Project Grant R24AP00206

MENARD COUNTY CONTROL AND IMPROVEMENTS DISTRICT #1, IN CENTRAL TEXAS, WILL UPGRADE THE MENARD CANAL IRRIGATION WATER CONVEYANCE SYSTEM TO REDUCE LOSSES SO THAT MORE WATER IS KEPT IN THE SAN SABA RIVER FOR FISH AND WILDLIFE BENEFIT. A WATER LOSS STUDY CONDUCTED BY U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY IN THE SUMMER OF 2014 SHOWED THAT THE 6-MILE LONG CANAL EXPERIENCES AN APPROXIMATELY 50% LOSS OVER THE FIRST 2.5 MILES. THE PROJECT INVOLVES REPLACING THE FIRST 4,000 FEET OF THE UNLINED MENARD CANAL WITH PIPE, AND RE-SLOPING, RE-SHAPING AND PARTIALLY FILLING THE NEXT MILE OF UNLINED CANAL TO CREATE A NARROWER CHANNEL PROFILE. FOLLOWING THAT NARROWED SPAN OF CANAL, THE DISTRICT WILL PIPE AN ADDITIONAL 2,000 FEET OF THE CANAL AND INSTALL GATES TO CONTROL FLOW. THE DISTRICT HAS COMMITTED TO LEAVING THE MAJORITY OF THE CONSERVED WATER, 1,100 ACRE-FEET PER YEAR INSTREAM FOR A 30 YEAR TERM. THE ADDITIONAL INSTREAM FLOWS WILL CONTRIBUTE SIGNIFICANTLY TO BASEFLOW OF THE SAN SABA RIVER AND CREATE A MORE RELIABLE SUPPLY OF WATER FOR DOWNSTREAM AQUATIC HABITAT. SECTIONS OF THE SAN SABA RIVER DOWNSTREAM FROM THE PROJECT THAT WILL BENEFIT FROM THE INCREASED FLOWS INCLUDE CRITICAL HABITAT FOR THE TEXAS FATMUCKET AND TEXAS PIMPLEBACK MUSSEL SPECIES. THE PROJECT IS A RESULT OF CLOSE COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE DISTRICT AND THE NATURE CONSERVANCY WITH COORDINATION AND PARTNERSHIP FROM TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE, U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, AND TEXAS A M NATURAL RESOURCES INSTITUTE.