05-29-2003 Bayport Expansion Review Committee Meeting

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. Port of Houston Authority Wetland Mitigation Plan At of Houston Authority No. .O(Revised) :'veston Bay, along the Bayport Ship Channel, City of Pasade"na, Harris County, Texas. Attachment 1, Sheet '1, of J&l:(Revised May 2003) MAY 7 2003 HABITAT ENHANCEMENT AND PROTECTION In conjunction with mitigation for impacts to 19.28 acres of jurisdictional wetlands by the creation of 66.8 acres of wetland, other habitat will be enhanced at the mitigation project site. Livestock grazing at the site ceased in March 2002. The entire site will be protected from livestock grazing and other agricultural practices, except for those deemed appropriate for continued management and protection of the site. This change in land use will benefit and enhance the existing more than 12.0 wetland acres at the site and the remaining 94.7 acres of upland forest, shrubland, and coastal prairie. Wetland Enhancement . The project will result in tidal and freshwater wetland enhancement. Reduction of bank erosion along the drainage ditch caused by existing grazing practices and livestock activities, will allow stabilization of the existing tidal wetland area adjacent to, and within the drainage ditch. Much of the existing freshwater wetland areas have been invaded by Chinese tallow. Tallow control measures will be implemented and maintained throughout the project period (over 5 years), and in conjunction with the elimination of grazing impacts, will result in improvementS in wetland habitat quality with increased species diversity and density of desirable wetland vegetation. Coastal Prairie Enhancement To improve management capabilities, the perimeter of the Mitigation Site will be fenced. Tallow control will be implemented and maintained throughout the project period on approximately 71 acres of Coastal Prairie. Along with the elimination of grazing impacts, increased native plant species diversity and density in the upland areas is expected. Selected areas will be sprigged with Eastem gammagrass, Indiangrass, and Switchgrass to expedite colonization of these important species. Areas currently under consideration for sprigging are the upland band separating the two created weUand areas and the area between the created wetlands and Red Bluff Road. All coastal prairie restoration and maintenance . programs will be designed to correspond with the neighboring Armand Bayou Nature Center Benchmark Ecological Services, Inc. May 2003