Connemara Conservancy Foundation
BASELINE DOCUMENTATION REPORT
PROJECT NAME:
South Fork Trinity River Mitigation Bank – Ten Mile Creek Extension
Prepared by:
RJ Taylor, Conservation Director
Excerpts from Ten Mile Creek Site Development Plan prepared by Integrated
Environmental Solutions
Dates of Site Visits: July 4 2010; July xx, 2010.
Anticipated Date of Conveyance of Conservation Easement: August 2010
Property Ownership:
Owner(s):
South Fork Trinity River Mitigation Group
Address:
1150 Highway 205 South
Rockwall Texas 75032
Legal Descriptions: Refer to Attachment #2
Total Acres:
326.5 gross acres within company-owned parcels County: Cooke
147.51 gross acres within easement on nine mitigation tracts
Directions to Property:
 Go south from downtown Dallas on Interstate Hwy 45 for 17 miles to Exit 268 for
Malloy Bridge Road;
 Exit and follow feeder road south for 0.5 miles to W. Malloy Bridge Road:
 Turn left and go east on W. Malloy Bridge Road for 2.2 miles to Parkinson Road:
 Turn right and to southeast on Parkinson Road for 1.8 miles to E. Wolf Springs Road:
 Turn left and go 2.8 miles to right angle turn in road (you are at a western corner of
Property);
 Enter Property through iron gate onto referenced building outparcel.
General Description of Property:
(Based on the Ten Mile Creek Site Development Plan)
The Tenmile Creek Tract is located on Wolf Springs Road, at the confluence of Tenmile Creek and
the Trinity River in Dallas County, Texas (Attachment A, Figures 1 and 2). This tract is
irregularly shaped, but generally lies between the Dallas County Levee Improvement District Levee
System and Tenmile Creek and the Trinity River. Tenmile Creek Tract fronts approximately 6,336
linear feet of the Trinity River and 1,846 linear feet of Tenmile Creek. There is a small portion
(approximately 17.3 acres) protected by the levee system. The entire tract is located within the
floodplain and floodway of both Tenmile Creek and the Trinity River, classified as Zone AE on the
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) (Panel
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48113C0680 J, Effective 23 August 2001). The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) topographic map
illustrates the tract to be relatively flat with elevations ranging between 350 and 355 feet above
mean sea level; the higher elevations located along the eastern side, adjacent to the Trinity River.
The USGS topographic map also illustrates the former limits of the abandoned levee system
adjacent to Tenmile Creek (Attachment A, Figure 3). The Dallas County Soil Survey describes
the soil series in the portions of the tract between the creek and river and the levee to be Trinity clay,
frequently flooded and the portion of the tract protected by the levee to be Trinity clay, occasionally
flooded (Attachment A, Figure 4). Neither the soil survey, nor the topographic map illustrates any
quarries located within the tract.
Within the tract, there are several differing land uses and cover types (Attachment A, Figure 5).
These land uses and cover types reflect the tract’s potential for mitigation activities. Within the
overall tract, there is the operating levee system (approximately 4.7 acres), the former/abandoned
Tenmile Creek Levee (approximately 2.3 acres), and a tenant/residential site (0.7 acre). Since these
land uses are not compatible to a mitigation area, they have been excluded and the remaining land
area, approximately 120.7 acres, is proposed for the Tenmile Creek Tract.
There are several cover types located within this remaining 120.7 acres of the tract; the dimensions
of each are detailed within Table 1 and Attachment A, Figure 6. The largest cover type is
associated with the on-going agricultural activities – cultivated fields and hay meadow. The
cultivated fields are located adjacent to the Trinity River and the hay meadow is protected by the
levee system. There were four abandoned sand and gravel quarries – two adjacent to the Trinity
River and two protected by the levee system. Within each of these quarry pits, there was a
component of water, which was identified both on aerial photographs and the presence of an
Ordinary High Water Mark (OHWM). These sand/gravel quarries were excavated between 1997
and 1999, and the depth of water depends upon the water table, but under normal conditions they
vary between one and six feet deep. The wetland classification is a broad cover type, which
includes herbaceous and woody dominated wetlands. Both of these wetland cover types were
located within the topographic low areas where water either inundates (ponds or floods) or saturates
the soils for long durations.
