The Cabin Connection, June 2014 Page: Message
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LISHEDThe Cabin Connection
A publication of the Asset Inspection Division of the Texas General Land Office - Jerry Patterson, Commissioner
June 2014A Message from Texas land Commissioner lerry Paterson
Welcome to the Summer 2014 edition of the Cabin Connection.
It's been another busy year for the Cabin Program. In this issue, we'll update you on the U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers' finalized policy concerning structures along the Intracoastal Waterway, including some cabin
structures. We also feature an article about a restored, historic oyster reef along the Texas mid-coast. In addi-
tion, many of you have asked, and we are pleased to announce that we will have temporary dumpsters in the
Laguna Madre this fall.
As always, we have the photos and stories you submitted about your experiences at the cabins. Please remem-
ber to check the Tips and Information section for the latest updates and information on Cabin Program policies.
Thank you again for your participation and stewardship of the Texas coast. Feel free to contact us with any
questions, concerns or ideas for improvement and have a safe and enjoyable summer on the coast.
(JERY PATTERSON
o missioner, Texas General Land Office
Nature Conservancy Rebuilds Historic Texas Oyster Reefhe Nature Conservancy has begun work to reconstruct Half
Moon Reef, a once-massive oyster reef that has virtually dis-
appeared over the last century in Matagorda Bay, one of the
largest estuaries and most productive fisheries in Texas.
Construction occurred in two phases between November 2013
and March 2014, with crews installing limestone reef rows in
Matagorda Bay near Palacios Point to create a 57-acre reef, ap-
proximately seven to eight feet beneath the bay surface. The proj-
ect was financed with a $3.8 million grant through the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service's Coastal Impact Assistance Program, which
is administered through the Texas General Land Office and the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in partnership with The Nature Con-
servancy. Additional funders include the Meadows Foundation,
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, KBR, Shell Oil and El Paso
Corporation.
Mark Dumesnil, Associate Director of Coastal Restoration for
The Nature Conservancy in Texas, said the unique three-dimen-
sional design of the reef will provide a "domino effect" of benefits.
"This really is an innovative approach to oyster reef construction,"
Dumesnil said. "When you have healthy oyster reefs, you have ex-
cellent habitat for small fish and other reef-dependent species, reli-Sonar image depicting created oyster reef. Image courtesy of The
Nature Conservancy.able food for
bigger fish
and water
filtration. All
of that leads
to healthier
commercial
and recre-
ational fish-
eries, a first
line of de-fense against storms
and hurricanes,
cleaner water and a
more resilient eco-
system overall."
Surveys from the
early 1900s suggest
the reef was once
nearly 500 acres in
area. Several fac-
tors over the last
century have led to
its demise.
"Matagorda is one Ptoect location map
of the largest estuar-
ies in Texas - the freshwater that enters into the bay from Texas
rivers and streams is crucial to its health," said Laura Huffman,
Texas State Director for The Nature Conservancy. "We already
know the reef can withstand drought conditions but what we want
to test is whether it will help the entire bay system better tolerate
periods of drought and low freshwater flows. If we can prove that,
this work will have relevancy for coastal cities struggling to manage
their marine resources amid drier conditions and scarcer freshwa-
ter supplies worldwide."
For more information on Half Moon Reef visit www.nature.org/
Texas, and you can also find the restored reef on the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Navigational
Charts 11317 and 11319.
This article can be found on The Nature Conservancy's website
at http://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/regions/northamerica/unit-
edstates/texas/newsroom/nature-conservancy-begins-rebuild-of-
historic-texas-oyster-reef.xml.
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Texas. General Land Office. The Cabin Connection, June 2014, periodical, June 2014; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth640571/m1/1/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.