-shrub and palustrine farmed wetland

types and to lacustrine deepwater (reservoirs).

Palustrine scrub-shrub wetlands showed a net increase of over

63,000 acres (a 58.7 percent increase). This increase was

primarily at the expense of palustrine emergent and palustrine

forested wetland types. Invasion of fresh marsh and cut-over

forested wetlands by the introduced Chinese Tallow-tree may

be responsible for much of the expansion of scrub-shrub

wetlands.

Freshwater ponds showed a net gain of 21,700 acres (a 137

percent increase). About half of the increase came from

conversion of uplands to farm ponds, stock tanks, and other

small impoundments. The other half came from conversion of

palustrine emergent, palustrine farmed, and palustrine forested

wetlands to ponds. The proliferation of man-made ponds

obscured the loss of natural prairie potholes.

The largest land-use category in the region was agriculture (4.7

million acres). Agricultural acreage declined by 618,000 acres

even though 98,000 acres of palustrine wetlands were lost to

agriculture. Urban land use increased by 529,000 acres, mostly

at the expense of agriculture and other upland land uses. There

was also loss of palustrine farmed and other palustrine wetlands

to urban and rural development. Approximately 245,000 acres

of the upland "other" category, much of it originally native

hardwood and pine-hardwood forest, were converted to forested

plantation (silviculture).

Executive Summary 

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Figure 1.

Texas Physiographic Regions and Coastal Texas Study

Area (comprised of Gulf-Atlantic Coastal Flats and

Coastal Zone)

Figure 1 

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The Texas Gulf Coast is one of the most ecologically complex

and biologically diverse regions of the state. The region is

comprised of three distinct segments -- upper, mid, and lower --

defined by geomorphologic, climatological, hydrologic, and

ecological characteristics. The upper coast, from Sabine Lake

west to the estuarine drainage area of Galveston Bay, is

characterized by extensive western Louisiana-type marshes

grading from salt to brackish to intermediate to fresh, with

coastal prairie and humid flatwoods inland.

The mid- and lower coasts are both characterized by barrier

islands and peninsulas and extensive bays or lagoons. The

mid-coast, Galveston Bay to Corpus Christi Bay, consists of

large bay and estuary systems supplied with freshwater inflow

by rivers, with extensive coastal prairies inland. The lower

coast consists of the upper and lower Laguna Madre, which are

frequently hypersaline due to lack of freshwater inflow (no

rivers and low rainfall) and restricted Gulf inlets. The lower

coast has extensive wind-tidal flats adjacent to the Laguna

Madre backed by semiarid rangeland inland and intensive

irrigated agriculture in the lower Rio Grande Valley.

More than one-third of the state's population and about 70

percent of its industrial base, commerce, and jobs are located

within 100 miles of the coastline (Texas General Land Office

1995). About 4.5 million people live in the 18 counties adjacent

to the Gulf. More than half of the nation's chemical and

petroleum production is located on the Texas coast, and the

state leads the nation in marine commerce with 10 deep-draft

ports and over 420 miles of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway.

Every coastal county supports intensive agriculture or grazing.

Texas coastal waters support major commercial and

recreational fishing industries. Numerous recreational

opportunities are afforded by the beaches, bays, marshes,

prairies, and other fish and wildlife habitats of the Texas coast.

These resources have contributed to making tourism the third

largest industry in Texas, after oil and gas production and

agriculture (Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept. and Texas Dept. of

Commerce, no date).

The total economic impact on the Texas coastal region of

wetland-based recreation and wetland-dependent commercial

fisheries is substantial. In 1993, the dock-side value of shellfish

Introduction 

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(brown, pink, and white shrimp; blue crab; and eastern oyster)

and finfish (black drum, flounder, sheepshead, and snapper)

landed commercially from the Galveston Bay system was about

$11.6 million (Robinson et al. 1994). The total economic

impact at the wholesale level from Galveston Bay alone was

estimated at $35 million. The total economic impact of

commercial fishing at the wholesale level coastwide is over

$400 million annually, providing jobs for about 30,000 coastal

residents.

There were about 850,000 saltwater sport fishers in Texas

during 1991 (Texas Parks & Wildlife Dept. 1993). Direct

expenditures by these anglers totaled about $380 million and

supported about 11,000 jobs in Texas (U.S. Fish & Wildlife

Service 1993). The total annual economic value of recreational

fishing to users of Galveston Bay living in the

Houston-Galveston area was estimated to be $75-150 million,

with the total annual value of the bay for all recreational uses (7

million user-days per year) in the range of $115-200 million

(Whittington et al. 1994).

In 1990-1994, 30-40,000 coastal waterfowl hunters pursued

waterfowl populations that averaged about 1 million geese and

1.5 million ducks (Texas Parks & Wildlife Dept. unpubl. data).

In 1991, the economic impact of waterfowl hunting and

nonconsumptive waterfowl use in Texas was about $96 million

and $240 million, respectively (Teisl and Southwick 1995). A

substantial portion of this activity took place on the coast. In the

spring of 1992, about 6,000 birdwatchers, an important segment

of the rapidly expanding nature tourism industry, poured into

tiny High Island in eastern Galveston County (Eubanks et al.

1993). The total economic impact was estimated to be $4-6

million over a 2-month period.

Although these estimates of wetlands-related economic impacts

were generated by mainstream economists, most classic market

economists have not yet fully recognized the concept that

ecological and economic concerns are not only related but

inseparable. From an economic point of view, market forces are

grossly underestimating the true economic value of existing

coastal wetlands to society (Whittington et al. 1994). Table 1

lists some known wetlands goods and services, many of which

provide undetermined monetary values. These ecological and

cultural values are important to the people of Texas and our

Nation.

Table 1.

Some valuable goods

and services

produced by coastal

Texas wetlands;

environmental quality

functions and

socioeconomic values

Introduction 

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To conserve and manage Texas coastal wetlands resources, it is

necessary to understand the dynamics of the processes, both

natural and human-induced, that are affecting them. This report

presents data that estimate the extent (status) of Texas coastal

wetlands in the early 1990s and the changes in areal extent

(trends) that have taken place since the mid-1950s. These data

may indicate the impact of existing policies and programs

intended to conserve the state's valuable coastal wetlands

resources, and identify which wetland habitats are experiencing

change.

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Table 1.

Some valuable goods and services produced by coastal

Texas wetlands; environmental quality functions and

socioeconomic values (after Tiner 1984 and Hefner et al.

1994).