Table 1
Size of each Cover Type within the Tenmile Creek Tract
Current Land Use
Acres
Cultivated Field
44.1
Hay Meadow
10.3
Quarry Pit/Spoil
18.7
Water
5.5
Wetland
42.1
Total
120.7
.
Ecological description:
(Based on excerpts from the Ten Mile Creek Site Development Plan)
Each of the ecological areas and cover types within the Tenmile Creek Tract has had some
degree of anthropomorphic disturbance that has affected their functionality. The overall
objective of the Mitigation Bank will be to restore natural wetland functions within the Tenmile
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Creek Tract with minimal amounts of disturbances to the existing natural environment. Within
the 120.7 acre area proposed for a mitigation bank, there are five management units, which are
defined by current cover type and the site development activities (Table 2 and Attachment A,
Figure 8).
Table 2
Management Units within the Tenmile Creek Tract
Tenmile Creek Tract Management Units
Size
(Acres)
Bottomland Forest Restoration
62.9
Quarry Pit/Spoil Pit Restoration/Wetland
18.7
Creation
Quarry Pond Enhancement
5.5
Emergent Wetland Enhancement
8.7
Bottomland Forest Preservation
24.9
Total
120.7
Existing Fields and Meadows (for Bottomland Forest Restoration)
The cultivated fields and hay meadow portions of the Tenmile Creek Tract have been historically
modified to improve the conditions for crop production. These areas have been cleared of the
timber and leveled for ease of use with farm machinery. As such, all the natural micro-topography
has been removed. The Sponsor proposes to modify the topography to stimulate the natural microtopography formation in natural bottomland hardwood forest wetlands. The natural microtopography is nearly impossible to create as it is formed through complex factors associated with
hydraulics and hydrology as affected through soils, vegetation structure, large and small woody
debris (both on-site and off-site carried by floodwaters), and sediments. To stimulate this process,
the Sponsor is proposing to slightly modify the topography within these former cultivated areas to
assist in ponding some of the floodwaters for longer durations than current.
The landform of the former cultivated wetlands generally has variable slopes that range between flat
to one percent. The slope follows two directions – the primary gradient is along the river gradient,
generally from north to south, while the secondary gradient is away from the river bank (i.e., the
high point is at the river bank formed from the natural levee as sediments accumulate from river
flooding). To account for this slope, the first component of the micro-topography is formation of
small terraces that would pond an average of seven to nine inches of water over the natural ground.
Secondly, to create these terraces shallow irregularly shaped troughs and depressions will be
excavated to a maximum depth of four inches from the existing topography. The distance between
and configuration of these terraces would be variable depending upon the localized slope of the
area. It is difficult to predict the frequency in which the large-scale ponding would occur, as it
would be based on flood events, which have been highly altered due to the upstream dam
formations. However, if a flood occurred during the fall, winter, or spring when evapotranspiration
is at its lowest, water would likely be retained for a maximum duration of two months. If a flood
occurred within the summer months, the water would evaporate within an estimated two weeks.
The troughs and micro-depressions would also recharge from precipitation events resulting in
ponding on a more seasonal frequency. These diverse hydroperiods would create microenvironments that simulate the natural topographic undulations associated with a bottomland
hardwood forest. Similarly, these micro-environments would also promote a greater species
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diversity found in the natural environment.
