The Lake Dunlap Environmental and Habitat Restoration Workshop is part of the collaborative effort to preserve, restore, and enhance aquatic habitat and rebuild the fisheries at Lake Dunlap

NEW BRAUNFELS – The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) Inland Fisheries division and project partner Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority (GBRA) will provide an environmental and habitat restoration and enhancement workshop to Lake Dunlap residents on October 16. The event will now be held at the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority River Annex Building from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

The workshop will provide a series of presentations and best management practices (BMPs) to local homeowners and lake users, including the Preserve Lake Dunlap Association (PLDA), with emphasis on habitat conservation and stewardship. Topics include riparian land management, living shorelines, and in-reservoir fisheries and aquatic habitats.

TPWD will provide an overview of the Lake Dunlap Habitat Restoration and Enhancement Project. The primary objectives of the Lake Dunlap Habitat Project are to preserve, restore, and enhance aquatic habitats and rebuild the fisheries on this public waterbody. The project also aims to improve safety and enhance shoreline fishing access at the Lake Dunlap public access location located at the underpass of Interstate Highway 35.

GBRA will provide homeowners and lake users information on some of the identified locations for planned habitat enhancement initiatives and will also distribute native seedling trees and riparian vegetation to interested lake property owners to assist in reestablishing beneficial native vegetation on their properties. GBRA will also supply information on how interested lake property owners can receive and install aquatic habitat enhancements in front of their properties and under their docks.

“We are very excited about the Lake Dunlap Habitat Restoration and Enhancement Project”, said Greg Binion, TPWD Inland Fisheries Division Corpus Christi District Supervisor. “This is a great community initiative and the partnerships that have developed in support provide an exciting opportunity for collective natural resource stewardship to preserve, restore, and enhance this recreational gem, expand fishing opportunities, and better the quality of fisheries for Texans.”

The Lake Dunlap Habitat Restoration and Enhancement Project is being supported by the new TPWD Inland Fisheries’ Habitat and Angler Access Program (HAAP) as well as both cash and in-kind contributions from various project partners, including TPWD and GBRA. Mostly from the sales of freshwater fishing licenses, the HAAP supports projects to restore and enhance fish habitat in Texas’ public inland waters as well as develop, enhance and increase shoreline fishing access.

The HAAP will support fish habitat improvement initiatives such as bank and shoreline stabilization projects, installation of erosion control features, deployment of artificial habitat structures, and dredging excessive silt and organic materials from reservoirs that have high potential for quality fishery development. Eligible waterbodies must contain a public access location or develop a plan to establish public access as priority. The HAAP grant is funded from the sale of freshwater fishing licenses.

For more information about the HAAP, visit the TPWD Grants Page. Organizations interested in partnering with TPWD on a potential project are strongly encouraged to coordinate with their local Inland Fisheries management biologist. Additional information regarding the program may be obtained by contacting FishGrants@tpwd.texas.gov.

The Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority River Annex Building is located at 905 Nolan Street, Seguin, TX 78155

For more information on the Lake Dunlap Habitat Restoration and Enhancement Project or the Lake Dunlap Environmental and Habitat Restoration Workshop, please contact:

Greg Binion
TPWD Inland Fisheries Division
Corpus Christi District
PO Box 116
Mathis, TX 78368
361.547.9712
greg.binion@tpwd.texas.gov

or

Nathan Pence
GBRA Environmental Services
933 E Court Street
Seguin, Texas 78155
830-379-5822
npence@gbra.org