with an average salt content of 40 parts per million, often higher during the summer months. By comparison, sea- water in the adjacent Gulf of Mexico averages
30-35 ppm. The Laguna
Madre is the only hyper-saline bay sys- tem in the United States and one of only six in the world.
In the month following the first two storms, an estimated 145,000 acre feet, or 39.4 billion gallons of water entered the Lower Laguna Madre resulting in greatly decreased salt content. The area north of the Arroyo and south of Port Mansfield, along the west side of the system, became completely fresh. Roughly half of the remaining Lower Laguna Madre showed salt content readings of approximately 5 ppm. The immediate result was a large die-off of sea grasses in the freshened areas and generally off-color water throughout the system.
Mark Lingo, Texas Parks and Wild- life Department lead biologist for the Lower Laguna Madre, stated that while there were some minor fish kills, the majority simply moved to more suitable habitat. He further stated that in the long term, the flush of fresh water should be an incredible boost for the entire bay.
Lingo described the Lower Laguna
Madre as “nutrient limited,” explain- ing that the amount of organic material normally entering this system is mini- mal. The floodwater carried with it a huge amount of organic matter that will form the base building block of the marine food chain and should result in a more diverse and healthy forage base for game fish. He was also optimistic regarding the die-off of sea grasses, stating that the dead grasses were adding to the amount of available organic material and should rebound quickly, given the added nutrients. Other long term effects on things
such as spawning success and recruit- ment of fry won’t be known for a while. “This is an unprecedented event for
our area and we just don’t know for sure what will happen,” Lingo said. But he also noted that hurricanes and floods in other systems have been shown to be beneficial to the popula- tion levels of most species.
HOPEFUL SIGNS In speaking with several area guides
who are on the water every day, it seems that Lingo is on to something. The fresh water has dissipated and the winter fishing has been on fire. Capt.
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