Over forty reasons to donate – see our Hallet Oak Foundation’s Friends of Lavaca River group efforts to bring attention to caring for our waterways and the rural small town of Hallettsville’s stretch of the Lavaca River that has been overlooked for maintenance, repairs and care of the riparian since dredging it in 1964.

As of September 2023, there are persons that do not see the benefits of taking care of streams. Together we can show how easy it is to learn that there are endless benefits to caring for natural resources.

1) Exploring Before Annual Sprays in May of 2019.

2) June 2019 After Herbicide Spraying Discoveries

3) Aerial View 5.5 Miles X 250 Feet

4) Charlene Tobola and Mieko Mahi Sign Up for Wild About Ecosystems Held at Region 9 Science Center

5) Milton and Mieko Explore the River on September 17, 2020.

6) River Trash Discovered in Branch Entering River:

7) After finding there isn’t a river service company. On December 20, 2020 Milton Mache and Mieko Mahi retrieve the 100 foot wire.

8) )Historical Review of the Lavaca river with maintenance and vegetation guidelines from TPWD, Houston,& LNRA with newspaper clippings of all floods and bridge construction history – we made 9 copies of this and gave to city, county, local AgriLife, city parks, NRCS, and to emergency management — so they would have the history of the river at their desk in hardcopy form. I noticed when speaking to our community, the dates were getting mixed up, so the goal was to have it all in one place with factual documents from the newspaper clippings and factual reports.

9) 50 Water Resources in 4 binders — we researched and provided to the City and County at the cost of $45 to $75 per binder. We handed the 4 binders to the floodplain manager at the City and three copies to the County and one set to flood control. So this was $3,000 in cost to us this year out of our Gallery monies. The reason for four binders is it included any reports made by LNRA, TPWD, and TCEQ and there has been many reports created, so we put the reports in the binders — because they had to be expensive to make a report and since this river divides our city, we should know what the reports read. The 50 Resources also included entities such as USGS. All reports were filed under their creator, to not get the reports confused and too, to emphasis their importance as to who wrote them.

10) Created a binder on stewardship and flood planning and about Lavaca County wildlife, and soil, and historic landscape and waterway laws on ownership.

11) Historic Timeline Banner on the river which took one year to research working library, historical commission chair and two historians and local photographs and memories, the banner cost us $200 and we would like to make one for the courthouse judge, so he can have the timeline In front of him. This banner is on display at the Hallet Oak Gallery, we have not found one error on it. Completed in 2021.

12) 2017 Hurricane Harvey brings water up to Front Street and doesn’t flood the town. Photo taken on August 27, 2017 from Facebook posting.

13) We handed out the Remarkable Riparian books from TPWD, we must have given out at least 60 books, the value was $40 per book and they were a donation to Friends of Lavaca River from TPWD. These books went to all our officials and to our influencers in the community, to help influence that plants for the river are good for a floodplain area. The thought in the past was that all plants had to be destroyed in ordered to prevent floods in downtown Hallettsville. And in actual fact, plants can be used for preventing floods – called natural engineering. Melissa Parker assisted donating 20 books 3/5/20 and then we were able to receive more through TPWD. See # 38 which explains need for seeding and what type of plants.

14) Mieko Mahi joined the Lower Colorado Lavaca Flood Planning Group – Region 10 as a public citizen and has learned a lot. “I didn’t know that gutters and drains causes flooding, I kept thinking the river rose, but in actual fact, it is all the floodwater from the basin that makes the river rise, it isn’t the river itself. And the amount of water we receive is catastrophic amounts in 100 years. Our town is built in the river bed. There is a lot to flooding than meets the eye, and plants are an aid, not a hindrance. And herbicides has been the only technique used by flood control.”

Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept. will not allow the herbicides to be used unless it is to destroy a plant that will hinder the waterway, and that is going to be trees. “An interesting fact is that Hallettsville did not have catastrophic amounts of rain in 2017 – so the point of saying that the spraying saved us is not true. We just didn’t have the same amount of rain as in 1940 and 1981. We will flood again and we need to be prepared with emergency planning and gages, and warning systems.”

And there are things we can do to lessen floods, but that takes a study, to be included in the Jackson County study or the Region 10 study. We need to have the public and nature in the best light to coexist with nature, industry, agriculture, and public enjoyment. It takes leadership to bring all aspects together to work together.

A big way to help this river in Hallettsville is to get the right plants in and along the river, and to have volunteers hand pull the identified undesired plants.

Hallet Oak Foundation’s Friends of Lavaca River group is leading the way for river recovery and appreciation for water.

15) Friends of Lavaca River group planted 5 oak trees along the crest of the river, first to ever to do this. The land owner is absolutely thrilled. Trees will act as concrete to keep back erosion, it will also allow a variety of grasses and plants to grow. https://www.victoriaadvocate.com/news/local/friends-of-the-lavaca-river-plants-native-trees-for-sustainability-project/article_7142ff98-3d7e-11ec-ba33-f7e2eb7206dd.html

16) Hallet Oak Foundation worked with Department of Transportation to plant wildflower seeds along the Hwy 77/90 Downtown Hallettsville Bridge. “They tweeted it on their page the Hallet Oak Gallery’s participation in the program. They spread every kind of Texas wildflower working with TxDot engineer and the top vegetation manager for wildflower program, it was a large team that planted the wildflowers and we are proud to be non-profit that requested the seeds. W

Travis Jez, Vegetation Specialist, Texas Department of Transpiration discusses the varieties of plants along the river near the bridge on a visit on May 28, 2021. Coordinated through Amanda Fowler. Fowler also sent hundreds of packets of seeds and wildflower booklets which the Gallery handed out from June to December at Hallet Oak Gallery. Everyone was filled with joy at the sight of the books and seeds: Juneteenth Celebration Small town wine walk, Ezzell Christian Academy school tour, open days on Saturday’s at Hallet Oak Gallery.

17) Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is sending us 100 magazines in December for us to hand out. The goal is to encourage more community to learn about natural resource conservation. Because there is still this belief that plants are not good for the river, our river. It takes us working with community to become sensitive that the wildlife that need the plants to feed on, and for shelter and we need the plants to filter and hold back the rain. But to make it work, takes a lot of volunteer effort on the landowner because public can’t get on their land to go on or into the slope to plant a tree, or to even spread seeds, it is not as easy as it sounds. It takes people wanting to help the river to plant and allow more native buffer along the river and more education resources (lectures, handouts, books, activities, exhibits) to understand why it is needed.

18) In 2021 We created a post card that explains plants, planting, and too, about weather and flooding. It took a lot of research to do this, and we mailed out the card to those that live on both sides of the river, and we also handed out the card. It is at the Hallettsville Chamber of Commerce for walk ins. Seen here is John McReynolds discussing plants seen in the river with Milton Mahe, Friends of Lavaca River.

19) We are working the Smithsonian Institution on presenting videos on sustainability projects, as you presented at the Clean Waters meeting, we have a touch screen monitor where visitors can watch the stories in our area, the highlights will be our artists, our businesses, our industry. We would love to upload your video to our program.

20) Milton and Mieko visit the Lavaca River

21) We just completed a waterway art contest school project and you can see the entries on our home page of our website, under about contests: https://halletoakgallery.com/2021/12/20/2021-hallet-oak-gallery-art-contest-you-and-your-waterways/

It was a first ever contest on waterway and it was sponsored by one of our board members. It wouldn’t have happened without her. And we had 75 entires from our middle school. Dr. Betty Edwards donated $250 in cash prizes. We would like to be able to give more next year in prizes.

22) Mieko Mahi has been sending out a community newsletter to our art gallery members, and it is to inform them on the things going on to where we can learn together about the river instead of telling or sharing information all at once.

23) Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept is promising to assist us on finding handicapped access to the river. “I have identified three possible spots, and it is up to TPWD to tell us which one to pursue and too, which one they can assist us. We do have this river dividing our town, we have not one handicap access to it. And there is not any public engagement to it. It is like being in Galveston and the Galveston being told, they can’t use the beach unless they own beach front property. Can you imagine? That is what is happening here. Back lot owners are left to not use it because the perception is not there to value the river. I have fished and release downtown Hallettsville, this river is no different than any other. It just needs love and care. The city wants friends of Lavaca River to make a presentation in August of 2022 on how we can make use of access point, as far as who is funding it, who is interested, and who is going to take care of it.”

24) We have done a lot of research on ownership of the river and land owner agreements, and what we found is that it is all about respect.

Respecting the landowner and respecting the public. There is no difference in ownership between landowner, state, and public, only that we have to show politeness when it comes to waterways. A lot of people want to focus on the law of waterway differences before helping the river, but there isn’t any big law difference. The State owns the floodwater. And we have to respect each other and treat each other kindly according to the codes set by the laws of Texas- hours of use and time of day and causing disturbances. The big differences is on construction that can be made and on where one can dock a boat or make a ramp.

25)) Friends of Lavaca River joined Adopt A River, and our problem is getting people excited about how to go about being involved with helping this river. We did retrieve a 100 foot wire in 2021. https://www.victoriaadvocate.com/news/local/monthly-friends-of-the-lavaca-river-meetings-to-encourage-beautification/article_73bfcc6a-399c-11eb-9323-7ba871167871.html

26)) Friends of Lavaca River has been published press releases or our research on plants, and we have made numerous speech presentations to the city on beautification projects and waterways.

https://www.victoriaadvocate.com/news/local/spring-into-action-to-keep-lavaca-river-healthy/article_47b51f92-92f4-11eb-a046-5b9505d1373a.html

27)) Answered 11 Questions about water that we need to know Completed in November 17, 2020. To read 11 Questions click here: 11 Questions – revised with lnra – info

28)

November 1, 2022, Flood Control uses the term environmental-friendly and tested using goats instead of a technique they used for 30 years that was called blanket spraying of herbicides.

29)

January 22, 2023 You and Your Waterways Contest:

Dr. Edwards, explains why this contest was something she wanted to support.
“The Lavaca River flows through your community, your county, and your life. You must know how important this is. The water, the fish, the wildlife — all support each other . . . and you. It’s a delicate ecosystem. In your art you have captured the mutual dependency of river life and your life. Thank you for accepting the challenge.”

30)

Courtroom group photo by Steven Pituch, Fine Art Photographer.

From the audience looking at photo/from left to right:

Dennis W. Kocian, Commissioner Pct. 4

Kenny W. Siegel, Commissioner Pct. 3

Mary Lee Berger, Friends of Lavaca River group Committee Member;

Keith Mudd, Lavaca Cty Judge;

Mieko Mahi, Hallet Oak Foundation’s Friends of Lavaca River group, President;

Wayne Faircloth, Commissioner Pct. 2

Bob Morgenroth, Friends of Lavaca River Committee Member;

Darrell Wachel, Friends of Lavaca River group Volunteer;

and

Milton Mache, Friends of Lavaca River group Committee Member.

31)The First Annual Lavaca River Clean-Up was held on Saturday, April 22^m2023

The Hallettsville community, including the Hallettsville Girl Scout Troup 9513 met at Hallet Oak Gallery at 8 AM to 8:30 AM to receive a safety briefing and t-shirts, and to split into two large teams.

