Browsing by Author "Heffernan, T. L."
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Item Ecological Evaluation of Some Tributaries of the Aransas Bay Area(Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, 1970) Heffernan, T. L.Environmental conditions were surveyed in the Copano and St. Charles Bay tributary areas in 1969 and 1970. ; The white shrimp (Penaeus setiferus) and blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) habitat in the vicinity of Chiltipin Creek and Mission River was found to be adversely affected by oilfield brine. Production of commercial Crustacea in the Aransas River was found to be severely retarded by abnormal salinity and water quality conditions attributed to oilfield brine from Chiltipin Creek. Tributaries of St. Charles Bay had water of very high quality and were normally very productive. The entire St. Charles Bay system appeared to be prime habitat for adult and juvenile food and game species. Heavy rainfall alleviated poor conditions in Chiltipin Creek, the Aransas River and the Mission River, but this relief was short-lived.Item Effects of Oilfield Brine on Marine Organisms, An Ecological Evaluation of the Aransas Bay Area(Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, 1971) Heffernan, T. L.; Monier, Janet; Page, SandraToxicity studies were made of oilfield brine from two separator locations in conjunction with the Sinton oilfields: Haas" Ditch, emptying into Chiltipin Creek, and Southwestern Oil and Refinery emptying into Copano Bay. Salinity of this brine ranged from 82.4 to 91.6 parts per thousand. Mortalities were noted in all tests using brown shrimp (Penaeus aztecus), white shrimp Penaeus setiferus), and juvenile blue crabs (Callinectes sapidus). Brine concentrations of above 40 per cent produced 100 per cent mortalities on all species tested.Item Port Bay, An Evaluation of the Marine Habitat(Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, 1971) Heffernan, T. L.Trawl samples taken at weekly intervals from December 1970 through November 1971 in Port Bay, a tertiary bay of the Aransas Bay system, produced 38 species of fin fish and 9 species of crustacea. A nine-month period of below normal rainfall from November 1970 through July 1971 influenced white shrimp, Penaeus setiferus, and blue crab, Callinectes sapidus, populations by raising salinities above optimum ranges during juvenile migration periods. In September 1971, rainfall associated with tropical storm "Fern" dropped salinities from above 30.0 to 0.0 ppt. Eight hundred ninety six hydrographic samples collected during the survey were correlated with population densities to establish the salinity influence on individual species. The parameters determined for each sample were salinity, temperature, turbidity, pH, dissolved oxygen, calcium, total hardness and magnesium.