Evaluating Impacts of Border Wall Construction on Wildlife Entrapment and Drowning in the Lower Rio Grande Valley (Texas) Active
USGS is investigating the impacts of border wall construction on terrestrial wildlife movement and entrapment behind barriers in the Lower Rio Grande Valley.
The Science Issue and Relevance: The USGS Wetland and Aquatic Research Center and the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley are working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol on landscape research projects to mitigate the impacts of the international border wall along the U.S.-Mexico border in south Texas, within the Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV). The Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge (LRGVNWR) was established in 1979 with a management priority to protect the unique biodiversity of the LRGV. As a wildlife corridor, the refuge follows the Rio Grande along the last 275 river miles. It connects isolated tracts of land managed by private landowners, non-profit organizations, the State of Texas, and two other National Wildlife Refuges: Santa Ana and Laguna Atascosa. Water is a critical resource for wildlife in this semi-arid region, and many of the LRGVNWR tracts are located near the river adjacent to water and wetland resources critical to wildlife. In recent years, border wall construction activities on the LRGVNWR river tracts have increased. Beyond just the building of fences and walls, border wall construction has cleared vegetation and altered roads, levees, and lighting infrastructure. There is concern that these changes in the landscape have affected the movement of water and wildlife. There is also concern that elevation changes, barriers to water flow, and altered flooding patterns have increased risks of wildlife entrapment during extreme flood events. However, flood risk and wildlife entrapment have been understudied and poorly quantified. This project will investigate the potential for wildlife entrapment along the border wall of the LRGV.
Methodology for Addressing the Issue: Some aspects of the border wall construction have the potential to create habitat sinks where terrestrial wildlife becomes entrapped and cannot escape floodwaters. This project will use geospatial data, historical records, and flooding metrics to evaluate impacts of border wall on terrestrial wildlife movement and entrapment behind barriers.
Future Steps: This project will advance our understanding of impacts of border wall construction on terrestrial wildlife movement and entrapment behind barriers in the LRGV (Texas).
USGS is investigating the impacts of border wall construction on terrestrial wildlife movement and entrapment behind barriers in the Lower Rio Grande Valley.
The Science Issue and Relevance: The USGS Wetland and Aquatic Research Center and the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley are working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol on landscape research projects to mitigate the impacts of the international border wall along the U.S.-Mexico border in south Texas, within the Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV). The Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge (LRGVNWR) was established in 1979 with a management priority to protect the unique biodiversity of the LRGV. As a wildlife corridor, the refuge follows the Rio Grande along the last 275 river miles. It connects isolated tracts of land managed by private landowners, non-profit organizations, the State of Texas, and two other National Wildlife Refuges: Santa Ana and Laguna Atascosa. Water is a critical resource for wildlife in this semi-arid region, and many of the LRGVNWR tracts are located near the river adjacent to water and wetland resources critical to wildlife. In recent years, border wall construction activities on the LRGVNWR river tracts have increased. Beyond just the building of fences and walls, border wall construction has cleared vegetation and altered roads, levees, and lighting infrastructure. There is concern that these changes in the landscape have affected the movement of water and wildlife. There is also concern that elevation changes, barriers to water flow, and altered flooding patterns have increased risks of wildlife entrapment during extreme flood events. However, flood risk and wildlife entrapment have been understudied and poorly quantified. This project will investigate the potential for wildlife entrapment along the border wall of the LRGV.
Methodology for Addressing the Issue: Some aspects of the border wall construction have the potential to create habitat sinks where terrestrial wildlife becomes entrapped and cannot escape floodwaters. This project will use geospatial data, historical records, and flooding metrics to evaluate impacts of border wall on terrestrial wildlife movement and entrapment behind barriers.
Future Steps: This project will advance our understanding of impacts of border wall construction on terrestrial wildlife movement and entrapment behind barriers in the LRGV (Texas).