The clean-up was plan was to start and end at two bridges simultaneously: CR1 Poor Farm Bridge and Hwy 77/90, starting at 9 AM sharp and ended at 9:45 AM. “This event proved that a community could work for 45 minutes and could result in many visible beneficial community impacts. It makes a difference working in teams. Mieko Mahi, President, Hallet Oak Foundation, brought the give-away safety items from Inteplast Group. Additional items were brought in from Lavaca-Navidad River Authority, Patrick Brzozowski, PE, General Manager and Chad Kinsfather, Director of Environmental Services, which included trash bags, T-shirts all sizes. Safety cones from City of Hallettsville for the team leaders to warn traffic of clean-up.

TxDOT items donated: wildflower seeds and 50 safety vests.

Friends’ items: 50 bandanas, extra trash bags, safety kit, safety briefing for two team leaders, one leader at one bridge and the other at the other bridge, make copies of the safety briefing for both bridges. Mieko requested these items needed to be in all the team leaders’ car – bottled water, Gatorade, bug spray, spray sunscreen, giveaways, and safety kit.

Team leaders were Darrell Wachel, Mieko Mahi, Milton Mache, and Darlene Immekus and Patrick Brzozowski, PE. Darrell Wachel was lead at CR1 and Mieko Mahi was lead at Hwy 77/90 Bridge, Darlene Immekus was the Troop Leader for the Girl Scout families, Milton Mache and Patrick Brzozowski, PE were guides on the river banks.

Special thanks to

· Grace Ward, City Manager, providing trash pick-up assistance for 77/90 Bridge.

· Inteplast Group for Caps, Safety glasses, Gloves, Whistles, Trash bags.

· Lavaca-Navidad River Authority for T-Shirts: Lavaca River Clean-Up.

· TxDOT for Wildflower Seeds to spread out in Oct.

· Braxton Baranowski and Mathew Shannon Hallettsville Brahma News Network Student – Brings news to Hallettsville School and the Community.

· Bobby Horekcka, Lavaca County Today and Hallettsville Tribune-Herald for coverage and he volunteered helping with the heavy items.

· Steven Pituch, art photographer, for providing photography services.

· Judge Keith Mudd for his Announcement and Proclamation.

· RL Bordovsky, owner of Town & Country, LLC for parking and clearing the river pathway.

-Tumis Tire & Automotive Center for assistance of trash removal.

32) Announcing the First Lavaca River Access Downtown Hallettsville

The Lavaca-Navidad River Authority partnered with Hallet Oak Foundation’s Friends of Lavaca River group to create a sign for the first public access downtown Hallettsville on 5^th Street.

The sign was installed on May 12, 2023 and offers the regulations and ecology.

Rivers provide an important habitat to wildlife and fish both in the stream channel and along the banks.

Mieko Mahi, President of Hallet Oak Foundation’s Friends of Lavaca River group explains, “This river access is 95 steps from the crest and it’s not for picnicking because it’s not a park.

Due to its limited space, this entry’s main use will be for classroom education to learn about biodiversity and the importance of having clean water.

Groups now can learn about plants, insects, and wildlife. Whether it be looking at the variety of water forbs and trying to identify them or looking at the animal footprints; this access promises a hands-on educational experience.

You’ll see seashells, frogs, turtles and minnows and a chance to see a water snake scatter away or a glimpse of a nutria, or you’ll have the simple pleasure of seeing water ripples. We envision, soon, all-terrain wheelchairs being donated for this path use.

And we hope to gain more volunteers to plant native flowers and grasses along the access to help teach the benefits of native prairie grasses and plants.

We recommend wearing rubber boots and having on hand a safety kit as a necessity and to let a friend or family member know before going on a river visit.

This river access is at one’s own risk. It is always good to let the City Manager and Police know when large groups plan to visit the river, so they can expect the time the group will enter the river access and leave.

Sue Pritchett, S.T.E.A.M advisor for Hallet Oak Foundation says, “Having river front access has a calming effect in a fast-paced world — it is nice to be able to get up close, among nature. This entry is a wonderful spot to teach different levels of learning for different ages.”

Mieko Mahi adds, “If anyone wishes to donate for river education programs and materials; donate for improvements to this river access; or wishes to donate land for a new park along the Lavaca River, please mail donations to Hallet Oak Foundation, P. 0. Box 662, Hallettsville, TX 77964 and make checks out to Hallet Oak Foundation with the purpose on the check. Hallet Oak Foundation, is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit.

Inteplast Group donated the cost of the wood-frame with installation. Thank you Inteplast Group! And thank you to Lavaca-Navidad-River Authority for donating the signage and design!

33) After learning that Lavaca County Flood Control District No. 3 was not seeding after the ground was exposed from goats grazing, Hallet Oak Foundation’s Friends of the Lavaca River group volunteered to purchase seed.

34) On May 30, 2023, volunteers pose for a group photo after seeding. Seen is Bob Morgenroth, Marilyn McCullough Thibodeaux, Bob Novotney, and Milton Mache.

35) Large clams found downtown Hallettsville’s section of Lavaca River!

36) On Saturday, June 3, 2023, at 10:00 AM, an inauguration was held on 5^th Street on the south side of Hwy 90 along the Lavaca River in Hallettsville. Rev. Patrick Melton, First United Methodist Church offered a blessing and prayer for the path by invitation of the Hallet Oak Foundation’s Friends of Lavaca River group.

37) On June 8, 2023, Jake Woytek and Branten Woytek, brothers, volunteered to bring out of the banks – tires and other heavy items. Their mother, Tammy Lynn Woytek said they enjoyed it!June 8, 2023, Tumis Tire and Automotive generously donated the removal of items pulled up from the river banks by volunteer Mieko Mahi, Milton Mache, Jake Woytek, and Branten Woytek.

38) Thank you to the Science Spanish Network Club for extending an invitation to Mieko Mahi to attend a Baylor University Matagorda B-WET Workshop!