Environmental Quality Functions

Water Quality Maintenance

● Sediment Trapping & Stabilization

● Chemical & Toxicant Trapping

● Nutrient Absorption & Cycling

Hydrologic Functions

● Groundwater Recharge/Discharge

● Saltwater Intrusion Prevention

● Flow Stabilization

Primary Production/Energy Transfer

Ecosystem Stabilization

Biological Diversity

Biogeochemical Cycling

Fish & Wildlife Habitat

● Invertebrates

● Fish & Shellfish

● Reptiles & Amphibians

● Waterfowl, Wading Birds, Shorebirds & Other Birds

● Furbearers & Other Mammals

● Endangered & Threatened Species

Socioeconomic Values

Products

● Finfish & Shellfish

● Forage & Hay

● Timber

● Food Products

● Fur and Other Wildlife Products

Table 1 

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● Aquaculture/Mariculture

Recreation & Nature Tourism

● Fishing & Crabbing

● Hunting & Trapping

● Nonconsumptive Fish & Wildlife Uses

● Boating & Swimming

● Camping & Picnicking

● Hiking, Trail Walking/Jogging

● Visual Aesthetics & Photography

Water Supply

Wastewater Treatment

Flood Control

Erosion Control

Storm Buffering

Education & Scientific Research

Cultural/Archaeological

Table 1 

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Statistical sampling procedures for this study were developed

and first used by Frayer et al. (1983). Other national (Dahl and

Johnson 1991) and regional (Frayer et al. 1989, Frayer and

Hefner 1991, Hefner et al. 1994) wetlands status and trends

studies have also used the survey procedures.

The coastal Texas status and trends study consisted of 754

plots. Each plot was 4 square miles (2,560 acres). Plots were

randomly distributed within the Gulf-Atlantic Coastal Flats

subdivision (10,400,556 acres; 613 plots) of Hammond (1970)

plus a Coastal Zone stratum (2,417,589 acres; 141 plots) added

to incorporate estuarine and marine wetlands that extend

beyond the continuous land mass (Fig. 2). The Coastal Zone, as

described here, is not synonymous with any state or federal

jurisdictional coastal zone definitions. The total number of

sample plots used was derived to provide a statistically robust

estimate of coastal wetlands within this study area. The study

area encompassed approximately 20,028 square miles

(12,818,145 acres).

Figure 2.

Distribution of 754

sample plots within

the study area

Two sets of aerial photographs were analyzed for each sample

plot. The mean years of the aerial photos were 1955 and 1992.

This 37-year interval was used to estimate average annual

wetland acreage changes. The 1950s photos were black and

white and ranged in scale from 1:20,000 to 1:36,000. The 1990s

photos were color infrared at 1:40,000 or 1:62,500 scales.

Aerial photos were stereoscopically interpreted and cover types

delineated using procedures developed by the National

Wetlands Inventory (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1990a,b).

Wetlands, deepwater habitats, and uplands identified on the

photos were assigned to one of 20 categories listed in Table 2

and described in Appendix A. All changes in category acreages

were classified as either natural (e.g., natural succession of

scrub-shrub to forested wetland) or human-induced (e.g., loss of

wetlands to agricultural or urban use). Upland areas were

assigned to 1 of 5 general land-use categories: agriculture,

urban, forested plantation, rural development, and "other." Field

verification of features on the aerial photos was done for

approximately 10 percent of the sample plots.

Table 2.

Wetland, deepwater,

and upland habitat

categories used in this

study.

Survey Methods 

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Habitat-category delineations on the interpreted aerial photos

were transferred to mylar overlays on 1:24,000-scale U.S.

Geological Survey topographic maps. Digital measurements of

the various categories were made and acreages recorded. For

this study, wetlands 3 acres and larger composed the target

population. Changes in area of all categories from 1955 to 1992

for each sample plot were determined. Estimates of acreage

changes were developed from the sample plot data using

accepted statistical procedures developed by the U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service and Colorado State University. This study, like

previous Fish and Wildlife Service status and trends studies,

measured wetlands acreages and made no assessment of

wetlands functional quality other than changes in areal extent.

Survey Methods 

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Figure 2.

Distribution of 754 sample plots within the study area

Figure 2 

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Table 2.

Wetland, deepwater, and upland habitat categories used

in this study. (Detailed descriptions in Appendix A)

Saltwater Habitats* Common Description

Marine Subtidal** Permanent open water of Gulf

Marine Intertidal Shore Gulf beaches, bars, and flats

Estuarine Subtidal** Permanent open water of bays

Estuarine Intertidal Emergent Salt, brackish, intermediate marsh

Estuarine Intertidal Scrub-Shrub Baccharis, Black Mangrove, other shrubs

Estuarine Intertidal Unconsolidated Shore Unvegetated bay beaches, bars, and flats

Freshwater Habitats* Common Description

Palustrine Forested Swamps, hardwood bottomlands, etc.

Palustrine Scrub-Shrub Shrub-sapling wetlands

Palustrine Emergent Fresh marshes, wet prairie, etc.

Palustrine Farmed Cultivated rice fields, some natural wetlands

Palustrine Unconsolidated Shore Unvegetated pond beaches, bars, and flats

Palustrine Unconsolidated Bottom Permanent open water of ponds

Palustrine Aquatic Beds Floating or submerged vegetation

Riverine** Open water of rivers, streams, canals

Lacustrine** Lakes and reservoirs

Upland Land Use Common Description

Agriculture*** Cropland, pasture, managed rangeland

Urban*** Cities, towns, other densely built-up areas

Forested Plantation Planted or intensively managed forests

Table 2 

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Rural Development Nonurban built-up areas and infrastructure

Other Uplands*** Nonpatterned native forest, brush, and

grassland; barren land

* Adapted from Cowardin et al. (1979)

** Deepwater Habitats

*** Adapted from Anderson et al. (1976)

Table 2 

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Acreage estimates for 1955 and 1992, and changes over the

37-year period, were developed for wetlands, deepwater

habitats, and upland categories within the coastal Texas study

area (Table 3). The complex dynamics of these conversions

were derived from Data Tables 1 and 2 in Appendix B.

STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION

An estimated 4,105,343 acres of coastal Texas wetlands existed

in 1955 (Fig. 3a). About 84.6 percent of the total was

freshwater palustrine (3,474,330 acres) (Fig. 4a), 15.3 percent

was saltwater estuarine (626,188 acres) (Fig. 5a), and 0.1

percent was marine intertidal (Fig. 3a). There were 1,664,698

acres of deepwater habitats consisting of rivers (59,303 acres),

reservoirs (67,544 acres), and estuarine subtidal bays

(1,537,851 acres; Fig. 6a) in 1955. In 1992, an estimated

3,894,753 acres of wetlands existed. About 85.3 percent of the

total was palustrine, 14.5 percent was estuarine, and 0.1 percent

was marine (Fig. 3b). There were 1,757,595 acres of deepwater

rivers (60,159 acres), reservoirs (147,363 acres), and estuarine

bays (1,550,073 acres) in 1992.

Areas of wetlands concentration did not change significantly

between 1955 and 1992. Wetlands distribution is shown in Fig.

7a and Fig. 7b. Areas of greatest wetlands concentration

appeared to be in Jefferson, Liberty, and Chambers Counties

(Fig. 7b). Substantial acreage also existed in Orange, Brazoria,

Fort Bend, Wharton, Matagorda, Jackson, Calhoun, and

Kenedy Counties.

Table 3.

Coastal Texas

wetland, deepwater

habitat, and upland

trends (acres), 1955

to 1992

Figures 3a-6b.

Change from 1955 to

1992 by type of

wetlands

Figures 7a-b.

