Filter Strip at edge of field to reduce atrazine runoff from farm in the watershed of Aquilla Reservoir

 
County: Hill
Parameter: Atrazine
Basin: Brazos River
Segment: 1254
 

• Project Overview (PDF)
• Background and Goals
• Project Status and Implementation
• TMDLs and Implementation Plan
• For More Information

Background and Goals

Aquilla Reservoir is a 3,280-acre lake located in Hill County. It was constructed in 1983 for use as flood control, recreation, and as a supply for drinking water treatment facilities. Testing of treated drinking water at a regional treatment facility found high levels of the herbicide atrazine, which pointed to contamination in the lake.

Agricultural sources were the primary contributors to pollution in the reservoir. The goal of the project was to reduce atrazine concentrations in the reservoir to safe levels.

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Project Status and Implementation

Atrazine concentrations in Aquilla Reservoir have been reduced to safe levels. Water from the reservoir is sampled at regular intervals to ensure that atrazine concentrations remain at a safe level. Routine tests of treated drinking water continue, and indicate that atrazine is below the criteria used to evaluate its safety for human consumption. For more information about how the goal was achieved, read:

• Aquilla Reservoir Restored as Source of Drinking Water (PDF)

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TMDLs and Implementation Plan

The commission adopted this TMDL on March 23, 2001; it adopted revisions to the TMDL on June 14, 2002. The EPA approved the TMDL on October 30, 2002, at which time it became part of the state's Water Quality Management Plan.

• A Total Maximum Daily Load for Atrazine in Aquilla Reservoir
• Response to Public Comment on the Aquilla Reservoir TMDL

The commission approved the implementation plan on January 18, 2002.

• Implementation Plan for Atrazine in the Aquilla Reservoir
• Response to Public Comment on the Implementation Plan

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For More Information

Please e-mail us at tmdl@tceq.texas.gov and reference Aquilla Reservoir in the subject line. Or call us at 512-239-6682.

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County: Harris
Parameter: Bacteria
River Basin: San Jacinto–Brazos Coastal
Segments: 1113, 1113A, 1113B, 1113C, 1113D , 1113E

• Project Overview
  (PDF)
• Background and Goals
• Get Involved
• For More Information

Background and Goals

Armand Bayou is a tributary of Clear Lake, located in the San Jacinto–Brazos Coastal Basin. High concentrations of bacteria, which are found in both human and animal waste, have sometimes been observed in the bayou. The presence of these bacteria may indicate a health risk to people who swim or wade in the bayou—activities referred to as “contact recreation” in the Texas Surface Water Quality Standards.

The goal of this project is to improve water quality in order to protect people who swim in the bayou. Toward that goal, the TCEQ is developing total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) and an implementation plan (I-Plan) to reduce bacteria in Armand Bayou and several of its tributaries. Before beginning TMDL development, the TCEQ evaluated recreational uses and standards for Armand Bayou Above Tidal, Segment 1113A.

Learn more about water quality standards and management by reading the TCEQ’s publication Preserving and Improving Water Quality.

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Get Involved

In all our projects, we seek opinions and information from people who represent government, permitted facilities, agriculture, business, environmental, and community and private interests in the watershed.

Throughout this project, all stakeholders and communities that use or affect these streams are invited to work on developing the strategy to improve water quality.

The Houston–Galveston Area Council is coordinating public involvement for this project. Meeting records are posted on their website.

Everyone is welcome to attend meetings about this project.

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For More Information

Please e-mail us at tmdl@tceq.texas.gov, and reference the Armand Bayou Bacteria project in the subject line. Or call Jason Leifester (TMDL) or Lauren Oertel (I-Plan) at 512-239-6682.

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Armand Bayou

County: Harris
Parameter: Dissolved oxygen
Coastal Basin: San Jacinto–Brazos Coastal
Segment: 1113

• Project Overview (PDF)
• Background and Goals
• Public Meetings and Participation
• Project Status and Implementation
• For More Information

Background and Goals

Armand Bayou is a tidal tributary of Clear Lake, located in the San Jacinto–Brazos Coastal Basin. Armand Bayou is rich in plant and animal life and attracts canoeists, kayakers, fishermen, and birdwatchers daily. There are several parks and other recreational areas along Armand Bayou, including Bay Area Park and Armand Bayou Nature Center.