Hallet Oak Gallery can now offer group workshop that offers creative hands-on meaningful experiences to learn ecology. This includes visiting the Lavaca River for specimens of plants and benthic macro invertebrates.

Thank you to Baylor University, NOAA, and Matagorda Bay Foundation for a wonderful meaningful learning experience that we can pass on to others to teach in our community!

39)Write letters to TxDot requesting a pedestrian bridge walkway on Hwy 77/90 for safety and for it to include views on the north and south side of the Lavaca River. Check out Ralph Ruiz design below: bridge walkway, seen above, is graphic created by Ralph Ruiz, http://www.ecreativedesign.com/ for Hallet Oak Foundation’s Friends of Lavaca River group.

40) To help community learn the industry definitions, Mieko Mahi looked up the following phrases commonly used in the environmental industry:

Methodology: A system of methods used in a particular area of study or activity.

Broadcast spraying: Application of a material, especially a pesticide, by spreading it over an entire area, including portions of the area not showing symptoms of disease or infestation.

Blanket Spraying:

Blanket or spot refers to two different types of spray applications that are available used within lawn care programs. Generally, in reference to weed treatments. A blanket spray – means the whole yard is treated, A spot spray means that the areas with weeds are treated and not areas where there are no weeds.

Wicking: Wicking is the practice of using a sponge or rope dipped in a herbicide solution to paint the material onto the weed without touching the desired plant.

Terrestrial: Living or growing on land.

Terrestrial Herbicides: Herbicides made for land use.

Aquatic Herbicide: Herbicide that has had extra testing to not harm mammals, so it’s declared for using near water. Warning Note: All herbicides are pesticides and are designed to kill something. Using Aquatic Herbicides to destroy all plants in rivers will cause a fish kill.

Flood Profile:

In hydrologic terms, a graph of elevation of the water surface of a river in flood, plotted as ordinate, against distance, measured in the downstream direction, plotted as abscissa. A flood profile may be drawn to show elevation at a given time, crests during a particular flood, or to show stages of concordant flows.

Native Grasses:

Restoring native plant habitat is vital to preserving biodiversity. By creating a native plant garden, each patch of habitat becomes part of a collective effort to nurture and sustain the living landscape for birds and other animals.

Erosion Control: The 3 main principles to control erosion are to: use land according to its capability. protect the soil surface with some form of cover. control runoff before it develops into an erosive force.

Biological Integrity: is the ability of an aquatic ecosystem to support and maintain a balanced, adaptive community of organisms having a species composition, diversity, and function comparable to that of a natural habitat. is the ability of an aquatic ecosystem to support and maintain a balanced, adaptive community of organisms having a species composition, diversity, and function comparable to that of a natural habitat.

Balancing Constituent Feedback:

Balanced feedback provides feedback on what is being done well as well as what could be improved. The positive feedback builds confidence and reinforces the “good” behavior you want to see more of. It clarifies expectations. It feels good.

Comprehensive: including all or nearly all elements or aspects of something, “a comprehensive list of sources”.

Vegetation: Vegetation protects soil from erosion and reduces surface water runoff in many ways.

Effects of Vegetation in Minimizing Erosion: Live plant foliage and forest litter reduce the impact of rainfall and increase the absorptive capacity of the soil.

Velocity: Speed.

Speed of rushing water increases erosion.

Destabilization the Straighten:

via MDPI: A few decades ago, river erosion protective approaches were widely implemented, such as straightening the river course, enhancing riverbed/bank stability with layers of concrete or riprap, and increasing channel conveyance capacity (i.e., over widening). However, recent research has established that such practices can be tremendously costly and adversely affect the rivers’ ecological health. To alleviate these effects, green river restoration has emerged as a sustainable and environmentally friendly approach that can reduce the negative impact of the riverbed and bank destabilization and flooding. One of the typical green restoration measures, especially for instream habitat improvement, is the establishment of instream vegetation, which leads to a more diversified flow regime, increasing habitat availability and serving as refugia for aquatic species.

Increasing Flooding Deposition:

Deposition is the processes where material being transported by a river is deposited.

Deposition occurs when a river loses energy. This can be when a river enters a shallow area (this could be when it floods and comes into contact with the flood plain) or towards its mouth where it meets another body of water.

Flood Deposition:

Deposition is the processes where material being transported by a river is deposited.

Looking to the future, first coastal flooding will continue to increase as sea levels rise. Melting glaciers and ice sheets add volume to the ocean, and the water itself expands as it warms. Second, flash flooding will continue to increase as there are more extreme precipitation events.

Instability Downstream:

Via Mike Kline and Kim Greenwood: Channelization and dredging for gravel are two examples of physical changes to rivers that stress the system. Straightening or channelizing a river will often have the effect of increasing the slope of the river. As the slope increases, flow velocity and erosive power increase. This extra force causes the river to degrade or erode its bed.

Often downstream of a straightened section of river, the water slows and sediment re-deposits. The downstream area aggrades and undergoes planform change, often threatening properties.

Hydraulic Modeling:

A hydraulic model is a collection of mathematical equations that give a simple representation of reality. They estimate flow, water level and velocity in river channels. pipe networks.

Exclusive Flood Control Storage Capacity:

In hydrologic terms, the space in a reservoir reserved for the sole purpose of regulating flood inflows to abate flood damage

Tolerance: The capacity to endure continued subjection to something, especially a drug, transplant, antigen, or environmental conditions, without adverse reaction.

“the desert camel shows the greatest tolerance to dehydration”

Community Succession/Ecological Succession is the process of change in the species that make up an ecological community over time. The process of succession occurs either after the initial colonization of a newly created habitat, or after a disturbance substantially alters a pre-existing habitat.

Assess Channel Condition:

Assessments of river condition are needed to guide all aspects of river management from conservation to mitigation.

