| Photo Needed of Sunken Wreck at Mouth |
Posted on Jan 26th, 2012 Comments (0)
Nick Fratila, F.O.R. Mouth Committee Chairman, reported that at a program presented on Wednesday, 25Jan12, by the Texas General Land Office (GLO) - Derelict Vessel and Structure division, it was stated that the sunken wreck at the mouth of San Bernard River is not in their data base. No one has yet provided a photograph of the vessel to the GLO. The photo of the vessel must be taken when it is actually visible. Once there is a photo, the GLO will be contacted to include it in their data base for future consideration of removal. Send any photos of the sunken wreck to webmaster@sanbernardriver.com
Photo Courtesy: Albert Smith, Rio Vista
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January 8, 2012
Looking northward, the mouth of the San Bernard shows the gradual silting in of the opening to the Gulf of Mexico. A large sand bar (A) is forming in front of the old river channel to the west.
Remains of a sunken shrimp boat (B) are sometimes visible in the southwest corner of the mouth, indicated by the red sunken wreck symbol. Use caution when navigating in this area.
Intentionally leaving or abandoning a vessel in or on the coastal waters, or at a public or private dock is Class A Misdemeanor punishable by fines up to $4,000, up to one year jail time, or both fine and jail time. |
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| "Digging for Dredging Dollars" |
Posted on Jan 25th, 2012 Comments (0)
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| San Bernard Watershed Stakeholder's Meeting |
Posted on Jan 25th, 2012 Comments (0)
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The first stakeholder meeting of the year is scheduled for Thursday, February 16 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the West Columbia Civic Center, 516 E. Brazos Avenue, West Columbia, Texas. Topics to be discussed include the Watershed Protection Plan, BMP implementation in the watershed, upcoming monitoring activities, and creating an executive summary for the Watershed Protection Plan. |
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| San Bernard Refuge Proposed Expansion Meetings |
Posted on Jan 21st, 2012 Comments (0)
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Meeting dates/places:
• Tue. Jan. 24, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 Texas Mid-coast NWR Complex Office
2547 CR 316, Brazoria
• Thu. Feb. 2, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Hudson Woods Unit, San Bernard NWR
Sally Lake Road, Angleton, TX at the Discovery Outpost
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The San Bernard National Wildlife Refuge is preparing a Land Protection Plan and Environmental Assessment for the continued expansion of the Refuge. This expansion is within the boundary established in the 1997 Austin Woods Conservation Plan and would only increase allowable acreage. The original Plan was intended to counter the rapid destruction of prime, old-growth bottomland hardwood forests in the Columbia Bottomlands ecosystem. That Plan responded to concerns shared by the Service, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, local government agencies, conservation organizations and landowners over preserving a sustainable portion of this internationally-significant ecosystem. The original overall goal shared by all of the project partners was to protect 70,000 acres - approximately 10% of the estimated original 700,000-acre ecosystem.
In 1997, the Service approved the expansion of San Bernard up to 28,000 acres. With current projects, the Refuge will achieve this goal in 2012 and is proposing to continue working with partners and enable acquisition of tracts to meet the 70,000 acre goal. Meetings are being held to present the current program and obtain public comments on future expansion. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has worked with numerous partners who have provided funds for surveys, overhead and acquisition while the Service undertakes the lengthy acquisition process from willing sellers. To date, more than 1/3 of the acreage acquired were from non-federal funds and include donations, mitigation and grants.
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| Roadside Trash Pickup Scheduled |
Posted on Jan 18th, 2012 Comments (0)
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Volunteers are needed at the F.O.R. San Bernard Adopt A Highway trash pickup along FM 2611 following Breakfast on the Bernard, 10:00 a.m., Saturday, February 4, 2012. The goal is to clean a two mile stretch of roadside beginning at CR 311 and ending at FM 2918. This allows the road before and after the Churchill Bridge over the San Bernard River to remain attractive most of the year.
Volunteers should bring their own hats, gloves, sunscreen and mosquitoes repellent. Strong shoes or boots are a good idea. TXDOT AND F.O.R. supply the rest. Please no small children as this is a busy stretch of road.
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| F.O.R. Announces SB Watershed Scholarship Program |
Posted on Jan 16th, 2012 Comments (0)
Starting with the 2012 High School graduating class, the Friends of the River San Bernard $5,000 scholarship program will be awarded to five seniors living in the San Bernard Watershed area who express an interest in environmental sciences. (Read about Environmental Career Opportunities). Each student will receive a $1,000 scholarship toward actual college tuition and book expenses.
Program Guidelines:
2. Applicant must be an impending graduating high school senior the year the application is submitted.
3. Applicants may only submit one application to Friends Of the River per calendar school year.
4. The application process will begin no earlier than February 1st each calendar year.
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5. The scholarship awards will be announced in early May each calendar year.
6. Winners shall be present at the school’s awards ceremony.
7. All decisions made by the San Bernard Watershed Scholarship committee are final.
8. Scholarship considerations will be made from all submitted scholarship applications that met the program guidelines. Each complete application will be evaluated based on the provided documents to the San Bernard Watershed Scholarship committee
9. It is the responsibility of each applicant to keep Friends Of the River San Bernard apprised of any change of address and/or contact information. Failure to have adequate information will disqualify a submitted application.
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