These areas will be planted with trees and shrubs indigenous to the Upper Trinity River Basin and
Blackland Prairie. Plant materials will vary based on site specific topography and hydrology to
ensure appropriate survival. The topographic high points will be planted with bur oak (Quercus
macrocarpa), Shummard oak (Quercus shummardii), red mulberry (Morus rubra), and pecan with
associated midstory species including common persimmon (Diospyros virginiana), roughleaf
dogwood, Mexican plum (Prunus mexicana), red bud (Cercis canadensis), coralberry
(Symphoricarpos orbiculatus), deciduous holly, and false indigo-bush (Amorpha fruticosa). The
ecotonal areas between the high and low points will be planted with large canopy trees such as
American elm, cedar elm (Ulmus crassifolia), and cottonwood. The topographic low points will
have less overstory, but will be planted with some green ash, and mostly shrub and herbaceous
species including swamp privet, buttonbush, knotweed (Polygonum aviculare), bushy knotweed
(Polygonum ramosissimum), jump seed (Polygonum virginianum), hard-stem bulrush (Scirpus
acutus), soft-stem bulrush (Scirpus tabernaemontani), broad-leaf arrowhead (Sagittaria latifolia),
yellow nut-grass (Cyperus esculentus), tapertip flatsedge (Cyperus acuminatus), littletooth sedge
(Carex microdonta), Emory’s sedge (Carex emoryi), long leaf pondweed (Potamogeton nodosus),
rice cutgrass (Leersia oryzoides), and barnyard grass (Echinochloa crus-galli). If additional species
are necessary, they will be submitted to and approved by the USACE prior to planting.
Existing Bottomland Forest Areas (for Preservation)
Within this overall community, there were at least two sub-communities that were associated with
microtopographic/hydroperiod differences. The topographic high points were dominated by cedar
elm, roughleaf dogwood, pecan, deciduous yaupon, Osage orange (Maclura pomifera), hackberry,
red mulberry, poison ivy, pepper-vine (Ampelopsis arborea), Canada wild rye, and crossvine
(Bignonia capreolata). Green ash, cottonwood, black willow, American elm, box elder,
buttonbush, and swamp privet dominated the topographic low points. The Sponsor proposes to
allow the bottomland forest wetland area to regenerate naturally. The existing functions associated
with this wetland type will continue within this management unit.
Quarry Pits/Spoil Pits (for Restoration and Wetland Creation)
There are four abandoned quarry pits located within the Tenmile Creek Tract, all of which are very
similar in configuration. They all contain a ponded area with a wetland fringe, which is likely the
last working face of the quarry operation prior to abandonment. There is a spoil pile component
associated with the two pits not protected by the levee, while the two quarry pits protected by the
levee system do not have spoil piles. These spoil piles are generally greater than a 1:1 slope and
vary in height, but do not generally exceed the height of natural ground. There are variable number
of rows of spoil piles, between two to four, with varying distances between the peaks. Due to the
high degree of slopes on these spoil piles and the sandy/gravelly loam substrate, they are relatively
unstable and have little ground cover of perennial species, except for early successional trees (i.e.,
cottonwood, hackberry, and black willow).
There are three restoration components proposed for this management unit – grade and stabilize the
perimeter slopes, grade the spoil piles, establish berms between the existing quarry pond and
wetland fringe, and establish native mid- to late- successional vegetation. The following provides
more details on each of these activities.
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The grading activities will also establish berms between existing quarry pond and wetland
fringe so that this current hydrology would not be altered. Additionally, this berm would create a
barrier for surface hydrology to drain into the lowest portion of the quarry pits. In effect, this
grading would result in two cells – the existing pond/wetland fringe and the proposed wetland cell.
However, the bottom elevations of these two cells will be different, due to the amount of spoil and
the depth of the existing pond. The existing pond/wetland fringe receives hydrology from two
sources – flooding from the Trinity River and shallow groundwater influence. The proposed
wetland cell, as it would be higher in elevation, is expected to only receive hydrology from flood
events. Based on previous studies conducted for SFTRMB, the return flood interval is predicted to
occur on average three times a year.
After the grading activities are completed, there will be native mid- to late- successional vegetation
established. The topographic high points will be planted with bur oak and pecan with associated
midstory species including common persimmon, roughleaf dogwood, Mexican plum, red bud,
coralberry, deciduous yaupon, and false indigo-bush. The ecotonal areas between the high and low
points will be planted with large canopy trees such as American elm, cedar elm, and cottonwood.