Mechanical Methods: Some of the common techniques used for flood control are installation of rock berms, rock rip-raps, sandbags, maintaining normal slopes with vegetation or application of soil cements on steeper slopes and construction or expansion of drainage channels.

TPWD offers technical guidance.

Foliar: Relating to leaves.

Broadcast: Broadcast seeding is of particular use in establishing dense plant spacing, as for cover crops and lawns. In comparison to traditional drill planting, broadcast seeding will require 10–20% more seed. It is simpler, faster, and easier than traditional row sowing.

Sediments: At the bottom of a liquid. Sediment is a stormwater pollutant that is made up of soil

particles that have been detached from the land by erosion and is Pennsylvania’s largest surface water pollutant by volume.

Conveyance: the action or process of transporting someone or something from one place to another, “he was building vessels for the conveyance of live cod”.

Flood Conveyance:

The transport of floodwaters downstream, with little if any damage

Stakeholders: A person with an interest or concern in something, especially a business.

Plant Species: Plants are a kingdom of life forms that includes familiar organisms such as trees, herbs, bushes, grasses, vines, ferns and mosses. Through photosynthesis, they convert water and carbon dioxide into the oxygen we breathe and the sugars that provide the primary fuel for life.

Normal Flow: Any stream flow that consists solely of base flow or consists of both base flow and direct runoff during any period of the year.

Above the High Water:

Look for high-water indicators by signs of water level, see where grasses are laid over and pushed down.

Tier Status Designation: How’s My Waterway | US EPA.

Response Category:

Assessment response categories (e.g., excellent, good, needs improvement) are used when creating items in the Assessment and Evaluation Module. The categories can also be applied to specific rating scales and when those rating scales are applied to items the response categories will pre-populate.

Riparian: Relating to or situated on the banks of a river.

* ECOLOGY relating to wetlands adjacent to rivers and stream, the ranch’s most expansive riparian habitat”.

Plant Community: Plant communities are groups of plants sharing a common environment that interact with each other, animal populations, and the physical environment. Certain plant communities often occur together on the landscape due to shared environmental requirements.

Critical: Critical is often used in technical matters of business or science; crucial is often used to talk about matters that may cause anxiety or other emotions.

Buffer: Riparian buffers are the natural vegetation from the edge of the stream bank out through the riparian zone. The vegetative zone serves as a buffer to pollutants entering a stream from runoff, controls erosion, and provides habitat and nutrient input into the stream.

Riparian Zone:

Riparian zones, or areas, are lands that occur along the edges of rivers, streams, lakes, and other water bodies. Examples include streambanks, riverbanks, and flood plains.

Ecological Function: Ecological Function means the natural processes, products or services that living and non-living environments provide or perform within or between species, ecosystems and landscapes. These may include biological, physical and socio-economic interactions.

Impaired Waterbodies: Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act authorizes EPA to assist states, territories and authorized tribes in listing impaired waters and developing Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) for these waterbodies. A TMDL establishes the maximum amount of a pollutant allowed in a waterbody and serves as the starting point or planning tool for restoring water quality.

Environmental Quality:

Environmental quality is a general term which can refer to: varied characteristics such as air and water purity or pollution, noise, access to open space, and the visual effects of buildings, and the potential effects which such characteristics may have on physical and mental health (caused by human activities).

Aquatic Life: Aquatic life means any plant or animal life that uses surface water as primary habitat for at least a portion of its life cycle but does not include avian or mammalian species.

Proliferate: To increase rapidly in numbers; multiply.

Biological: Living organisms.

Water Quality: Water quality is measured by several factors, such as the concentration of dissolved oxygen, bacteria levels, the amount of salt (or salinity), or the amount of material suspended in the water (turbidity).

Habitat characteristics: https://repository.library.noaa.gov/…/noaa_5960_DS1.pdf

The Lavaca River borders the south and west sides of Moulton and flows through rolling hills surfaced by well-drained loamy and clayey soils of generally open upland prairie; the soils are used primarily for rangeland, pastureland, and the production of corn and grain sorghum. Occasional outcroppings of sandstone dot the area, and on steeper slopes erosion is apt to be severe. Vegetation consists of scattered oak, willow, and hackberry mottes that provide cover for small game and upland birds. The stream is used for recreation in Moulton.

Densely wooded with oak, pecan, sycamore, and elm with an understory of yaupon and grape. It is used as an unimproved range for cattle and as a wildlife habitat.

Degraded: reduced in quality; inferior.

Root Stability Rating: Root Reinforcement Effect

Soil reinforcement by roots is recognized as an important factor involved in the forces system that acts on natural and artificial slopes.

Protection/Restoration of Vital Functions: Restore ecological integrity. Restoration should re-establish insofar as possible the ecological integrity of degraded aquatic ecosystems. Ecological integrity refers to the condition of an ecosystem — particularly the structure, composition and natural processes of its biotic communities and physical environment.

Under-sampled River System: Physical monitoring of rivers typically involves measuring parameters such as flow rate, water temperature, and turbidity. These measurements can provide important information about the overall health of a river, including its ability to support aquatic life. A river forms from water moving from a higher elevation to a lower elevation, all due to gravity. When rain falls on the land, it either seeps into the ground or becomes runoff, which flows downhill into rivers and lakes, on its journey towards the seas.

Endangered Fish: See TPWD

List of Imperiled species: Six Texas Freshwater Mussels Proposed for Endangered Species Act Protection. Nearly 2,000 Miles of Rivers, Creeks Designated as Protected Critical Habitat See TPWD reports

How to Improve Water Quality: Minimize the use of pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers. DO NOT dispose of these chemicals, motor oil, or other automotive fluids into the sanitary sewer or storm sewer systems. Both of them end at the river. If your home has a sump pump or cellar drain, make certain it does not drain into the sanitary sewer system.

