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Heavy rains douse wildfires, ease drought in some parts of the state

Welcome rains soaked much of Texas in March, easing drought in some parts of the state and dousing wildfires that raged across the Panhandle in early March. The Dallas/Fort Worth region got 2 to 3 inches of rain March 18-19, but a National Weather Service meteorologist said the region still needs about 8 to 9 inches to erase last year’s rainfall deficit. West Texas also finally got some relief. Weekend storms deluged much of the Concho Valley region around San Angelo with more than 3 inches of rain in some areas. Rain also drenched East Texas and fell in Central Texas. In East Texas, lakes are beginning to fill back up, and some boat ramps are usable again.

However, South Texas remains dry and long-term drought still grips most of the state. Based on preliminary data, the past twelve months (March 2005-February 2006) were the fourth driest months on record for the state as a whole and the driest since 1963-1964. That fact was highlighted by wildfires that burned more than 840,000 acres in the Panhandle. The fires killed at least 11 people and forced thousands to evacuate homes. Texas Game Wardens provided assistance throughout the region, helping to route fire trucks, conduct rescues and evacuations, locate bodies, and distribute food and water to stricken communities.

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State Parks busy season underway

March marks the beginning of the busy season for Texas state parks and for the most part, parks were full across the state. In West Texas, Indian Lodge, Seminole Canyon and Hueco Tanks had capacity crowds. In Central Texas, most of the parks were filled to capacity and Colorado Bend had its busiest weekend ever. In East Texas, the dogwoods are blooming and lots of folks are enjoying the parks. Even the wet weather didn’t dampen spirits. Tent campers packed it up, but RV users and visitors staying in park shelters hung in there through the rain. State park revenues are up as a result.

Additional appropriation authority approved

Thanks to Rider 27 of the General Appropriations Act approved by the 79^th Legislature, TPWD has received additional appropriation authority, which is allowing the parks to hire some seasonal help for the rest of the year. Rider 27 allows TPWD to spend additional revenue in excess of the Comptroller’s biennial estimate. The Comptroller certified TPWD’s estimates earlier this year and $4.9 million was made available for critical state park needs. While the funding did not reinstate state park operational cuts made in December, the funding did preclude any further cuts. (Rider 27 has also made $3.6 million available for fisheries, wildlife and law enforcement.)

Advisory Committee named

Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission Chairman Joseph Fitzsimons has named a new state park advisory board to advise the Commission on state park issues. The 13 member board includes Former State Senator John Montford, former State Representative Clyde Alexander, former TPW Commissioner Al Henry, and others from across the state interested in Texas State Parks. The first meeting of the board will be from 1:00-4:00pm on April 13^th in the Commission Hearing Room at TPWD headquarters in Austin. The charge of this advisory board is to provide recommendations that address the following issues:

• Funding options to properly care for the existing state park system
• Any existing units of the system that might be operated by more appropriate entities
• The role of public private partnerships in parks, including concessions, sponsorships and other incentive based solutions
• The options to secure the future needs for state and local parks identified in the TPW Land and Water Resources Conservation and Recreation Plan

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Avian Flu surveillance plan discussed by top federal officials

In a national media briefing conference call on March 20^th, Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns, Secretary of Health & Human Services, Mike Leavitt, and Secretary of the Interior, Gale Norton unveiled the federal government’s surveillance and response plan for avian influenza in the U.S. The briefing included details of the migratory bird surveillance system, an update on response plans in the event of an outbreak among domestic birds, and public health preparedness. As the primary wintering area for migratory waterfowl in the Central Flyway, Texas will play a key role in the monitoring effort and TPWD has been tasked with gathering 1,000 samples across the state beginning this fall from various species, including ducks, geese, sandhill cranes and migratory shorebird.