Distribution of all

coastal Texas

wetlands in 1955 (a)

and 1992 (b)

Estuarine wetlands

Texas estuarine wetlands totaled about 566,570 acres in 1992 --

about 10 percent of all estuarine wetlands of the conterminous

U.S. About 62.8 percent (355,632 acres) was emergent, 36.3

percent (205,972 acres) was intertidal unvegetated

(unconsolidated shore) mud or sand flats and bars, and less than

1 percent (4,966 acres) was estuarine shrubs (Fig. 5b). There

were also 1,550,073 acres of estuarine subtidal open water

bays, classified as deepwater habitats, in 1992 (Fig. 6b).

Estuarine wetlands were most common in the areas around

Sabine Lake, Galveston Bay, Matagorda Bay, San Antonio

Bay, Aransas Bay, and the Laguna Madre (Fig. 8). Estuarine

Results and Discussion 

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emergent wetlands were concentrated along the upper and

mid-coast (Sabine Lake to Aransas Bay), while estuarine

unvegetated flats were concentrated along the lower Laguna

Madre (Figs. 9 and 10). Estuarine shrubs were most abundant in

three areas: Galveston Island, the Sea Drift area in Calhoun

County, and the southern end of South Padre Island (Fig. 11).

Palustrine wetlands

There was a total of 3,323,282 acres of palustrine wetlands in

the study area in 1992 (Fig. 4b). About 52.4 percent (1,741,981

acres) was farmed wetlands. This acreage was dominated by

rice growing operations, but also included some natural

wetlands that are farmed when dry enough. Forested wetlands

made up 23.8 percent (789,808 acres) of the total. Emergents

made up 17.2 percent (571,867 acres) of the total, and

scrub-shrub wetlands and ponds made up 5.2 percent (171,295

acres) and 1.1 percent (37,621 acres), respectively. Other

palustrine wetlands (unvegetated shore and aquatic beds) made

up only about 0.3 percent of the total. Palustrine wetlands were

most common in Jefferson, Chambers, Liberty, Orange, Hardin,

Brazoria, Wharton, Jackson, Matagorda, and Calhoun Counties

(Fig. 12). Palustrine emergents were most prevalent in

Jefferson, Chambers, Brazoria, Calhoun, Refugio, Aransas,

Kleberg, Kenedy, and Cameron Counties (Fig. 13). Palustrine

forested wetlands were found mostly on the northern half of the

coastal plain (Fig. 14). Newton, Jasper, Orange, Hardin,

Liberty, Harris, and Brazoria Counties had significant forested

wetland acreage; Jefferson, Chambers, and Matagorda Counties

supported some acreage. Palustrine scrub-shrub occurred

mostly in the upper coast counties of Newton, Jasper, Orange,

Hardin, Liberty, and Harris, although some concentrations of

shrub wetlands were found in Jefferson, Victoria, and Cameron

Counties (Fig. 15).

Figure 8.

Estuarine wetland

distribution in 1992

Figure 9.

Estuarine emergent

wetland distribution in

1992

Figure 10.

Estuarine

unvegetated wetland

distribution in 1992

Figure 11.

Estuarine scrub-shrub

wetland distribution in

1992

Figure 12.

Distribution of

palustrine wetlands in

1992

Figure 13.

Distribution of

palustrine emergent

wetlands in 1992

Figure 14.

Distribution of

palustrine forested

wetlands in 1992

Figure 15.

Distribution of

palustrine scrub-shrub

wetlands in 1992

Results and Discussion 

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REGIONAL TRENDS

Overall, coastal Texas wetlands sustained an estimated net loss

of 210,590 acres from 1955 to 1992 (Table 3). This was an

average annual net loss of about 5,700 acres of wetlands. This

compares with 259,000 acres average annual net loss observed

for the other 10 states of the southeastern U.S. (Hefner et al.

1994). Deepwater habitats gained an estimated 96,203 net

acres. Upland categories had an estimated net gain of 114,387

acres.

Estuarine wetlands

Overall, estuarine intertidal wetlands sustained a net loss of

about 59,618 acres (a 9.5 percent decrease); an average annual

net loss of about 1,600 acres over the 37 years. Figure 16

summarizes the dynamics of net acreage changes for estuarine

wetlands and deepwater habitats.

Estuarine intertidal emergents decreased from 387,211 acres in

1955 to 355,632 acres in 1992. The net loss of 31,579 acres (an

8.2 percent decrease) resulted primarily from loss or conversion

to: estuarine subtidal bays (19,931 acres); palustrine emergents

(9,238 acres); lacustrine reservoirs (7,023 acres); and, upland

categories other than agriculture (6,291 acres).

The loss of estuarine marsh to open subtidal bay occurred

primarily between Freeport and Port Arthur and was associated

with the submergence (drowning) and erosion of wetlands

probably due to faulting and land subsidence resulting from the

withdrawal of underground water and oil and gas as described

by White and Tremblay (1995).

Figure 16.

Net acreage changes

for estuarine wetlands

and deepwater

habitats of coastal

Texas, 1955 to 1992

Village Creek,

Hardin County

RIVERINE &

PALUSTRINE

FORESTED

JIM DICK

Estuarine intertidal unconsolidated (unvegetated) shore

decreased from 236,414 acres in 1955 to 205,972 acres in 1992.

This net loss of 30,442 acres (a 12.9 percent decrease) resulted

primarily from loss or conversion to: upland "other" (15,805

acres); estuarine emergents (14,376 acres); rural development

(4,079 acres); and, palustrine emergents (3,686 acres).

Loss of estuarine intertidal wetlands to upland "other" and

conversion to palustrine emergents resulted partly from the

construction of dredge spoil compartments along the Gulf

Intracoastal Waterway and other ship channels, and also from

construction of roads, levees, etc. that altered original tidal

hydrologic characteristics.

Estuarine intertidal scrub-shrub increased from 2,563 acres in

Results and Discussion 

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1955 to 4,966 acres in 1992. This net gain of 2,403 acres (a

93.8 percent increase) resulted primarily from conversion of

estuarine emergents (2,226 acres) to estuarine scrub-shrub.

Palustrine wetlands

Overall, palustrine wetlands decreased by 151,048 acres (a 4.3

percent loss) from 3,474,330 acres in 1955 to 3,323,282 acres

in 1992. Figure 17 summarizes the dynamics of net acreage

changes for palustrine wetlands.

Palustrine emergents decreased from 806,996 acres in 1955 to

571,867 acres in 1992. This net loss of 235,129 acres (a 29

percent decrease) resulted primarily from loss or conversion to:

agriculture (67,745 acres); the other upland categories (37,183

acres), especially urban and rural development; palustrine

farmed (62,830 acres); palustrine scrub-shrub (42,198 acres);

palustrine forested (13,072 acres); ponds (5,171 acres); and,

lacustrine reservoirs (20,470 acres).

Palustrine emergents sustained an average annual net loss of

6,355 acres. This was the largest acreage change for any

wetland category studied (Fig. 18). On the upper and mid-coast,

part of the conversion of emergents to scrub-shrub resulted

from invasion by the introduced Chinese Tallow-tree (White et

al. 1993). The 20,470-acre loss of emergents to lacustrine was

due to reservoir construction.

The 67,745-acre loss of emergents to agriculture occurred

despite the 618,313-acre net loss for the agriculture category.

The loss of palustrine wetlands to agriculture was widespread

along the coast and was greatest in Chambers, Harris, Brazoria,

Fort Bend, Wharton, Matagorda, and Refugio Counties (Fig.