The topographic low points will have less overstory, but will be planted with some green ash, and
mostly shrub and herbaceous species including swamp privet, buttonbush, knotweed, bushy
knotweed, jump seed, hard-stem bulrush, soft-stem bulrush, broad-leaf arrowhead, yellow nut-grass,
tapertip flatsedge, littletooth sedge, Emory’s sedge, long leaf pondweed, rice cutgrass, and barnyard
grass. If additional species are necessary, they will be submitted to and approved by the USACE
prior to planting.
Quarry Ponds (for Enhancement)
There are several bodies of water located within the abandoned quarry pits, which currently provide
some ecosystem functions in their current state. However, the general lack of species composition
within the ponds and wetland fringe limit the wildlife habitat and nutrient sequestration functions.
The Grantor proposes to enhance these areas through planting native mid- to late-successional
wetland species.
Plant materials will be acquired and established for various water regimes. Within deeper waters,
long leaf pondweed and coon-tail (Ceratophyllum demersum) will be the primary plant material, but
buttonbush, hard-stem bulrush, soft-stem bulrush, common rush, and broad-leaf arrowhead will also
likely establish depending upon the water level. The shallower, temporarily flooded areas will be
planted with swamp privet, knotweed, bushy knotweed, jump seed, yellow nut-grass, tapertip
flatsedge, littletooth sedge, Emory’s sedge, and crowfoot sedge. The saturated soils will be planted
with species that include rice cutgrass, barnyard grass, marsh buttercup (Ranunculus hispidus),
burhead (Echinodorus berteroi), and bushy bluestem.
Emergent Wetlands
The Grantor shall enhance an emergent wetland within the north central portion of the Tenmile
Creek Tract. This emergent wetland will mimic similar habitats naturally found within the local
ecosystem. The emergent wetlands are designed and managed to hold water acquired through river
flooding or surface runoff; however, water levels may vary seasonally and include periods when the
emergent wetlands are not inundated, especially during drought conditions. The emergent wetland
will vary in depth depending upon the existing grades, but will be between 0 and 18 inches deep.
This management unit will also provide enhanced functions to the SFTRMB and the region through
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increased water storage, nutrient and pollutant cycling, flood storage, and increased biodiversity.
Each wetland will be planted with a variety of wetland species and/or moist soil management
practices will be used that will help create wildlife habitat. Plant materials will be acquired and
established for various water regimes. Within deeper waters, long leaf pondweed and coon-tail will
be the primary plant material, but buttonbush, hard-stem bulrush, soft-stem bulrush, common rush,
and broad-leaf arrowhead will also likely establish depending upon the water level. The shallower,
temporarily flooded areas will be planted with swamp privet, knotweed, bushy knotweed, jump
seed, yellow nut-grass, tapertip flatsedge, littletooth sedge, Emory’s sedge, and crowfoot sedge.
The saturated soils will be planted with species that include rice cutgrass, barnyard grass, marsh
buttercup, burhead, and bushy bluestem.
Quality Assessment of Habitats on Property
Environmental Management Incorporated used the Wildlife Habitat Appraisal Procedure (WHAP)
to assess the habitat value of the tract (Texas Parks and Wildlife Department [TPWD], 1995). All
WHAP procedures were followed in collecting the assessment components in each habitat type
present on the tract. Table 3 summarizes WHAP results for the five habitat types. The WHAP
sample site locations are illustrated within the Site Development Plan. The Quarry Pit/Spoil,
Cultivated Field, Hay Meadow, Herbaceous Shrub Wetland, Forested Wetland cover types have
Habitat Quality scores of 0.20, 0.29, 0.44, 0.51, and 0.81, respectively. Based on this analysis, the
Tenmile Creek Tract currently contains 51.1 Habitat Units and has a weighted average Habitat
Value of 0.43. These values will represent the baseline functional assessment in their credit
calculations.
