An estuary is a body of water formed where freshwater from rivers and streams flows into the ocean, mixing with seawater. Estuaries provide habitat and nutrients that support a wide variety of plant and animal life. They also play an important economic role by supporting commercial and recreational fisheries. The Matagorda Bay ecosystem leader works on projects like restoration and hatcheries to maintain the health of the bay system, which provides shelter and food for larvae, eggs, birds, and insect pollinators.

1. Leslie D. Hartman
Matagorda Bay Ecosystem Leader

3. Bays – What They are Good For
Definition - An estuary is a body of water formed
where freshwater from rivers and streamsfreshwater from rivers and streams flows into
the ocean, mixing with the seawatermixing with the seawater. Although
influenced by the tides, estuaries are protected from
the full force of ocean waves, winds, and storms by
the barrier islands, or fingers of land that surround
them.
Salinity gradient
Nutrients
Sediment deposition
Habitat

4. Instream Flow Components

7. June

8. October

10. S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
Redfish Lake
Tres Palacios Bay
Carancahua Bay
Venado Lake
Lavaca Bay
Colorado River
Swan Lake
Turtle Bay Robbins Lake
Crab Lake
Keller Bay
Freshwater Lake
Matagorda Bay
Coon Island Bay
Mad Island Lake
Cox Bay
Oyster Lake
Salt Lake
Redfish Lake
Chocolate Bay
Powderhorn Lake
Matagorda Ship Channel
Pass Cavallo
Indianola
La Salle
Magnolia Beach
Matagorda
Palacios
Point Comfort
Port Alto
Port Lavaca
Port O'Connor
N
4 0 4 8 Miles
4 0 4 8 Kilometers
Gulf of Mexico
Mixing Zone

11. S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
Redfish Lake
Tres Palacios Bay
CarancahuaBay
VenadoLake
Lavaca Bay
ColoradoRiver
SwanLake
TurtleBay RobbinsLake
Crab Lake
Keller Bay
Freshwater Lake
Matagorda Bay
CoonIslandBay
Mad Island Lake
Cox Bay
Oyster Lake
Salt Lake
Redfish Lake
Chocolate Bay
Powderhorn Lake
Matagorda Ship Channel
PassCavallo
Indianola
La Salle
Magnolia Beach
Matagorda
Palacios
Point Comfort
Port Alto
Port Lavaca
Port O'Connor
N
4 0 4 8 Miles
4 0 4 8 Kilometers
FRESH
Mixing Zone

12. S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
Redfish Lake
Tres Palacios Bay
Carancahua Bay
Venado Lake
Lavaca Bay
Colorado River
Swan Lake
Turtle Bay Robbins Lake
Crab Lake
Keller Bay
Freshwater Lake
Matagorda Bay
Coon Island Bay
Mad Island Lake
Cox Bay
Oyster Lake
Salt Lake
Redfish Lake
Chocolate Bay
Powderhorn Lake
Matagorda Ship Channel
Pass Cavallo
Indianola
La Salle
Magnolia Beach
Matagorda
Palacios
Point Comfort
Port Alto
Port Lavaca
Port O'Connor
N
4 0 4 8 Miles
4 0 4 8 Kilometers
OCEANIC
Mixing Zone

14. What a Critter Wants
Shelter Food

15. Larvae
0‰ fresh
5‰
27‰
17.5‰
9‰
35‰ oceanSalinity
MoresaltLesssalt

16. 0‰ fresh
5‰
27‰
17.5‰
9‰
35‰ oceanSalinity
MoresaltLesssalt

17. Larvae
0‰ fresh
5‰
27‰
17.5‰
9‰
35‰ oceanSalinity
MoresaltLesssalt

18. Larvae Eggs
0‰ fresh
5‰
27‰
17.5‰
9‰
35‰ oceanSalinity
MoresaltLesssalt

19. Birds
Ecological health
indicators
Eat estuarine species
Local economic driver

20. Insect Pollinators
76% world crop
production requires
animal pollination
Some marsh plants
require bee pollinators
Mostly bees

22. TPWD Efforts
Restoration
Hatcheries
Long-term trend
analysis
Age & growth
Commercial &
Recreational fisheries
management

23. House Bill 51 Permitted Location
Placement Area:
Noble Point Reef,
Lavaca Bay
758 yds3
3847.25 yds3

25. Earth – Closed Loop System
No* new
Water
Land
Bays transition land &
water
Nurseries
Buffet

26. Leslie D. HartmanLeslie D. Hartman
361 972-6253361 972-6253
Leslie.Hartman@tpwd.texas.govLeslie.Hartman@tpwd.texas.gov