Habitat Enhancement in the Newly Created Ralph Hall Reservoir
- Dan Bennett, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
- Blake Alldredge, Upper Trinity Regional Water District
Lake Ralph Hall, a 7,600-acre reservoir currently under construction in Fannin County, Texas, was selected as the site for one of nine projects funded under the Bass Pro Shops/National Fish Habitat Partnership U.S. Open Grant Program in 2022. Project partners, the Upper Trinity Regional Water District and Texas Parks and Wildlife Inland Fisheries Division, received $250,000 through the grant program for the placement of fish habitat in the reservoir and the construction of a 250-foot coastal style, riprap armored jetty available to shore-based anglers. The Upper Trinity Regional Water District also provided an additional $250,000 and in-kind services to match the initial project award. Fish habitat components have included the consolidation of cleared timber into large brush piles, and the construction of approximately 50,000 square feet of gravel spawning beds, 40 log/rip-rap structures, and the placement of 203 concrete Reefballs in the footprint of the future reservoir. The location of fish habitat will be provided to Texas anglers using TPWD’s interactive habitat map online. Native aquatic vegetation including submersed and emergent species are also being raised for planting in the reservoir when it is impounded. The habitat improvements are intended to provide additional structure to provide better quality fishing in the reservoir.