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The Cactus Playa
Wetlands & Water Treatment

The city of Cactus, Texas, may be small population-wise, but its bird count ranks second to none. As many as 250,000 waterfowl at a time can be spotted at Cactus Lake, a 146-acre playa in Moore County, about 50 miles north of Amarillo.

What is a playa lake? Approximately 25,000 shallow lakes, sometimes only one foot deep, dot the arid and semi-arid region of the Southern Great Plains of Colorado, New Mexico, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. The greatest concentration occurs in the High Plains of Texas. These lakes are frequently ephemeral, containing water only seasonally.

Playa (Spanish for "beach") basins are most commonly believed to be formed by wind deflation and/or land subsidence (sediments compact to conform with underlying formations). These depressions receive deposits of clay particles to form an impermeable basin floor. Each basin receives runoff from a few to thousands of acres, and following a heavy rainfall a playa lake can suddenly appear. Due to their shallow nature, these lakes may then disappear due to evaporation.

Playas have historical significance to this region. Plains Indians and frontiersmen, as well as herds of bison and antelope, all took advantage of the lakes’ sporadic presence. Cattlemen also used playas to water their stock. Today, because of their impermeable floors, playas occasionally are used to store effluent (outflow) from water treatment systems, and feedlot runoff to protect the aquifer (geological formation containing water, especially one that supplies water for wells, springs, etc.) from contamination.

Playas and Wildlife
In this arid and semi-arid region, where water bodies are very scarce, playas offer welcome shelter to a vast variety of animal life, from tiny fairy shrimp, insects, salamanders, frogs, horned lizards and rattlesnakes to deer mice, cottontails and jackrabbits, raccoons, coyotes and skunks.

Birds, however, are the most abundant and diverse denizens of the playas. Game birds such as pheasants and quail, songbirds such as redwing and yellow-headed blackbirds, and dozens of other species populate the dry basins and surrounding uplands. Shore and wading birds such as avocets, stilts and herons may be seen, as well as a variety of hawks, owls and eagles. Most importantly, the playas are critical habitat to hundreds of thousands of migrating geese, ducks and cranes who winter on these lakes along the Central Flyway. Further information regarding the characteristics of playas, as well as their cultural and environmental importance may be obtained from the Playa Lakes Joint Venture (see address at end of this article.)

Cactus Playa
Cactus Lake is arguably the most significant playa in the region, used by hundreds of thousands of waterfowl, wading birds, songbirds, upland game birds and bald eagles. The lake contains water year-round due to its use as part of the City of Cactus water treatment facility. Over 90 percent of the water delivered to the treatment facility is received from the two major industries of Moore County.After two years of planning, in March 1998, the Cactus Playa Lake Enhancement Project was launched. The venture is designed to protect and enhance the Cactus playa, which is the No.1 stopover for migratory waterfowl in a five-state region.

"This is the first project in the Playa Lakes Region to form a partnership between local communities, industry and wildlife interests to solve issues about waste water use and waterfowl habitat needs," says Tom Moore, Cactus city attorney and chairman of the project's site management committee.

To enhance educational and appreciative use of the Cactus playa area, parking facilities, educational kiosks, observation platforms, blinds and interpretive trails are planned to be completed in 1999.To assure success of the project, several partners have worked together, contributing expertise, time and funds.

The partners include Playa Lakes Joint Venture, the City of Cactus, ConocoPhillips, ConAgra/Monfort, S.B. Foot Tanning, Texas Natural Resources Conservation Commission, Texas Parks and Wildlife, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ducks Unlimited, the Wildlife Habitat Council, the Panhandle Chapter of Audubon Society and Texas Tech University. The partners received a North American Wetlands Conservation Act grant to help fund the construction and donation of 800 acres of property from ConocoPhillips, plus contributions from the Wray Trust, ConAgra/Monfort, City of Cactus, Playa Lakes Joint Venture and S.B. Foot Tanning.

Using Treated Water
Historically, the city of Cactus has used the playa as the final holding pond for its water treatment facility and has irrigated from it onto surrounding fields. However, due to continued industrial and residential growth, the city knew that it should increase its long-term ability to use the treated water, according to Cactus Mayor Leon Graham.

"An estimated 4.5 million gallons of treated water per day will be managed through a complex of wetlands, holding ponds and irrigated farmland, all constructed on the donated property and other city property, in addition to the playa. These structures will greatly enhance habitat for wildlife while providing reuse management of water for the city," says Graham.

According to Ruben Cantu, regional director, Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept., wetlands will be created in the forms of open-water impoundments, wetland cells and native riparian habitat as part of the water management system. "This project works toward the Playa Lakes Joint Venture goal of providing more habitat to spread birds out over a five-state region to reduce the concentration in any one area," he says.

Situation Protection
In addition, a buffer of native grasses will be planted around Cactus Lake, restoring 370 acres of uplands. The buffer will protect the playa from siltation as well as restore habitat for gamebirds and other species such as the swift fox and Texas horned lizard.

If upland soils are not stabilized by proper vegetation, erosion from runoff can fill the playa basin with silt, causing the lake to hold less and less water. During periods of drought or low water conditions, the silt acts as a sponge and takes up the remaining water, resulting in a mudhole rather than a lake.

"Not only will this multifaceted project benefit wildlife resources and assist the city of Cactus, it will serve as a demonstration site for other municipalities, industry and agricultural interests, and ultimately serve as a valuable educational site," Moore says.

"The playa and surrounding habitats offer great opportunities for outdoor classroom settings and research projects," says Mayor Graham, "and the lake is located on a major route (Hwy 287) between Amarillo and Denver, giving excellent access to this international-class bird-viewing area. Cactus is definitely for the birds, and we’re darn proud of it!"

Sources
Daniels, R. B. and J. W. Gilliam. "Sediment and Chemical Load Reduction by Grass and Riparian Filters," Soil Science Society American Journal, Vol. 60, pp 246-251. 1996.
Maholland, Linda S. and T.G. Erickson. "Opportunities for Environmental Partnerships in the Oil and Gas Industries: A Case Study." Phillips Petroleum Company. 1996.
Steiert, Jim. "Playas: Jewels of the Plains." Texas Tech University Press. Lubbock, Texas. pp 12-19, 98-112. 1995.

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The Cactus Playa | Living Unleaded | Wildlife & Lead Poisoning

Last Updated: 02/16/03
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