Texas Ranch Connection - Index

Texas Ranch Connection - Texas Ranch Connection v6n2 - Index

Create Your Own
Live Water Retreat
Adding a new lake or renovating a river on
your property is both exciting and rewarding. A
well-built and well-managed aquatic habitat can
not only make your property more enjoyable,
but also increase its value. However, as many
land owners and managers undertake such a
project, they often overlook many of the pitfalls
that hinder the development of a naturally functioning
ecosystem. The consequences of simply
digging a hole and filling it with water are more
significant than most people realize, and the
repercussions of building a sub-standard lake or
stream may not become apparent until many
years down the road. Accounting for all the necessary
variables when building or renovating an
aquatic habitat is difficult and affects the way
your resource not only looks, but also how it
functions as a successful fishery.
With more than 150 years of combined experience
in lake and stream design, construction,
and biological consulting, Aquatic Consultants,
Inc. (ACI) can save you time and money as you
create or restore the water resources on your
property. This is largely accomplished by helping
you to avoid the most common mistakes and
obstacles that occur in the construction processes.
ACI understands that controlling costs, providing
quality work, and meeting deadlines are
essential for the successful execution of any project.
Consequently, ACI provides each client with
a comprehensive project design that is thorough
and complete before construction begins. ACI
manages more than 200 lakes and streams in the
western United States. Our experience with large
turn-key projects makes ACI the obvious choice
for all of your lake and stream construction
needs. Our track record of completing projects
on time and within budget, while exceeding customer
expectations demonstrates the commitment
of our design and construction teams, as
well as our attention to detail.
The design phase of any construction project
is often the most important. At ACI, we employ
experienced professional architects
and engineers who create a
design for your lake or stream
that is based on a combination
of your vision and our expertise.
We work very closely with our
clients during this phase. Once
conceptual design has been
approved, we move into a final design phase in
which construction documents are prepared.
These detailed documents define and describe
every element and system that will be built or
installed in your construction project including
lining systems, pump systems, aeration systems,
shoreline treatments, fish habitat features, stream
habitat, dams, vaults, and engineered wetlands.
In this phase of the project, civil, geotechnical
engineering, and hydrology concerns are
addressed, as well as water rights issues, 404/401
permitting, and the acquisition of all necessary
state and federal construction-related permits.
ACI manages every aspect of each project it
undertakes. Our project managers and field
supervisors have more than 60 years of combined
lake and stream construction experience. We
believe that successful communication throughout
the project keeps concerns from becoming
problems. Weekly project meetings with subcontractors
and vendors, timely construction summaries
for the clients, and comprehensive photo
diaries ensure that everyone involved in the project
is aware of progress, potential obstacles, and
general updates at all times.
Throughout the construction process, ACI
ensures that the entire work site on your property
is kept in excellent condition. We believe the
care taken during our construction process is
reflected in the quality of finished product we
provide to our clients. At each and every phase of
construction, a high level of professionalism and
efficient work practices will keep the project site
clean, safe, and well maintained to ensure that
land is not unnecessarily disturbed and the fin-
ished product exceeds our client’s expectations.
Once your construction project is completed,
ACI provides long-term biological management
services that allow us to maintain your environment’s
aesthetics as well as keep your lake or
stream system functioning as a healthy aquatic
habitat. Our offerings include both fisheries and
lake management services. We specialize in trophy
sport fish management, including stocking
and managing both warm-water and cold-water
species. Our comprehensive fish surveys utilize
state-of-the-art equipment that allows us to
properly manage your fishery by providing valuable
information concerning population density,
size structure and condition, reproductive success,
and species composition. Our annual lake
management programs allow us to control both
rooted and aquatic vegetation by carefully monitoring
the water chemistry parameters that
affect vegetation growth. A comprehensive database
is developed for each client, which allows
our biologists to compare water quality from
week to week, month to month, and year to
year. This database assists with evaluation of
management strategies and helps bridge the gap
between biology and client satisfaction.
There are three important practices that
must seamlessly combine to make the completion
of any lake or river project a success:
design, build, and management. At ACI, these
three principles are the backbone of our business.
If you demand quality, service, and experience
in the professionals that serve you, Aquatic
Consultants, Inc. should be your lake and
stream construction and management company.
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