19).

Palustrine forested wetlands decreased from 886,285 acres in

1955 to 789,808 acres in 1992. This net loss of 96,477 acres (a

10.9 percent decrease) resulted primarily from loss or

conversion to: palustrine scrub-shrub (29,573 acres); palustrine

farmed (12,252 acres); ponds (2,910 acres); agriculture (26,818

acres); forested plantation (14,232 acres); rural development

(13,112 acres); urban (9,563 acres); and, lacustrine reservoirs

(15,436 acres). Loss of forested wetlands to forested plantation

was confined to the upper coast, with Newton, Hardin, and

Jefferson Counties showing the greatest losses (Fig. 20).

Timber Harvest by

Barge

RIVERINE &

PALUSTRINE

FORESTED

TEXAS PARKS & WILDLIFE

DEPARTMENT

Figure 17.

Net acreage changes

for palustrine

wetlands of coastal

Texas, 1955 to 1992

Figure 18.

Changes in coastal

Texas wetland

acreages, 1955 to

1992

Figure 19.

Loss of coastal Texas

wetlands to

agriculture, 1955 to

1992

Figure 20.

Loss of coastal Texas

wetlands to

silviculture, 1955 to

1992

Results and Discussion 

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Palustrine scrub-shrub wetlands increased from 107,951 acres

in 1955 to 171,295 acres in 1992. This net gain of 63,344 acres

(a 58.7 percent increase) resulted primarily from conversion of:

palustrine emergents (42,197 acres); palustrine forested (29,573

acres); and, palustrine farmed (2,138 acres) to scrub-shrub

wetlands.

Palustrine unconsolidated bottom, mostly man-made ponds,

increased from 15,872 acres in 1955 to 37,621 acres in 1992.

This net gain of 21,749 acres (a 137 percent increase) consisted

primarily of gain from or conversion of: agriculture (7,759

acres); upland "other" (2,337 acres); palustrine emergents

(5,171 acres); palustrine farmed (2,985 acres); and, palustrine

forested (2,910 acres) to ponds. A loss of natural prairie

potholes was masked by the proliferation of man-made stock

tanks and other ponds.

Palustrine farmed wetlands increased from 1,645,492 acres in

1955 to 1,741,981 acres in 1992. This net gain of 96,489 acres

(a 5.9 percent increase) consisted primarily of gain from or

conversion of: agriculture (140,865 acres); palustrine emergents

(62,830 acres); and, palustrine forested (12,252 acres) to farmed

wetlands.

Most of the palustrine farmed wetlands acreage is in some type

of rice production rotation, primarily in Wharton, Colorado,

Brazoria, Matagorda, Jackson, Jefferson, Chambers, Liberty,

and Fort Bend counties. Texas ranks fourth among all states in

rice production, with an average annual value in the early 1990s

of about $150 million (Texas Agricultural Statistics Service

1994).

There were losses of palustrine wetlands, particularly palustrine

farmed (96,500 acres) and palustrine emergents (29,100 acres),

to urban and rural development. Loss to urban land use was

greatest in the Houston and Beaumont-Port Arthur areas (Fig.

21). Loss to rural development was greatest in Orange,

Jefferson, Chambers, Galveston, Harris, Brazoria, and Nueces

Counties (Fig. 22).

Figure 21.

Loss of coastal Texas

wetlands to urban,

1955 to 1992

Figure 22.

Loss of coastal Texas

wetlands to rural

development, 1955 to

1992

Results and Discussion 

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Deepwater habitats

Overall, deepwater habitats increased by 96,203 acres (a 5.8

percent gain), from 1,668,233 acres in 1955 to 1,764,436 acres

in 1992.

Estuarine subtidal unconsolidated bottom, i.e., open water of

bays and lagoons, increased from 1,537,851 acres in 1955 to

1,550,073 acres in 1992 (Fig. 16). This net gain of 12,222 acres

(a 0.8 percent increase) resulted primarily from conversion of:

estuarine emergents (19,931 acres); upland "other" (3,875

acres); and, agriculture (2,461 acres) to subtidal bays. These

conversions resulted from the submergence and erosion of tidal

marshes and bay shorelines mostly along the upper and

mid-coast.

Lacustrine acreage increased from 67,544 acres in 1955 to

147,363 acres in 1992. This net gain of 79,819 acres (a 118

percent increase) resulted primarily from conversion of:

palustrine emergents (20,470 acres); palustrine forested (15,436

acres); palustrine farmed (11,110 acres); upland "other" (11,791

acres); agriculture (6,409 acres); and, estuarine intertidal

wetlands (8,100 acres), mostly emergents, to lacustrine. The

expansion of the lacustrine category resulted from reservoir

construction.

Marine subtidal habitats, i.e., open Gulf water, were included in

this study only insofar as they relate to losses or gains of the

other measured habitat categories. For example, the erosion of

Gulf beaches would create a loss of marine intertidal shore to

marine subtidal; or, the accretion of sand on a barrier island

beach would create a loss of marine subtidal to marine

intertidal. In that regard, marine subtidal acreage increased

from 3,535 in 1955 to 6,841 in 1992. This net gain of 3,306

acres (a 93.5 percent increase) resulted primarily from

conversion of: marine intertidal beaches (2,044 acres); and

upland "other" (1,627 acres) to marine subtidal.

Upland categories

Overall, upland categories increased by 114,387 acres (a 1.6

percent gain) from 7,044,569 acres in 1955 to 7,158,956 acres

in 1992.

Upland agriculture decreased from 5,315,561 acres in 1955 to

4,697,248 acres in 1992. This net loss of 618,313 acres (a 11.6

percent decrease) resulted primarily from loss or conversion to:

urban (323,706 acres); rural development (184,633 acres);

Results and Discussion 

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forested plantation (58,891 acres); palustrine farmed (140,865

acres); ponds (7,759 acres); and, lacustrine reservoirs (6,409

acres).

Agriculture, the largest land-use category, experienced a

618,313-acre net loss even though 98,000 acres of palustrine

vegetated wetlands, mostly emergent and forested, were lost to

agriculture, as were 12,000 acres of upland "other."

Bird Watching,

Mid-coast

ESTUARINE

SCRUB/SHRUB

TEXAS PARKS & WILDLIFE

DEPARTMENT

Upland urban increased from 329,790 acres in 1955 to 858,490

acres in 1992. This gain of 528,700 acres (a 160 percent

increase) resulted primarily from conversion of: agriculture

(323,706 acres); upland "other" (72,271 acres); rural

development (64,252 acres); palustrine farmed (36,628 acres);

palustrine emergents (15,966 acres); palustrine forested (9,563

acres); and, palustrine scrub-shrub (2,425 acres) to urban.

Upland "other," primarily unmanaged or nonpatterned forest

and rangelands, and barren land, decreased from 1,178,802

acres in 1955 to 788,186 acres in 1992. This net loss of 390,616

acres (a 33 percent decrease) resulted primarily from loss or

conversion to: forested plantation (244,900 acres); urban

(72,271 acres); rural development (53,507 acres); agriculture

(11,960 acres); palustrine forested (14,570 acres); ponds (2,337

acres); lacustrine reservoirs (11,791 acres); and, estuarine

subtidal bays (3,875 acres). Much of the upland "other" acreage

that was converted to forested plantation was originally native

hardwood and pine-hardwood forest.