Since monitoring began during the 1970s, water quality testing has indicated that concentrations of dissolved oxygen in Armand Bayou were sometimes less than optimal for the support of fish and other aquatic life. Oxygen, which dissolves in water, is essential for the survival of aquatic life.

While the amount of dissolved oxygen in water fluctuates naturally, various human activities can cause unusually or chronically low dissolved-oxygen levels which may harm fish and other aquatic organisms. Over the past 50 years, land-surface subsidence has dramatically altered regional drainage gradients and the depth and width of Armand Bayou.

The project evaluated the effects of low dissolved oxygen on aquatic life to determine the actions necessary to improve water quality in the lake.

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Public Participation

An ad hoc stakeholder group was formed during the project under the auspices of the Texas Sea Grant of Texas A&M University. This group continues to meet intermittently to identify ways to protect Armand Bayou. For more information about this group, contact Michi Vojta at Texas Sea Grant, 281/335-3170 or mvojta@tamu.edu. Or visit the website for the Coastal Watershed Program of the Texas Sea Grant.

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Project Status and Implementation

Analyses of the data collected for the project revealed that concentrations of dissolved oxygen are often relatively low during hot weather, but also found no indication of aquatic-life impairment or limitation related to the dissolved-oxygen regime. The data set has several unconventional aspects that are related to unique hydraulic characteristics of the Armand Bayou system.

A TMDL allocation related to dissolved oxygen is not deemed appropriate at this time, since available data do not indicate impairment of the aquatic life community, nor identify a pollutant that needs to be controlled. Additional data are needed to provide satisfactory understanding of the causes and effects of the Armand Bayou dissolved-oxygen regime.

The TCEQ will continue working to gather more data, and to develop protocols suitable for evaluating dissolved oxygen and aquatic life conditions in tidal streams, in conjunction with the Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife.

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For More Information

Please e-mail us at tmdl@tceq.texas.gov, and reference the Armand Bayou project in the subject line. Or call us at 512-239-6682.

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Arroyo Colorado

 
Counties: Cameron and Hidalgo
Parameters: Legacy pollutants and organics in fish tissue
River Basin: Nueces-Rio Grande Coastal
Segments: 2202, 2202A
 

• Project Overview (PDF)
• Background and Goals
• TMDLs and Implementation Plan
• For More Information

Background and Goals

The Arroyo Colorado, an ancient distributary channel of the Rio Grande, extends 90 miles from Mission, Texas to the Laguna Madre in the Rio Grande Valley. Water quality and fish tissue analyses show that legacy pollutants occur in fish tissues in such concentrations to warrant a fish consumption advisory upstream of the Port of Harlingen. Legacy pollutants are chemicals whose use has been banned or severely restricted, but which still remain in the environment.

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TMDLs and Implementation Plan

Collecting Water Quality and Flow Data

The commission adopted these TMDLs on July 25, 2003. The EPA approved the TMDLs on May 13, 2004, at which time they became part of the state’s Water Quality Management Plan.

• Twelve TMDLs for Legacy Pollutants in the Arroyo Colorado and Donna Reservoir and Canal

The commission adopted these TMDLs on January 17, 2001. The EPA approved the TMDLs on June 14, 2001, at which time they became part of the state’s Water Quality Management Plan.

• Four Total Maximum Daily Loads for Legacy Pollutants in the Arroyo Colorado Above Tidal and the Donna Reservoir and Canal System
• Response to public comment on the Arroyo Colorado TMDLs

The Commission approved this Implementation plan on September 14, 2001.

• Implementation Plan for Arroyo Colorado and Donna Reservoir and Canal Legacy Pollutant TMDLs
• Response to public comment on the Arroyo Colorado Implementation Plan

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For More Information

Send us an e-mail at tmdl@tceq.texas.gov and reference the Arroyo Colorado in the subject line, or call us at 512-239-6278.