Provide Bank Stabilization:

There are many methods used to stabilize banks and embankments, such as through addressing soil structure, drainage and vegetation cover, slope armor/revetment or engineered works, including gabions, revet mattresses, and various retaining wall and sheet pile structures.

Woody: Woody vegetation means vegetation with stems of wood (other than vines) and includes trees and. Woody vegetation means vegetation with stems of wood (other than vines) and includes trees 38 and bushes.

Delineation: the action of indicating the exact position of a border or boundary.

Preservation: The act or process of keeping something in existence.

38) Mieko Mahi by spending her time, gained expert information from those that know the south central soil and share the info with the floodplain managers. LRNA responded that the information was worthwhile and reasonable:

Advice given to Friends’ Group:

It’s okay for the goats to eat to the dirt, only “if” preparing to seed. But once, it’s been grazed to the dirt, then follow up with a plan to:

A) Avoid Overgrazing of Goats: First time to plant native seeds, to dirt is okay for one time. Should not eat below 6 inches on desired plants on second round, if done again unless the plan is to try seeding again.

B) Avoid Uncleaned Mowers that can bring in unwanted seeds.

C)The Best Time to Seed Native and have success is in March April May or Sept Oct Nov, so if Flood Control plan to treat with goats again, it best to time it like that, to get the seed in when the dirt exposed. Native Seed does “not” like being planted deep, only just a thin scratch below the surface. As a reminder, it must touch dirt and be scratched in or walked on, or rolled on to pack it in.

D) He highly recommended Hydro Seeding and said if we could do it, better if Flood Control could do it and hire Scott Jecker https://www.jeckerfieldservices.com

41) On July 24, 2023 Hallet Oak Foundation commissioned Lois Weiss to depict native plants following the low normal flow.

Seen here is a beautiful rendition of the Lavaca River downtown Hallettsville, commissioned by Hallet Oak Foundation’s Friends of Lavaca River group.

41) This is to showcase what the river banks could be like if the native grasses, pollinators, and forbs are allowed to grow on the normal flow of water (the non-storm water flow). Watercolor by Lois Weiss.

Lavaca River

Planting Zones:

– Upper Banks – Short Turf Grasses

-15 Feet Along River – Native Plants.

Native American Seeds is suggesting

Phase I: Native American Riparian Recovery Seeds: Friends hopes to seed each year 15″ from the low water flow. See in the above oil water color illustration by Lois Weiss.

Phase II: Sun Turf: https://seedsource.com/native-sun-turf/

To work with the concept that Flood Control has to embrace the short fast growing Bermuda Grass – Friends discovered by asking experts that the The Sun Turf Mix is closest to the desired shortness appearance and to fulfill the goal to only seed native plants: Buffalograss and Blue Grama works as a short turf grass
and can cut river maintenance in half!

Maximum height of grass is 5 – 8″ if left unmown
No Extra watering once established
No fertilizer required
No diseases or pests
Natural beauty
To recap on plants found on the river banks by Milton Mache and Mieko Mahi n the Lavaca River in downtown Hallettsville in 2020, listed below were the plants identified by Steve Nelle, retired NRCS, that had wildlife benefits to this floodplain area of the Lavaca River:
- Scouring Rush Horse Tail
- Green Flat Sedge/Nut Sledge Nut Grass
- Spiny Aster (Devil Weed)
- Mild water pepper/Mild Smartweed
- Tall Water Primrose/Ludwigia octovalvis
- Water Hyssop
- Water Ash/Hoptree
- Waterpepper, Polygonum Hypipercides
- Rush, includes Genius Siripus
- Bulrush/Scirpus Americanus
- Water Pennywort/Hydrocotyle spp

42) Bee projects at the Hallet Oak Gallery to learn more about bees!

43) Friends of Lavaca River were able to have audible levels to hear the meeting without an official present since their was an investigation in 2019 on the herbicide blanket spraying. The problem was Friends of Lavaca River group couldn’t hear and after repeated request to hear from seeking help to local government, that right was denied. The good news is that Friends contacted Texas House of Representative Geanie Morrison and Senator Lois Kokhorst and on Sept 27, 2023 could hear audibly and shortly after the minutes were on displayed for 2023 for public to see the minutes online.

44) December 2023, Tested the Hallet Oak Gallery’s ecosystem tour with several parents and Girl Scouts, it was a success:

45) December 29, 2023 video titled 2023 Conservation Poster Contest HD 1080p. The video showcases the 2023 Hallet Oak Gallery’s Environmental Conservation Poster Contest. Four schools in eleven grades participated. Hallet Oak Gallery is connecting science to art, a two-way street.

46) The video titled: 2023 Clayton J. Migl’s 1st Waterway Clean-Up. Clayton J. Migl, 18 years old, leads his first water way clean-up Sept. 10, 2023 at the Edna Street low-water crossing. Mieko Mahi, Hallet Oak Foundation donates water, gloves, and trash bags from the Department of Transportation, Adopt A-Highway Program, downtown Hallettsville. Steven Pituch, and Mieko Mahi Hallettsville, and Ethan Montgomery of Bastrop showed up to pick up trash. Clayton J. Migl is congratulated for job well done coordinating the clean-up after sighting the trash. Hallettsville Police Officer Mitchell Bennett, who was on-call, arrived to investigate the dumping of trash in a waterway.

47) In 2024 created a follow up vegetation treatment card showing the option to use local suggestions for downtown Hallettsville:

48) March 7, 2024, Hallet Oak Gallery held the first Lavaca River Ecosystem Tour & Field Trip with Sweet Home ISD 4th and 5th grades, it was a success and we learned that we needed more time to complete the program:

Hallet Oak Gallery’s First School Lavaca River Ecosystem Tour & Field Trip.