Upland forested plantation (silviculture), primarily planted and

managed pine plantations, clear cuts, and other intensively

managed forest stands, increased from 82,302 acres in 1955 to

404,284 acres in 1992. This net gain of 321,982 acres (a 391

percent increase) resulted primarily from conversion of: upland

"other" (244,900 acres); agriculture (58,891 acres); palustrine

forested (14,232 acres); palustrine emergents (4,588 acres);

and, palustrine farmed (1,774 acres) to forested plantation.

Commercial timber operations in southeast Texas have

emphasized the growing of Loblolly and nonnative Slash Pine

for production of pulp for paper, lumber and plyboard for

building, and pressure-treated fenceposts, pilings, landscape

timbers, etc. (G. Spencer pers. comm.). There is a growing

export market, particularly to Japan, for hardwood chips used in

the production of high quality papers.

Upland rural development, i.e., low-intensity, often isolated

development outside distinct cities or towns, increased from

Results and Discussion 

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138,114 acres in 1955 to 410,748 acres in 1992. This net gain

of 272,634 acres (a 197 percent increase) resulted primarily

from conversion of: agriculture (184,633 acres); upland "other"

(53,507 acres); palustrine farmed (59,838 acres); palustrine

forested (13,112 acres); and, palustrine emergents (13,062

acres) to rural development.

Results and Discussion 

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Table 3.

Coastal Texas wetland, deepwater habitat, and upland

trends (acres), 1955 to 1992. Standard error, in percent,

shown below acreage estimates; percentage of total

acreage for each category included for comparison.

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Figures 3a-6b.

Change from 1955 to 1992 by type of wetlands

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Figures 7a-b.

Distribution of all coastal Texas wetlands in 1955 (a) and

1992 (b)

Note: the "pixels" shown on these graphics represent

USGS 7.5 minute quadrangles

Figures 7a-b 

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Figures 7a-b 

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Figure 8.

Estuarine wetland distribution in 1992

Figure 8 

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Figure 9.

Estuarine emergent wetland distribution in 1992

Figure 9 

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Figure 10.

Estuarine unvegetated wetland distribution in 1992

Figure 10 

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Figure 11.

Estuarine scrub-shrub wetland distribution in 1992

Figure 11 

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Figure 12.

Distribution of palustrine wetlands in 1992

Figure 12 

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Figure 13.

Distribution of palustrine emergent wetlands in 1992

Figure 13 

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Figure 14.

Distribution of palustrine forested wetlands in 1992

Figure 14 

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Figure 15.

Distribution of palustrine scrub-shrub wetlands in 1992

Figure 15 

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Figure 16.

Net acreage changes for estuarine wetlands and

deepwater habitats of coastal Texas, 1955 to 1992

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Figure 16 

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Village Creek, Hardin County

RIVERINE & PALUSTRINE FORESTED

JIM DICK

Photo 

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Timber Harvest by Barge

RIVERINE & PALUSTRINE FORESTED

TEXAS PARKS & WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT

Photo 

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Figure 17.

Net acreage changes for palustrine wetlands of coastal

Texas, 1955 to 1992

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Figure 17 

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Figure 18.

Changes in coastal Texas wetland acreages, 1955 to

1992

Figure 18 

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Figure 19.

Loss of coastal Texas wetlands to agriculture, 1955 to

1992

Figure 19 

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Figure 20.

Loss of coastal Texas wetlands to silviculture, 1955 to

1992

Figure 20 

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Figure 21.

Loss of coastal Texas wetlands to urban, 1955 to 1992

Figure 21 

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Figure 22.

Loss of coastal Texas wetlands to rural development,

1955 to 1992

Figure 22 

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Bird Watching, Mid-coast

ESTUARINE SCRUB/SHRUB

TEXAS PARKS & WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT

Photo 

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We examined the status of coastal Texas wetlands at two points

in time -- the mid-1950s and the early 1990s. The average

annual net loss of all vegetated wetlands for that period was

5,400 acres. However, federal and state legislation such as the

1948 "Clean Water Act" as amended, the 1969 National

Environmental Policy Act, the 1985 and 1990 "Farm Bills," the

1986 Emergency Wetlands Resources Act, the 1989 North

American Wetlands Conservation Act, the 1981 Texas

Waterfowl Stamp Act, the 1991 Texas Coastal Coordination

Act, and others, have had a positive influence on wetlands

conservation and management in Texas. For example, in the

Galveston Bay area, the average rate of loss of vegetated

wetlands decreased from about 1,000 acres per year from

1953-1979 to about 500 acres per year from 1979-1989 (White

et al. 1993).

Mid-coast Salt

Marsh

ESTUARINE

INTERTIDAL

EMERGENT

ROSE SULLIVAN

Nevertheless, our results indicate that vegetated wetlands,

particularly freshwater emergent and forested wetlands, are

resources that need additional conservation efforts. The acreage

losses within the upland agriculture and upland "other"

categories also give cause for concern. The upland "other"

category consists mostly of nonpatterned native forests,

grasslands, and brush lands. As these habitats, as well as

agricultural lands, undergo urban, rural, and silvicultural

development, pressure to make up losses of farm and range

lands at the expense of wetlands may intensify.

In 1992, palustrine farmed wetlands comprised 52 percent of all

palustrine wetlands and 45 percent of total wetlands for coastal

Texas. The predominance of this wetland type commands

attention from coastal resource managers; and also indicates

great potential for the conservation of wildlife and other

resources.

The Gulf Coast Joint Venture of the North American Waterfowl

Management Plan and the Texas Wetlands Conservation Plan

(Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept. 1997) have led the way in

Texas regarding private lands incentive programs for wetlands

conservation and management. The role of private landowners

in wetlands conservation is crucial, and efforts to provide

incentives and assistance must be redoubled. The great potential

of coastal Texas for wetlands restoration on upland agricultural

lands is, as yet, largely unrealized.

Conclusions 

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Conclusions 

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Mid-coast Salt Marsh

ESTUARINE INTERTIDAL EMERGENT

ROSE SULLIVAN

Photo 

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Anderson, J.R., E.E. Hardy, J.T. Roach, and R.E. Witner. 1976.

A land use and land cover classification system for use with

remote sensor data. U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper

964, U.S. Geological Survey, Washington, D.C.

Cowardin, L.M., V. Carter, F.C. Golet, and E.T. LaRoe. 1979.

Classification of wetlands and deepwater habitats of the United

States. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, FWS/OBS - 79/31,

Washington, D.C.

Dahl, T.E. and C.E. Johnson. 1991. Status and trends of

wetlands in the conterminous United States, mid-1970's to

mid-1980's. U.S. Dept. of Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service,

Washington, D.C.

Eubanks, T.L., P. Kerlinger, and R.H. Payne. 1993. High

Island: a case study in avitourism. Birding 25:415-420.

Frayer, W.E. and J.M. Hefner. 1991. Florida wetlands: status

and trends, 1970's to 1980's. U.S. Dept. of Interior, Fish and

Wildlife Service, Atlanta, GA.

Frayer, W.E., T.J. Monahan, D.C. Bowden, and F.A. Graybill.

