Assessment of Coastal Water Resources and Watershed Conditions at Padre Island National Seashore, Texas.

摘要

Padre Island National Seashore (PAIS) is located on Padre Island, a Texas barrier island in the western Gulf of Mexico and the longest barrier island in the world. The park is made up of over 52,000 hectares of rare coastal prairie and complex dynamic dunes. Water resources are critical to the functioning of ecosystems, because they often determine the distribution of plants and animals as well as the suitability and quality of a habitat for its inhabitants. In addition, water resources are critical to the human users of the park, not just for consumption, but also for the aesthetics and recreational opportunities they provide. The objective of this report was to determine the current condition and possible impairments of PAIS water resources through a review of currently available information and data. This review will provide the National Park Service with an assessment of the condition of water resources within PAIS, and identify data and information gaps that impede that assessment and recommendations for future monitoring.