49) Created poster and I promise card to bring awareness of programs that could bring public up to speed on what the environmentalist know, yet is hard to take time to read and understand because of industry lingo. These videos and documents are the best possible solutions as of March 2024:

50) March 13, 2024, Mieko Mahi makes a commitment to speak to other non-profit groups that will give her five minutes to speak – to hand out 1 copy of the Riparian Recovery for Farms and Ranches in Texas – because it is the best document she has found that explains what Hallettsville needs with their river section having been dredged twice and continues to be in the FEMA 100 year floodplain and having a municipality district — Lavaca County Flood Control District No 3 which continues to collect an annual flood tax for the purpose of flood control.

She is seeking conservation efforts to be included in the district’s flood plan – a conservation impact is goodness that includes benefiting the health and safety for river front owners, backlot owners, property renters, and property visitors. Mieko Mahi needs help to hand out this Riparian Recovery for Farms and Ranches in Texas that explains what our community needs to be doing with the flood tax, and what we ourselves could do — with hopes that some of the land owners will implement the best management plans, as they choose and what they can do affordably working with volunteers that can help the waterways. To help the local rivers is a choice that will help future generations sustain to be able to live and work here without unnecessary pollution. The goal is to create a better environment so future generations can survive here in the future.

51) Hallet Oak Gallery video: 2024 Ventrac Demon on Lavaca River. The public was invited to a Ventrac Tractor Demo showcasing the Ventrac with the Tough Cut attachment, highlighting its dual wheels and Flexframe in action on uneven terrain and steep slopes. Event Details: • What: Ventrac Tractor Demo • When: January 14, 2025, at 10 AM • Where: 5th Street Public Lavaca River Access (SE side of Hwy 77/90, Downtown Hallettsville, TX, Lavaca County, by the Post Office) • Free Admission: Donuts will be served while supplies last • Why: To witness the speed, safety and ease of maintaining public access to the Lavaca River. The Hallet Oak Foundation’s Friends of Lavaca River group is committed to preserving and maintaining public access to the Lavaca River. They are fundraising to purchase a Ventrac as part of their civic sustainability program, helping to create a safe and accessible space on 5th Street for local schools and the community to connect with the local ecosystem and native plants. About the Hallet Oak Foundation: The Hallet Oak Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, operates Hallet Oak Gallery, dedicated to showcasing exhibits and events focused on Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math (STEAM). In addition to its public exhibits, Hallet Oak Gallery offers half-day tours for local schools and organizations. These tours provide hands-on learning experiences through visits to the river, followed by discussions at the gallery to reinforce the lessons learned. Come join us for this free hands-on demonstration and help bring support to this important community initiative! For more information, see www.halletoakfoundation.com website.

52) What’s in a River, an exhibit at Hallet Oak Gallery presented to South Central Art League on April 16, 2025.

53) 3rd Annual Celebration of Proclamation for Lavaca River Awareness and Clean-Up Dare held April 5, 2025. The video titled: 2025 Lavaca River Clean Up, Downtown Hallettsville, Texas.

Lavaca County Community Comes Together for Lavaca River Clean-Up! The Third Annual Lavaca River Clean-Up in Downtown Hallettsville, held on Saturday, April 5, 2025, was a great success! The event began at 8:00 a.m. at the Hallet Oak Gallery, where participants gathered for a safety briefing and received supplies. Shortly after, the group split into two teams and headed out at 8:30 a.m. to clean up two key locations along the Lavaca River: the County Road 1 Poor Farm Bridge and the Hwy 77/90 Bridge. Volunteers worked diligently from 9:00 to 9:45 a.m., collecting litter and debris. A group photo session followed at 10:00 a.m. to commemorate the effort. “This event is about making a meaningful difference by cleaning up the Lavaca River in just 45 minutes. Feedback from the Lavaca Navidad Authority and our own observations show there’s less and less trash each year,” said Mieko Mahi, President of the Hallet Oak Foundation’s Friends of Lavaca River group. Special thanks to our partners and supporters: Inteplast Group, Lavaca-Navidad River Authority (LNRA), City of Hallettsville, Hallet Oak Foundation, TxDOT, photographer Steven Pituch, R.L. Bordovsky of Town & County, and the Hallettsville Tribune-Herald. Safety briefing provided by: Patrick Brzozowski, P.E., General Manager and Chad Kinsfather, Director of Environmental Services of LNRA. Participating groups included: Friends of Lavaca River, Hallettsville Girl Scouts Troop 9513, Yoakum Girl Scouts Troop 9431, and many dedicated individuals from the community.

December 12, 2025 video posted about the Hallet Oak Gallery Conservation Contest 2025 video. Hallet Oak Gallery Texas Conservationist Award Sponsored by Hallet Oak Foundation and Betty J. Edwards, M.D. Presented to 4th and 5th Graders at Sacred Heart Catholic School in November 2025. The Texas Conservation Award is in recognition of the entrants creativity and commitment in celebrating the wildlife and natural beauty of the Lavaca River ecosystem. Hallet Oak Foundation is a 501 C 3 nonprofit arts organization that operates Hallet Oak Gallery as a place to enjoy and see art with Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math based resources. This project was made possible in partnership with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, using their coloring book materials to create a fun and educational experience for everyone.

Hallet Oak Foundation

Record of Advocacy, Public Service, and Measurable Impact (2025)

Overview

In 2025, the Hallet Oak Foundation demonstrated exceptional leadership, persistence, and service to the State of Texas by transforming local environmental and civic concerns into measurable, statewide reform. Through disciplined advocacy, extensive correspondence, and principled engagement with governmental entities, the Foundation strengthened environmental stewardship, civic transparency, and public trust—benefiting communities across Texas.