1983. Status and trends of wetlands and deepwater habitats in

the conterminous United States, 1950's to 1970's. Colorado

State Univ., Fort Collins, CO.

Frayer, W.E., D.E. Peters, and H.R. Pywell. 1989. Wetlands of

the California Central Valley: status and trends, 1939 to

mid-1980's. U.S. Dept. of Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service,

Portland, OR.

Hammond, E.H. 1970. Physical subdivisions of the United

States of America. In: National Atlas of the United States of

America. U.S. Geological Survey, Washington, D.C.

Hefner, J.M., B.O. Wilen, T.E. Dahl, and W.E. Frayer. 1994.

Southeast wetlands; status and trends, mid-1970's to

mid-1980's. U.S. Dept. of Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service,

Atlanta, GA.

Robinson, L., P. Campbell, and L. Butler. 1994. Trends in

Texas commercial fishery landings, 1972-1993. Management

Data Series No. 111, Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept., Coastal

Fisheries Branch, Austin, TX.

Literature Cited 

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Teisl, M.F. and R. Southwick. 1995. The economic

contributions of bird and waterfowl recreation in the United

States during 1991. Southwick Assocs., Arlington, VA.

Texas Agricultural Statistics Service. 1994. 1993 Texas Crop

Statistics. Bull. 252(2), Austin, TX.

Texas General Land Office. 1995. Texas coastal management

program. Austin, TX.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. 1993. Saltwater finfish

research and management in Texas: a report to the Governor

and the 73rd Legislature. Coastal Fisheries Branch, Austin, TX.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. 1997. Texas wetlands

conservation plan. Austin, TX.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept. and Texas Dept. of Commerce.

No date. Nature tourism in the Lone Star State; economic

opportunities in nature: a report from the state task force on

Texas nature tourism. Austin, TX.

Tiner, R.W., Jr. 1984. Wetlands of the United States: current

status and recent trends. U.S. Dept. of Interior, Fish and

Wildlife Service, Washington, D.C.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1990a. Cartographic

conventions for the National Wetlands Inventory. St.

Petersburg, FL.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1990b. Photo interpretation

conventions for the National Wetlands Inventory. St.

Petersburg, FL.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1993. 1991 national survey of

fishing, hunting, and wildlife-associated recreation: Texas. U.S.

Dept. of Interior and U.S. Dept. of Commerce, U.S.

Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C.

White, W.A. and T.A. Tremblay. 1995. Submergence of

wetlands as a result of human-induced subsidence and faulting

along the upper Texas Gulf Coast. J. Coastal Res. 11:788-807.

White, W.A., T.A. Tremblay, E.G. Wermund, Jr., and L.R.

Handley. 1993. Trends and status of wetland and aquatic

habitats in the Galveston Bay system, Texas. Galveston Bay

National Estuary Prog. Publ. GBNEP-31, Webster, TX.

Whittington, D., G. Cassidy, D. Amaral, E. McClelland, H.

Wang, and C. Poulos. 1994. The economic value of improving

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the environmental quality of Galveston Bay. Galveston Bay

National Estuary Prog. Publ. GBNEP-38, Webster, TX.

Literature Cited 

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Wetland and deepwater habitat categories used in this report

were adapted from Cowardin et al. (1979). In general terms,

wetlands are lands where saturation with water is the dominant

factor determining the nature of soil development and the types

of plant and animal assemblages living in the soil and on its

surface. Wetlands are lands transitional between terrestrial and

aquatic ecosystems where the water table usually is at or near

the surface or the land is covered by shallow water. The

classification system requires that wetlands have one or more of

the following attributes: 1) at least periodically, the land

supports predominantly hydrophytes (water-loving plants); 2)

the substrate is predominantly undrained hydric (water-logged)

soil; and, 3) the substrate is nonsoil and is saturated with water

or covered by shallow water at some time during the growing

season of each year.

Deepwater habitats consist of certain permanently flooded

lands. The separation between wetland and deepwater habitat in

tidal areas coincides with the elevation of the extreme low

water of spring tide. In other areas, the separation is at a depth

of 2 meters (6.6 feet) below low water. This is the maximum

depth in which emergent plants normally grow.

Galveston Island

Salt Marsh

ESTUARINE

INTERTIDAL

EMERGENT

JIM DICK

Within the classification hierarchy, wetlands and deepwater

habitats are grouped according to five major systems: Marine,

Estuarine, Palustrine, Riverine, and Lacustrine. Systems consist

of environments of similar hydrologic, geomorphological,

chemical, and biological characteristics. Each system is further

divided by the predominant ecological influence, such as the

ebb and flow of the tide, and by substrate material and flooding

regimes, or by vegetative life form. Groupings of habitat

categories were made to accommodate the special interests of

the study and the detail to which aerial photography could be

interpreted.

An overview of the Cowardin et al. classification system and

general descriptions of category types can be found in Dahl and

Johnson (1991). The following descriptions are specific

examples of the most common coastal Texas wetland habitats

included within the study categories.

Appendix A -- Habitat Categories 

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Marine Wetlands

The marine intertidal unconsolidated shore category includes

beaches, bars, and flats alternately exposed and flooded by tidal

action, including the splash zone, of the open Gulf of Mexico.

Estuarine Wetlands

The estuarine intertidal emergent category includes coastal

marshes which are flooded periodically by tidal waters with

salinity of at least 0.5 parts per thousand. The three types of

estuarine marshes that occur along the Gulf of Mexico are

commonly called salt marsh, brackish marsh, and intermediate

marsh. These types can be separated based on salinity, as

reflected by the dominant plant assemblages. Some common

plants of the estuarine marshes include Smooth Cordgrass

(Spartina alterniflora), Saltwort (Batis maritima), Seashore

Saltgrass (Distichlis spicata), and Seashore Dropseed

(Sporobolus virginicus) in salt marshes; Black Needlerush

(Juncus roemerianus), Marshhay Cordgrass (Spartina patens),

and Olney's Bulrush (Scirpus americanus) in brackish marshes;

and California Bulrush (Scirpus californicus), Southern Cattail

(Typha domingensis), and Seashore Paspalum (Paspalum

vaginatum) in intermediate marshes.

The estuarine intertidal scrub-shrub category describes

wetlands dominated by woody vegetation and periodically

flooded by tidal waters with salinity of at least 0.5 parts per

thousand. On the Texas coast, this category includes wetlands

dominated by the evergreen shrubs Eastern Baccharis

(Baccharis halimifolia), Marshelder (Iva frutescens), and on the

mid- and lower coast, Black Mangrove (Avicennia germinans).

Sea Oxeye (Borrichia frutescens), although a shrub, does not

appear as such on aerial photos probably because it often occurs

in low, dense stands of unbranched plants.

The estuarine intertidal unconsolidated shore category includes

wetlands with less than 30 percent areal coverage by vegetation

and periodically flooded by tidal waters with salinity of at least

0.5 parts per thousand. This category includes sandbars,

mudflats, and other nonvegetated or sparsely vegetated habitats

called saltflats. Saltflats are hypersaline environments that

generally occur near the interface of salt marsh and upland

habitats. Sparse vegetation of saltflats may include glassworts

(Salicorniaspp.), Saltwort, and Shoregrass (Monanthochloe

littoralis). Wetlands consisting mostly of sand flats dominated

by algal beds or blue-green algal mats and periodically flooded

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by astronomic or wind tides were also included in this category.

