Houston Metropolitan Area: A TMDL Project for Bacteria

A current project to improve water quality by developing and implementing TMDLs for Brays, Greens, Halls, and Sims Bayous and streams in Eastern Houston. The total maximum daily loads are adopted. The implementation plan is in development.

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Watersheds in Harris County
Map courtesy of
the Harris County Flood Control District

Counties:
Fort Bend, Harris

Parameter:
Bacteria

Basins:
San Jacinto River

Segments:
1016, 1007C, 1007B, 1007R, 1007D, 1006D, 1016B, 1007E, 1016A, 1007K, 1016D, 1007I, 1016C, 1006J, 1006H, 1007G, 1007F, 1006F, 1007O, 1007N, 1007L, 1007M, 1007H, 1006I

Project Overview
Background and Goals
Adopted TMDLs
Implementation Plan
Public Participation
Reports
For More Information

Background and Goals

Water quality testing found that bacteria levels are sometimes elevated in five bayous in the Houston area — Brays Bayou, Greens Bayou, Halls Bayou, Hunting Bayou, and Sims Bayou. The bayous are subdivided into 24 segments in order to manage water quality in the subwatersheds.

Bacteria from human and animal waste often indicate the presence of disease-causing microorganisms that pose a threat to public health. People who swim or wade in the bayous may be at risk. Swimming and wading is called contact recreation in the state's standards for water quality, referring to all recreation in which people come in direct contact with the water.

The goal of this project is to reduce bacteria concentrations to within acceptable risk levels for contact recreation by developing total maximum daily loads. The TMDLs for this project are being coordinated with other projects to reduce bacteria in Houston area streams and the Galveston Bay system (see "Related Links"). The Houston-Galveston Area Council coordinating public participation in the project.

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Adopted TMDLs

Five reports were produced to document the 34 TMDLs required for the project area.

On June 2, 2010, the commission adopted eight TMDLs for Greens Bayou. The EPA approved the TMDLs on August 12, 2010, at which time they became part of the state’s Water Quality Management Plan.

On September 15, 2010, the commission adopted the TMDLs for Brays Bayou, Eastern Houston, Halls Bayou and Sims Bayou watersheds. The EPA approved the TMDLs on September 27, 2010, at which time they became part of the state’s Water Quality Management Plan.

Updates to TMDLs

From time to time, it is necessary to revise TMDLs to account for changing conditions in the watershed. Revisions to the load allocations in TMDLs are made via the state’s WQMP, which is updated quarterly.

The WQMP provides projected effluent limits for use in planning and permitting activities under the Texas Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (TPDES). The TCEQ reviews all applications for new and amended permits for conformance with applicable portions of the WQMP, including adopted TMDLs.

Learn more about WQMP updates and about opportunities to comment on revisions to them.