Habitat Type1
Quarry Pit/Spoil
Cultivated Field
Hay Meadow
Herbaceous
Shrub Wetland
Forested
Wetland
TOTAL
Table 3
Wildlife Habitat Summary for Tenmile Creek Tract
WHAP
Habitat Percentage of Habitat
Habitat
Site
Area
Cover Type Quality
Units
Number
(Acres)
1
24.2
20.1
0.20
4.84
2
44.1
36.5
0.29
12.79
3
10.3
8.5
0.44
4.53
4
17.2
14.3
0.51
8.77
5
Habitat
Value2
0.04
0.11
0.04
0.07
24.9
20.6
0.81
20.17
0.17
120.7
100.0
NA
51.1
0.43
1
The water physiognomic type was evaluated in conjunction with the quarry pit/spoil cover types. Therefore, no
assessment was conducted solely on the water cover type.
2
Habitat Value refers to a weighted average Habitat Quality Score for the entire Tenmile Creek Tract.
NA – not applicable.
Topography and Floodplain:
Topography on the Property is varied. The southern half of the Property lies on a limestone
ridge or upland with very gentle convex slopes. Steeper slopes are present on that ridge's north
face, which is cut by three ravines or shallow canyons. These canyons empty out onto the broad
floodplain of Clear Creek, a small but perennial tributary of Elm Fork of the Trinity River. The
floodplain is nearly a mile wide in some places and occupies almost half the ranch. Clear Creek
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itself is somewhat entrenched in its passage through the ranch, with its sandy-gravelly bed lying
five to ten feet below the level of adjacent terraces.
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Elevation of the Property ranges between a high point of approximately 950 feet msl on the
hilltop in the southwestern corner of the Property, to approximately 740 feet above mean sea
level (msl) within the stream channel of Clear Creek.
The upper pastures on the Property gradually slope towards the three main drainageways,
down to an elevation of 880 feet msl. The steep grades on the woodland slopes range from
880 feet msl down to the high terraces at 800 feet msl.
The gently sloping terraces below the woodlands range in elevation from about 800 feet msl
to 770 feet msl. The nearly level bottomland meadows gently slope to the east and southeast,
with a broad, linear depressed area on the central and eastern end of the Property between the
riparian levee area of Clear Creek and the woodland slopes.
Three natural tributaries drain northeastward through the woodland slopes and then drain
southeastward down the bottomland meadows into Clear Creek. The lower meadow area on
the Property is mapped within Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) 48097C0525C, and Flood
Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) 48097C0520C for Cooke County, TX (See Attachment #3).
Purposes of the Conservation Easement:
 Protect the Property’s ecological and open-space values;
 Protect the Property's agricultural productive capacity and assure its continuing availability
for agricultural use;
 Protect the Property’s relatively high quality habitat for native plants and animals; and
 Maintain and enhance the natural features of the Property.
Critical Elements of the Conservation Easement:
 Property will be perpetually preserved in its predominately agricultural and open space
condition including the Property’s predominantly grassland and sloped woodland habitats;
 Industrial and commercial activities are prohibited on the Property (except those commercial
activities associated with accepted agricultural activities); and
 Continuation of compatible land uses (especially agricultural operations) upon the Property
as they have been historically conducted in harmony with the Property’s ecological and
open-space values.
Land Use:
Historic Ownership and Use: According to a Title Report prepared for the Property in 2007,
Mr. Clint W. Josey began acquiring several contiguous parcels of land situated in Cooke County,
Texas in 1974. Mr. Josey and his wife Betty Smith Josey conveyed the Property to the Estate of
Roger M. Dixon on June 1, 2005 by Special Warranty Deed, as recorded in Volume 1373, page
714 of Cooke County, Texas records. Subsequently, the Estate of Roger M. Dixon conveyed the
Property to the Dixon Water Foundation by Special Warranty Deed on March 1, 2006 as
recorded in Volume 1418, page 578 of Cooke County, Texas records. Historically, the Property
has been in agricultural grazing use. The pastures and meadows have not been tilled, but the Lshaped area of fields near the southwestern portion of the Property show evidence of terracing.
Current uses:
Undeveloped bottomland woodlands, pasture and hay meadows. Abandoned
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sand quarry pits.