These habitats occur extensively on the lower Texas coast along

the Laguna Madre.

This study did not include estuarine subtidal aquatic beds

(seagrasses) or oyster reefs because these habitats cannot

always be accurately delineated on color infrared aerial photos.

Palustrine Wetlands

The palustrine forested category includes all freshwater (less

than 0.5 parts per thousand ocean-derived salinity) wetlands

dominated by woody vegetation greater than 6 meters (20 feet)

in height. Floodplain wetlands called hardwood bottomlands

are the predominant habitat of this category. Water regimes

range from brief periodic flooding to near permanent

inundation. For example, assemblages dominated by oaks such

as Overcup Oak (Quercus lyrata), Water Oak (Q. nigra), and

Willow Oak (Q. phellos) along with Green Ash (Fraxinus

pennsylvanica), Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua), and

Black Willow (Salix nigra) are subject to seasonal flooding.

Old river channels and oxbows may support swamps vegetated

predominantly by Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum) and

Water-Tupelo (Nyssa aquatica) and may be flooded almost

continuously. Forested wetlands with intermediate degrees of

flooding are an extensive component of the hardwood

bottomland spectrum. Some common trees of the intermediate

zones include elms (Ulmusspp.), Red Maple (Acer rubrum),

Water Hickory (Carya aquatica), and Hackberry/Sugar-Berry

(Celtisspp.). In addition to hardwood bottomlands, interfluvial

forested wetlands such as wet pine flatwoods dominated by

Loblolly Pine (Pinus taeda) cover large acreages on the upper

Texas coast.

Cypress Swamp,

Orange County

PALUSTRINE

FORESTED

TEXAS PARKS & WILDLIFE

DEPARTMENT

The palustrine scrub-shrub category includes all freshwater

wetlands dominated by woody vegetation less than 20 feet in

height. These habitats include formerly forested wetlands

experiencing regrowth or invasion by species such as Green

Ash or the introduced Chinese Tallow-tree (Sapium sebiferum).

This category includes shrub-dominated floodplain depressions,

beaver ponds, gravel pits, river point-bars, and backwaters of

ponds and reservoirs vegetated by species such as Swamp

Privet (Forestiera acuminata), Brook-side Alder (Alnus

serrulata), Black Willow, ash (Fraxinus caroliniana, F.

pennsylvanica), Buttonbush (Cephalanthusspp.), and

Planer-tree (Planera aquatica). Chinese Tallow-tree is rapidly

invading palustrine emergent wetlands, including rice fields, on

Appendix A -- Habitat Categories 

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the upper and mid-coast. Rattlebush (Sesbaniaspp.) and

Saltcedar (Tamarix ramosissima) are common in depressions

and along drainages throughout the coastal plain.

The palustrine emergent category includes all freshwater

wetlands dominated by rooted herbaceous (nonwoody) plants.

Most habitats in this category are freshwater marshes

dominated by plants such as cattails (Typhaspp.), spikerushes

(Eleocharisspp.), smartweeds (Polygonumspp.), arrowheads

(Sagittariaspp.), etc. Also included are wet prairies and

meadows vegetated by species such as Gulf Cordgrass

(Spartina spartinae), sedges (Carexspp.), Bushy Bluestem

(Andropogon glomeratus), Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum),

Seacoast Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium var. littoralis),

Giant Bristle Grass (Setaria magna), and other grasses.

The palustrine farmed category consists primarily of actively

farmed rice (Oryza sativa) fields, but also includes some natural

wetlands which are farmed when dry enough.

The palustrine aquatic bed category includes shallow freshwater

wetlands dominated by floating or submerged vegetation.

Typical species are floating vascular plants such as duckweed

(Lemnaspp.), and Common Water-Hyacinth (Eichhornia

crassipes); and rooted vascular plants such as water-lilies

(Nymphaeaspp.), pondweeds (Potamogetonspp.), and Hydrilla

(Hydrilla verticillata).

Redhead Pond,

Corpus Christi

PALUSTRINE

UNCONSOLIDATED

BOTTOM

BRIAN BENEDICT

Two palustrine nonvegetated (less than 30 percent areal

coverage by vegetation) categories were evaluated. These are

palustrine unconsolidated bottom, which includes all ponds and

other permanently flooded open freshwater bodies less than 20

acres in size; and palustrine unconsolidated shore, which

includes periodically flooded freshwater beaches, bars, and

flats, as well as palustrine wetlands temporarily devoid of

vegetation.

Deepwater Habitats

Several deepwater habitat categories were included as they are

the aquatic end of the continuum for which wetlands function

as transitional zones. These categories are: marine subtidal,

where the substrate is permanently submerged by the open Gulf

of Mexico; estuarine subtidal, which includes the permanently

submerged areas of bays, lagoons, and lakes where

ocean-derived salinity exceeds 0.5 parts per thousand, where

there is at least partial obstruction (barrier islands or peninsulas)

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from the open Gulf of Mexico, and there is occasional dilution

by freshwater runoff from the land; riverine, which includes all

flooded unvegetated freshwater habitats found within a channel;

and lacustrine, which includes all flooded unvegetated

freshwater areas of lakes and reservoirs larger than 20 acres.

Upland Categories

All areas not identified as wetlands or deepwater habitats were

placed in five upland categories. The agriculture category

consists of cropland, pasture, and managed range. The urban

category consists of cities, towns, and other intensively built-up

areas. The "other" uplands category was adapted from

Anderson et al. (1976). "Other" includes unmanaged or

nonpatterned forest land and rangeland, and barren land, as well

as lands that have been drained and cleared but not put to

identifiable use. The forested plantation category includes

planted and managed pine plantations, clear cuts, and other

intensively managed forests. The rural development category

includes low-density, often isolated development outside

distinct cities and towns. Rural infrastructure including major

roads, other transportation, power, and communications

facilities, mines and quarries, and golf courses and other

recreational areas were included.

Houston Ship

Channel, San

Jacinto River

RIVERINE

TEXAS PARKS & WILDLIFE

DEPARTMENT

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Galveston Island Salt Marsh

ESTUARINE INTERTIDAL EMERGENT

JIM DICK

Photo 

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Cypress Swamp, Orange County

PALUSTRINE FORESTED

TEXAS PARKS & WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT

Photo 

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Redhead Pond, Corpus Christi

PALUSTRINE UNCONSOLIDATED BOTTOM

BRIAN BENEDICT

Photo 

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Houston Ship Channel, San Jacinto River

RIVERINE

TEXAS PARKS & WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT

Photo 

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Estimates produced include acreages with associated standard

errors. Some estimates are not considered reliable enough to

recommend their use for making decisions. An indication of the

statistical reliability of each acreage estimate is given in the

summary tables included in this appendix. The standard error of

each entry expressed as a percentage of the entry (SE %) is

below each acreage estimate. Reliability can be stated generally

as: "we are 68 percent confident that the true value is within the

interval constructed by adding to and subtracting from the

estimate the SE%/100 times the estimate." For example, if an

estimate is one million acres and the SE% is 20, then we are 68

percent confident that the true value is between 800,000 and

1,200,000 acres. An equivalent statement for 95 percent

confidence can be made by adding and subtracting twice the

amount to and from the estimate. Therefore, a large SE%

indicates that the estimate has little, if any, reliability. If the

SE% is 100 or greater, we can not state that we are 68 percent

confident that the true value is not zero.

