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The High Plains Water Cycle looks different when you view it through playas!

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Watersheds & Aquifers

Watersheds come in all shapes and sizes…they can have hills, mountains, flatland, city or farm, rangeland, or forest

Can you identify the watershed that you live in?

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What is a Watershed?

A Watershed is the land that water flows across or under on its way to a stream, river, or lake

All water flows downhill to the lowest point on the landscape…like a playa, or a draw

Everyone lives in a watershed. You and everyone, and all animals, birds, and fish are part of a watershed community. We all impact our watershed, based on how we treat natural resources

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Water Moves Downhill

in any Watershed

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There are no rivers on the Llano Estacado, but we have draws, which like playas, form an important part of our watersheds.

Move south with your finger (down the map from top to bottom) from the Canadian River to find 8 draws on the Llano Estacado

Which draw is the longest?

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We don’t have rivers in the Llano Estacado, but three of Texas’ biggest rivers start where our draws end.

We have two sources of water to use for our drinking water, water for agriculture, industry, and the environment. There is SURFACE water, which includes all the water on the surface - rivers, creeks, ponds, and lakes.

If rain falls too quickly to be absorbed into the soil, or if it falls on an impervious surface such as a parking lot, it runs off into streams, creeks, rivers and lakes and becomes surface water.

Here is a map of the major rivers in Texas.

How many miles of rivers and streams do we have in Texas? 191,000 miles

We have 3,700 named streams and 15 major rivers.

What’s the longest river? The Red River

We have 212 major reservoirs/lakes. Do you know how many of those are natural? Only one. Who can name that one? Caddo Lake. The lake, named for the Caddo Indians, was one of the largest natural lakes in the South. According to Caddo legend the lake was formed by an earthquake caused by a Caddo chief's failure to obey the Great Spirit. It so happens that there was also a log jam in the Red River. In 1874, the government destroyed that jam, and built a dam in 1914.

We also have seven major estuaries along the Texas coast

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What Is A Playa?

2011 Playa Festival

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And..

A playa is a low spot, or depression in the land where runoff water will naturally flow to in a heavy rainfall event.

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Playas are shallow, closed-system watersheds…at the bottom of a depression on the landscape…�…more like a plate than a cereal bowl

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Definition…

Playas are hard to define because they are always changing!

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Playas are ephemeral (temporary) wetlands. When it rains, playas fill with

water. When it is dry, the playa remains, but is full of vegetation.

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So lets start with…

Playas are naturally occurring land features unique to the Great Plains. Playas can not be made by humans.

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Casa La Entereza Playa filling from rainfall…� May17,2010

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Casa La Entereza Playa…5-20-2010

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And…

A playa has clay soils that expand and contract. When water is present, the soils swell and hold water. When the playa is dry, the soils contract and cracks.

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Orb Shells & Macroinvertebrates

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And…

Playas are habitat for birds and other wildlife.

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And…

Playas are seed beds for hundreds of plants!

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And…

Playas are important zones of recharge to the Ogallala Aquifer.

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And…

Playas are keystone ecosystems. They are the ecosystems that all the other ecosystems depend upon in this region.

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That is a lot of stuff!

Temporary wetland (always changing)
Naturally occurring
Low spot in the landscape
Has Clay Soil
Habitat for birds and other wildlife
Seed beds
Recharge to the Ogallala aquifer
Keystone Ecosystem

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How were Playas formed?

The most recent theory explaining how playas are formed states that playa basins form and expand as a result of interactions between water and soils on the prairie.

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Where are Playas found?

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Where are Playas Found?

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Where are Playas Found?

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Where are Playas Found?

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What do Playas Do?

Natural Flood Control

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What do Playas Do?

Recharge the Ogallala Aquifer!

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What do Playas Do?

Recreation, Aesthetic and Research…

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What do Playas Do?

Conservation of Native Plants

350 species

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What do Playas Do?

Natural Wildlife Habitat

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Macro invertebrates

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What do Playas Do?

Avian Communities

200 species of birds reported in Playas

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Playas have an impact!

Playas are important for many reasons.
In fact, their impact is felt throughout the entire hemisphere!

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Playa Impact!

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Playa Impact!

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Playa birds migrate

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Playas are resilient, but disappearing

What is happening to Playas?

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What is happening to Playas?

Sedimentation

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What is happening to Playas?

Development – Cities and Farms

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How can we help Playas?

Education is the key
Instill appreciation and pride in playas

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Are you ready to explore?

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