Reserved use:
Restoration and Enhancement of wetland areas as part of Mitigation Bank
development.
Adjacent land uses:
Northwest – Undeveloped bottomland forest across Ten Mile Creek
East – Undeveloped bottomland forest across South Fork of Trinity River
Southeast – Undeveloped bottomland forest
West – sand mining operations
Property Structures, Developments & Man-made Features:
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No permanent building structures on current Mitigation Bank easement. Residential trailers
are currently present on west outparcel off of the Property within easement.
Permanent levees are present at two locations within gross acreage area. Both levee
structures are outparcels to the easement boundaries.
West dirt road entrance road from Wolf Springs Road accesses the outparcel and trends
easeward to intersect with dirt road on levee. Dirt access road continues east and turns
southward to provide access to southern end of Property.
West gravel access road from C.R. 398 leading to farm facilities south of Leo office area.
Road follows the lower elevations of the wooded slopes. Eastern portion of access road is
grass/dirt road.
A utility power line crosses the central portion of this Tract trending generally SW/NE.
A pipeline crosses the central portion of this Tract trending generally SW/NE.
Ten man-made stock ponds (i.e., livestock tanks) are located on this Tract (referenced in the
“Water” section of this report).
Several vegetated, shallow wetland swales are present on the lower meadow of the Tract.
Geology/Soils:
According to the Bureau of Economic Geology’s Dallas sheet of the Geologic Atlas of Texas
(Fisher, 1987), the tract is underlain by Quaternary alluvium, with Cretceous Ozan marls and
silts/sands exposed in the Trinity River bottom.
The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) (previously the Soil Conservation Service)
for Dallas County has described the soil series in the portions of the tract between the creek and
river and the levee to be Trinity clay, frequently flooded and the portion of the tract protected by the
levee to be Trinity clay, occasionally flooded (Attachment A, Figure 4). Neither the soil survey,
nor the topographic map illustrates any quarries located within the tract.
Water Bodies:
Adjacent water courses/waterbodies: All of the subject tract is within the South Fork
Trinity River watershed.
East Frontage: South Fork Trinity River. Sands to marl and chalk boulders/cobbles on
bottom. Water depth varies by flood events.
North Frontage: near Ten Mile Creek.
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Condition of banks/shorelines: Steep slopes of varying heights along creeks. Sandy
slopes and benches often eroded. Some revegetation by grasses and wet forbs.
Interior water courses/waterbodies:
 Three natural drainageways drain the upper pastures and feed through the wooded
slopes onto the lower meadows. The westernmost drainage parallels the western
property boundary into an impoundment. USGS topographic map shows continued
drainage southeasterly across the meadow into a stock pond, but flow is mostly along
grassy to wooded swales. The central drainageway is sourced by two intermittent
stream tributaries which merge on the wooded slopes and drains southeasterly
through grassy sloughs until it merges with the eastern stream and outfalls into Clear
Creek. The easternmost drainageway consists of an intermittent stream with four
ephemeral tributaries which drain the eastern third of the upper pastures until the
drainage system merges with the drainage from the second stream and outfalls into
Clear Creek. A few semipermanently-flooded, palustrine forested areas have been
mapped on the USFWS NWI maps at the lower ends of some drainageways. The
USFWS also mapped a few palustrine scrub/shrub wetland areas on benches along
Clear Creek.
 Five permanent to seasonally flooded stock ponds were observed in the upper
pastures. Five permanent to seasonally flooded stock ponds were observed at various
locations on the lower meadow. Three of the stock ponds on the lower meadow are
fed by drainage from two of the intermittent streams outfalling onto the meadow.
The ponds are mapped as Palustrine Unconsolidated Bottom (semipermanently
flooded to permanently flooded, and diked/impounded) by USFWS on NWI Maps
(See Attachment #3).
Vegetation:
Refer to Attachment #8 for summary of observed plant species.
Plant Species and Communities of Conservation Interest:
Endangered, threatened, or rare plant species - None observed.