This discussion of reliability is meant to aid in interpretation of

the study results. It was expected that only certain estimates

would be precise enough to be meaningful. However, all

estimates are included in the summary tables for additivity and

ease of comparison.

Estimates for 1955, 1992, and change over that period were

produced for the categories described in Appendix A. These

estimates are summarized in Table 1 of Appendix B. Table 2

summarizes estimates by selected surface area groups. Totals

for columns are estimates of total acreage by category for 1992.

Row totals (the column on the extreme right) are estimates of

total acreage by category for 1955. Table entries are interpreted

as in the following examples (all from the seventh row or

column of Table 1):

Table 1.

Area, in thousands of

acres, by surface area

classification.

Table 2.

Area, in thousands of

acres, by selected

surface area groups.

447,293 acres classified as palustrine emergent in 1955 were

again classified as palustrine emergent in 1992;

Impounded Farm

Pond

PALUSTRINE

UNCONSOLIDATED

92,562 acres classified as palustrine emergent in 1955 had

changed to agriculture by 1992;

Appendix B -- Data Tables 

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BOTTOM

TEXAS PARKS & WILDLIFE

DEPARTMENT

Duck Hunting

PALUSTRINE

EMERGENT

TEXAS PARKS & WILDLIFE

DEPARTMENT

15,523 acres classified as palustrine emergent in 1955 had

changed to upland "other" by 1992;

12,692 acres classified as palustrine scrub-shrub in 1955 had

changed to palustrine emergent by 1992;

70,886 acres classified as palustrine emergent in 1955 had

changed to palustrine farmed by 1992;

The estimate of palustrine emergent area in 1955 is 806,996

acres;

The estimate of palustrine emergent area in 1992 is 571,867

acres;

The estimate of net change in palustrine emergent area from

1955 to 1992 is -235,129 acres.

Appendix B -- Data Tables 

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Appendix B: Table 1.

Area, in thousands of acres, by surface area

classification.

This table is provided in Adobe Acrobat (PDF) format. You

will need the free reader application from Adobe to view this

file.

Click here for the file. (42K)

Appendix B: Table 1 

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Embedded Secure Document

The file http://ifw2es.fws.gov/Documents/NationalWetlandsInventory/Reports/texwet/datab01.pdf is a

secure document that has been embedded in this document. Double click the pushpin to view

datab01.pdf.

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Appendix B: Table 2.

Area, in thousands of acres, by selected surface area

groups.

This table is provided in Adobe Acrobat (PDF) format. You

will need the free reader application from Adobe to view this

file.

Click here for the file. (43K)

Appendix B: Table 2 

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Embedded Secure Document

The file http://ifw2es.fws.gov/Documents/NationalWetlandsInventory/Reports/texwet/datab02.pdf is a

secure document that has been embedded in this document. Double click the pushpin to view

datab02.pdf.

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Impounded Farm Pond

PALUSTRINE UNCONSOLIDATED BOTTOM

TEXAS PARKS & WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT

Photo 

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Duck Hunting

PALUSTRINE EMERGENT

TEXAS PARKS & WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT

Photo 

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Many individuals within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and

others contributed to this report. The authors especially thank

W. W. Hagenbuck, National Wetlands Inventory Regional

Coordinator, Albuquerque, NM; D. W. Woodard, NWI Group

Leader, St. Petersburg, FL; B.O. Wilen, NWI Project Leader,

Arlington, VA; K.E. Cathey, J.A. Dick, R.E. Sullivan, and S.J.

Vosler, NWI Group, Austin, TX; M. Newcastle, Office of

Public Affairs--Printing, Washington, DC; K. Patterson and

staff at Geonex, Inc. in St. Petersburg.

Special recognition is due the staff of the Wetlands Status and

Trends Unit, St. Petersburg, which includes Richard D. Young,

who performed the GIS data analysis, and Martha C. Caldwell,

who was responsible for the statistical outputs.

The authors also express their appreciation to Dr. Kenneth P.

Burnham, Colorado State University, for providing statistical

programming support and oversight; and to Thomas Gale, Gale

Communications, St. Paul, MN, for editing, layout, and

graphics.

We thank the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department for photos.

This report should be cited as:

Moulton, D.W., T.E. Dahl, and D.M. Dall. 1997. Texas Coastal

Wetlands; Status and Trends, mid-1950s to early 1990s. U.S.

Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service,

Albuquerque, New Mexico. 32 pages.

Oyster Harvest

ESTUARINE

SUBTIDAL

TEXAS PARKS & WILDLIFE

DEPARTMENT

Acknowledgments 

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Oyster Harvest

ESTUARINE SUBTIDAL

TEXAS PARKS & WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT

Photo 

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1. Texas Physiographic Regions and Coastal Texas Study

Area

2. Distribution of 754 sample plots within study area

3. Total wetlands of coastal Texas in 1955 (a) and 1992 (b)

4. Palustrine wetlands of coastal Texas in 1955 (a) and 1992

(b)

5. Estuarine wetlands of Texas in 1955 (a) and 1992 (b)

6. Estuarine wetlands and deepwater habitats of Texas in

1955 (a) and 1992 (b)

7. Distribution of all coastal Texas wetlands in 1955 (a) and

1992 (b)

8. Distribution of Texas estuarine wetlands in 1992

9. Distribution of Texas estuarine emergent wetlands in

1992

10. Distribution of Texas estuarine unvegetated wetlands in

1992

11. Distribution of Texas estuarine scrub-shrub wetlands in

1992

12. Distribution of coastal Texas palustrine wetlands in 1992

13. Distribution of coastal Texas palustrine emergent

wetlands in 1992

14. Distribution of coastal Texas palustrine forested wetlands

in 1992

15. Distribution of coastal Texas palustrine scrub-shrub

wetlands in 1992

16. Net acreage changes for estuarine wetlands and

deepwater habitats of Texas, 1955 to 1992

17. Net acreage changes for palustrine wetlands of coastal

Texas, 1955 to 1992

List of Figures 

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18. Net changes in coastal Texas wetland acreages, 1955 to

1992

19. Loss of coastal Texas wetlands to agriculture, 1955 to

1992

20. Loss of coastal Texas wetlands to silviculture, 1955 to

1992

21. Loss of coastal Texas wetlands to urban, 1955 to 1992

22. Loss of coastal Texas wetlands to rural development,

1955 to 1992

List of Figures 

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1. Some valuable goods and services produced by coastal

Texas wetlands; environmental quality functions and

socioeconomic values

2. Wetland, deepwater, and upland habitat categories used

in this study

3. Coastal Texas wetland, deepwater habitat, and upland

trends (acres), 1955 to 1992

List of Tables 

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Cultivated Rice

PALUSTRINE FARMED

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

Photo 

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Shrimp Harvest

ESTUARINE SYSTEM

TEXAS PARKS & WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT

Photo 

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