Plant native riparian cover on an Aransas River headwaters bank near Skidmore, site 2, a public road near the Olmos, Aransas, and Poesta creek confluence north of Skidmore, TX 78389, Bee County (2026-08-04)

The survey above found a bare or eroding riparian bank-top segment along the Aransas River headwaters north of Skidmore, and a hand planted native riparian buffer above the waterline would otherwise leave this bank losing cover for another season. Standard: USDA NRCS conservation practice standard 391 riparian forest buffer plus EPA nonpoint source BMP practice, applied here to the Aransas River headwaters bank-top riparian segment near the Olmos, Aransas, and Poesta creek confluence north of Skidmore, TX, Bee County. SDG 6.6 and 15.1. Proof: before after photos plus species and plant count record plus GPS Method (USDA NRCS conservation practice standard 391 riparian forest buffer plus EPA nonpoint source BMP practice, applied here to the Aransas River headwaters bank-top riparian segment near the Olmos, Aransas, and Poesta creek confluence north of Skidmore, TX, Bee County. SDG 6.6 and 15.1.): 1. 1. Confirm the bank-top segment access and photograph the bare or eroding riparian edge before starting, staying above the waterline on stable ground. 2. 2. Hand dig planting holes on the bank-top only, hand tools only, no power equipment, staying well above the waterline and never entering the river. 3. 3. Hand plant native Aransas River headwaters riparian species (black willow, cedar elm, native seep willow) at the bank-top margin. 4. 4. Hand mulch around the new plantings and photograph the planted bank from the matching before vantage, recording species and plant count. Done when: Before photo of the bare or eroding riparian bank-top segment; Confirmation only hand tools were used, work stayed above the waterline, never entering the river; Native species and plant count recorded; After photo of the planted segment from the matching vantage

Where

a public road near the Olmos, Aransas, and Poesta creek confluence north of Skidmore, TX 78389, Bee County

Pay

$165 proposed

This packet is not funded yet, so this figure is a proposed price and not money waiting in escrow. If a buyer funds it, approved proof settles that price onchain. If nobody funds it, approved proof earns provable credit toward the work instead of cash. You see which before you claim, never after.

Proof

before after photos plus species and plant count record plus GPS

This is exactly what gets it approved. Nothing settles without it.

Level

intermediate

Open until

2026-09-03

How this work is done

A documented method, so this packet comes out the same whoever does it. Typically 30–60 minutes. Method of record: EPA dry-weather / AMD field screening

Bring

• GPS phone
• pH meter or strips
• conductivity meter
• ammonia + iron test kit as specified
• surfactant screen if specified
• gloves
• camera

Steps

1. 1. Navigate to the outfall/reach; record GPS; photograph it, capturing any visible flow or staining.
2. 2. Note whether flow is present in dry weather (yes/no).
3. 3. Measure and record pH, conductivity, and each specified analyte per kit instructions.
4. 4. Log any color, odor, floc, or aquatic-life observation.
5. 5. Enter all readings with units, GPS, time, and photos into the proof record; sign.

If it does not match the plan

• Dry-weather flow present with elevated conductivity/ammonia/surfactants -> flag suspected illicit discharge for the responsible agency.
• pH < 6 with visible iron floc -> tag suspected acid mine drainage; recommend metals lab panel.

What counts as done

• Before photo of the bare or eroding riparian bank-top segment
• Confirmation only hand tools were used, work stayed above the waterline, never entering the river
• Native species and plant count recorded
• After photo of the planted segment from the matching vantage

Proof is measured against these, not judged by taste.

The standard this serves

Watershed Health. A watershed is everything the land pours into a stream, and the stream keeps the record. The EPA's bioassessment method reads that record through the small creatures living in the gravel: mayflies and caddisflies mean clean water, only worms and midges mean trouble. Mastery looks like a person who can wade one riffle with a net and tell you how the whole valley is doing. That skill is built sample by sample. This packet is one of them: one site, one careful count, one entry in the long record of a stream.