Plant Communities:
Trees - The wooded areas on the slopes are dominated by the following tree species:
Texas oak, Quercus buckleyi; Chinkapin oak, Quercus muhlenbergii; Texas ash, Fraxinus
texensis; and Cedar elm, Ulmus crassifolia. Other common tree species include Sugar
Hackberry, Celtis laevigata; Live oak, Quercus fusiformis; Bur oak, Quercus macrocarpa;
Post oak, Quercus stellata; Black hickory, Carya texana; Pecan, Carya illinoiensis; and
American elm, Ulmus americana. Understory trees include Roughleaf dogwood, Cornus
drummondii; Texas redbud, Cercis canadensis var. texensis; Green hawthorn, Crataegus
viridis; Eastern persimmon, Diospyros virginiana; Eastern red cedar, Juniperus virginiana;
Mexican plum, Prunus mexicana; Carolina buckthorn, Rhamnus (Frangula) caroliniana;
Flameleaf sumac, Rhus lanceolata; Gum bumelia, Sideroxylon lanuginosum; Eve’s necklace,
Sophora affinis; Mexican buckeye, Ungnadia speciosa; Rusty blackhaw, Viburnum
rufidulum; and Toothache tree, Zanthoxylum hirsutum.
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Wooded drainageways and riparian corridors are covered with similar hardwood species,
plus Black willow, Salix nigra; Bois D’arc, Maclura pomifera; Honey locust, Gleditsia
trianthos; Western soapberry, Sapinus saponaria var. drummondii; Eastern sycamore,
Platanus occidentalis.
Shrubs and Vines - The shrub and vine layers included:
Grape-leaf ampelopsis, Ampelopsis cordata; Rataanvine, Berchemia scandens; American
beautyberry, Callicarpa americana; Elbowbush, Foresteria pubescens; Possumhaw, Ilex
decidua; Japanese honeysuckle, Lonicera japonica; White bush honeysuckle, Lonicera
albiflora; Red mulberry, Morus rubra; Virginia creeper, Parthenocissus quinquefolia;
Dewberry, Rubus sp.; Green briar, Smilax bona-nox; Blackspine greenbriar, Smilax
tamnoides; Coralberry, Symphiocarpos orbiculatus; Poison ivy, Toxicodendron radicans; and
Yucca, Yucca arkansana.
Forbs and Grasses – A diverse mix of forbs and grasses are present in the fields, plus in
the more open understory of the wooded floodplain areas. Much of this habitat will be
altered to a bottomland woodland as part of the Mitigation Plan. See Attachment # 8 for a
complete list of observed species.
Notable grasses include: Eastern gamagrass, Tripsacum dactyloides observed in wet meadows
and ditches on adjacent properties along E. Wolf Springs Road.
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Observed Wildlife:
Refer to Attachment #9 for summary of observed animal species.
Animal Species of Conservation Interest:
Endangered, threatened, or rare plant species - None observed.
General description of habitat:
There are five general types of habitat on the Property: (1) grasslands (upper prairie and
lower meadows); (2) savannahs (hardwood tree and shrub mottes and isolated trees in
grasslands; (3) woodlands on steep limestone to sandstone slopes (4) aquatic ponds and
wetland marshes (i.e., ten stock ponds and shallow wetland swales) (5) Streams (natural
wooded drainageways, and Clear Creek riparian corridor). All of the habitats are somewhat
impacted by human activity and livestock grazing. The grasslands, woodlands, savannahs
and aquatic habitats are relatively natural except for the ten man-made ponded
impoundments.
Scenic Values:
While not a Purpose of this Conservation Easement or specifically designated as “scenic” by
Cooke County, the views of wooded ramparts across Leo Ranch from both the upper pastures
and lower meadows, and the landscape views of the Clear Creek corridor from Leo Ranch
illustrate unique or relatively natural landscape features characteristic of north central Texas.
Threats:
Southwestern Cooke County is experiencing some increased pressure of urban growth and
expansion common to the bedroom communities of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.