Statewide Environmental Reform: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

Achievement

The Hallet Oak Foundation successfully advanced significant reforms to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) Herbicide Application Forms, resulting in lasting improvements to transparency, accountability, and environmental protection statewide.

This reform was achieved through sustained communication among Foundation board members, concerned citizens, and state leadership, including:

Governor Greg Abbott
Senator Lois Kolkhorst
Former State Representative Geanie Morrison
State Representative Andy Louderback

These efforts culminated in direct collaboration with TPWD Executive Director David Yoskowitz, Ph.D., resulting in changes widely regarded as difficult—if not impossible—within a large state agency.

Measurable Outcomes

As a direct result of this advocacy, TPWD Herbicide Application Forms now require clear and consistent disclosure of:

The specific plant species targeted for treatment
The exact herbicide product and label applied
The precise treatment location, including upland dry land, wetland vegetation, above water, or below water
Explicit identification of herbicide use on land versus near or within water

Standardized language now clearly distinguishes broadcast spraying from targeted spot treatments, eliminating confusion that previously obscured application intent. This change directly protects non-target vegetation, aquatic ecosystems, and downstream water quality.

Accountability and Public Record Integrity

Equally significant was the Foundation’s insistence on accountability. TPWD now requires that any deviation from an approved herbicide plan be formally documented on the application itself, including initials and dates.

This reform ensures that official records accurately reflect field actions, eliminating reliance on emails, texts, or incomplete meeting records to determine environmental impacts. The result is a single, authoritative public document accessible to flood control boards, landowners, agency officials, and citizens—replacing uncertainty with verified truth.

What began in a rural Texas community resulted in statewide reform benefiting small towns, major cities, and future generations.

Strengthening Civic Transparency and Flood Control Governance

Clarifying Elections and Governance

The Hallet Oak Foundation also strengthened civic transparency by clarifying Flood Control Board election and governance processes that were not readily accessible to the public.

The Foundation proactively identified which board positions were open prior to elections, addressing a long-standing gap where residents who did not attend meetings had no way of knowing when seats were available or which positions were up for election. This effort empowered informed civic participation and fair access to public service.

Documented Governance Findings

Through direct observation and documentation, the Foundation confirmed that:

Board officer roles—including Director, President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer—are assigned through an internal re-vote after elections, not by public vote
The Secretary Administrator is a hired position and not a board member, a distinction not previously clear to the public

In 2025, the Foundation documented that specific board seat positions remained undisclosed and that officer identities were not publicly released, limiting transparency to those able to attend meetings in person.

Public Participation and Environmental Accountability

The Foundation further documented systemic barriers to public participation, including:

Limited meeting space
Lack of restrooms and drinking water
Poor visibility of board members and voting materials
Public comments dismissed with statements such as “we will consider it,” without reflection in meeting minutes or votes

Most critically, the Foundation recorded instances where board members stated there were “no concerns from the public or Texas Parks and Wildlife” regarding herbicide use—despite public attendees being present and TPWD clearly advocating for protection of native vegetation. The Board proceeded with full vegetation removal without publicly disclosing purpose, locations, dates, methods, or alignment with its mission.

These findings exposed significant gaps in transparency, accountability, and environmental governance, reinforcing the need for reform.

Conservation Leadership and Public Education

In 2025, Hallet Oak Foundation representative Mieko Mahi delivered a public comment before the Lavaca–Navidad River Authority, emphasizing the importance of the upper Lavaca River and the need for conservation grounded in how communities speak about and value natural resources. Her remarks were well received by the Board.

That same year, the Foundation authored in-depth conservation writings asserting that lasting conservation cannot occur without unity among Lavaca County, the City of Hallettsville, and the Lavaca County Flood Control District. The work emphasized that conservation begins with demonstrated care and shared responsibility.

The Foundation has submitted this presentation in writing and is awaiting placement on public agendas before the City of Hallettsville and the Lavaca County Commissioners Court to ensure the message is heard directly by the community.

Ongoing Goals and Continued Service

Building on these accomplishments, the Hallet Oak Foundation continues to pursue:

Clarification of Flood Control Board eligibility requirements, including whether qualified renters may serve
Public disclosure of open board seats, officer roles, and governance procedures
Accurate meeting minutes reflecting public comments and votes
Recognition of riparian vegetation as essential to flood control, environmental health, and public safety
Expanded environmental education in collaboration with TPWD
Transparent reporting of herbicide use, purpose, locations, methods, and ecological impacts

Closing Statement

These achievements required time, persistence, and extensive correspondence—but they were essential. Through principled advocacy, careful documentation, and measurable outcomes, the Hallet Oak Foundation transformed local concern into systemic reform.

The individuals contributing to this work demonstrated leadership, integrity, and service to Texas that strengthened environmental protection, civic transparency, and public trust. Their actions reflect the highest ideals of public advocacy and stewardship.

Support the Hallet Oak Foundation

You can donate easily online by clicking here or by visiting our website at www.halletoakgallery.com and following the “How to Donate” instructions.

If you prefer to donate by mail, please make checks payable to:
Hallet Oak Foundation
and send to:
Hallet Oak Foundation
115 North Main Street or P.O. Box 662
Hallettsville, TX 77964

When sending a check, please include a note specifying the purpose of your donation—whether it is for the Hallet Oak Gallery or River Projects.

Your support helps us:

Operate a welcoming space to enjoy and experience art.
Create educational programs and learning spaces focused on the Lavaca River.
Protect and care for the Lavaca River through community education and engagement.

Thank you for helping us keep art and conservation alive in our community!

Hallet Oak Foundation Inc

Hallet Oak Gallery, an art, performance, and learning center operated by Hallet Oak Foundation Inc.

Donate to Hallet Oak Foundation Inc to help bring in programs for education, health, and safety!