Increased growth is, at least in part, within the rural portions of the county. While many
ranch holdings are currently in the thousands of acres, the trend is toward ranchette
development. Subdivision of larger tracts and development comprise the primary threats to
open space lands in this area.
Properties in the area of Leo Ranch have energy-related development due to the underlying
Barnett Shale natural gas trend. Many of the gas drilling companies are placing one well per
20 acres; the limit placed by the State of Texas for gas field development. Besides
disturbances for the construction of gas well pads, drill pits and access roadways, the
infrastructure of connector lines and transmission lines require linear disturbance corridors.
Areas north of the town of Muenster have shown strong potential for wind power generation,
as evidenced by numerous wind turbines in the Wolf Ridge Wind Farm on the higher ridges.
Wind farms have not yet been observed in the vicinity of Leo Ranch. These wind farms
require both pad site disturbances and an infrastructure of power stations and transmission
lines.
SFTRMB Ten Mile Creek Extension Conservation Easement - Baseline Documentation Report
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Agency/Organization Contacts for Floral and Faunal Surveys:
Texas Nature Conservancy:
Bill Carr provided significant plant identification
Mike Duran and Lee Elliott provided faunal identification from 2005
Other survey volunteers:
Gailon Brehm – birding surveys
Photography:
Aerial photography: Refer to Attachment #5
Ground photography: Refer to Attachment #6 for index maps to ground photographs.
Digital photographs are stored on CDs at Connemara
Conservancy office.
Attachments:
#1:
Location Maps of Ten Mile Creek Property
#2:
Legal Description of Ten Mile Creek Property
#3:
USGS Topographic Quad, National Wetland Inventory and Floodplain Maps
for Ten Mile Creek Property
#4:
Soil Survey Maps of Ten Mile Creek Property
#5:
Aerial Photography of Ten Mile Creek Property
#6:
Selected Ground Photography of Ten Mile Creek Property
#7:
Floral and Surveys of Ten Mile Creek Property
#8:
Faunal Surveys of Ten Mile Creek Property
SFTRMB Ten Mile Creek Extension Conservation Easement - Baseline Documentation Report
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Literature Cited:
Coffee, Daniel R., Ralph H. Hill, Dennis D. Ressel. 1979. Soil survey of Dallas County, Texas. United
States Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service. 134 pp. + maps.
Fisher, W.L., Director. Revised 1987. Geologic Atlas of Texas, Dallas Sheet. Bureau of Economic
Geology, The University of Texas at Austin.
Integrated Environmental Solutions. 2010. “Site Development Plan Addendum – South Forks Trinity River
Mitigation Bank Ellis/Dallas County, Texas”. IES, McKinney Texas.
United States Geological Survey. 1973. India Quadrangle, Texas, 7.5 minute series (topographic). United
States Geological Survey, Denver, Colorado.
United States Fish and Wildlife Service. 1989. National Wetland Inventory Map, India Quadrangle,
Texas, 7.5 minute series (topographic). USFWS Albuquerque, New Mexico.
SFTRMB Ten Mile Creek Extension Conservation Easement - Baseline Documentation Report
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Certification
We, the undersigned signatories, do hereby certify that the information contained in this baseline
documentation report, including referenced attachments, for the South Fork Trinity River
Mitigation Bank – Ten Mile Creek Extension’s Conservation Easement as assessed prior to this
xth day of July, 2010, is correct and accurate to the best of our knowledge.
Owner:
___________________________
Johnny Mack Powers
____________________
Date
Connemara Conservancy Foundation:
_________________________________
RJ Taylor, Conservation Director
____________________
Date
SFTRMB Ten Mile Creek Extension Conservation Easement - Baseline Documentation Report
Page 14
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 are intentionally
omitted from the copy of the Baseline Documentation Report that
is appended as Exhibit “B” to the Conservation Easement (CE)
dated December 2009, from DIXON WATER FOUNDATION, as
Grantor, in favor of the CONNEMARA CONSERVANCY
FOUNDATION.
Leo Ranch Conservation Easement - Baseline Documentation Report