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Counties: Cameron, Hidalgo, Willacy
Parameter: Dissolved oxygen
Basin: Nueces–Rio Grande Coastal Basin
Segment: 2201

• Watershed Protection Plan Project Overview (PDF)
• Background and Goals
• Public Meetings and Participation
• Watershed Plans
• For More Information

Background and Goals

The Arroyo Colorado, an ancient distributary channel of the Rio Grande, extends 90 miles from Mission, Texas to the Laguna Madre in the Rio Grande Valley. Water quality analyses show that dissolved oxygen concentrations in the Arroyo are not optimal for the support of fish and other aquatic life. The goal of the project is to restore the quality of the Arroyo to conditions that will support a healthy aquatic community.

In July 2002, the TCEQ initiated a project with area stakeholders to develop a watershed protection plan (WPP). Results of a TMDL analysis developed in 2002 by the TCEQ indicated that the dissolved oxygen problem in the tidal segment is related as much to the physical setting and geomorphology of the Arroyo Colorado as it is to the loading of nutrients and oxygen-demanding substances from the non-tidal segment.

To support the WPP, the TCEQ is refining the draft TMDL for dissolved oxgyen. An overview of the original project provides highlights about the development of the initial draft TMDL.

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Public Meetings and Participation

A steering committee, which is no longer active, was established to advise the TCEQ on the original project to develop a TMDL for dissolved oxygen. The steering committee established five work groups to address key elements of the plan.

Stakeholders in the area then established the independent Arroyo Colorado Watershed Partnership to direct the development and implementation of the WPP. Find out more about meetings and membership of the Arroyo Colorado Watershed Partnership its work groups.

Watershed Plans

The Watershed Protection Plan was developed by the region's stakeholders in partnership with several state and federal agencies.

• Watershed Protection Plan, Phase I, Final Jan. 11, 2007 (12 MB)
• WPP Executive Summary, Phase I, Final Jan. 11, 2007

The Pollutant Reduction Plan describes the regulatory and voluntary measures in effect and planned for the next ten years to reduce the pollutant loadings from sanitary wastewater flowing into the Arroyo Colorado.

• Pollutant Reduction Plan

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For More Information

Please e-mail us at tmdl@tceq.texas.gov and reference the Arroyo Colorado in the subject line. Or call Roger Miranda, Project Manager, at 512-239-6682.

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Counties: Cameron, Hidalgo, Willacy
Parameter: Bacteria
Basin: Nueces–Rio Grande Coastal
Segments: 2202

• Project Overview (PDF)
• Background and Goals
• Evaluating Appropriate Recreational Uses
• Public Participation
• For More Information

Background and Goals

Texas protects the quality of most of the state’s surface waters to make them safe for recreational uses. Activities during which a person might ingest natural waters—such as wading or swimming—are referred to as the “contact recreation” use in the state’s standards for water quality. The state uses criteria that are also defined in the standards to evaluate the suitability and safety of streams, lakes, and estuaries for contact recreation.

The Arroyo Colorado, a distributary channel of the Rio Grande, extends about 90 miles from Mission, Texas, to the Laguna Madre in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. The Arroyo Colorado is the major source of fresh water to the lower Laguna Madre, an economically and ecologically important resource to the region. The Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge and several county and city parks are located within the Arroyo Colorado watershed. One third of the stream also is used for shipping from the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway to the Port of Harlingen.

The fertile farmland, long growing season, and irrigation water from the Rio Grande make this region one of the most productive agricultural areas in the U.S. The mild climate, semitropical plants and animals, and many recreational opportunities draw large numbers of people to the Arroyo Colorado watershed.

For an overview of water quality standards and management, read the TCEQ’s publication Preserving and Improving Water Quality.

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Evaluating Appropriate Recreational Uses

Recreational use-attainability analyses (RUAAs) are conducted to determine which of the state's four recreational use categories is appropriate for a particular water body. During an RUAA project, the staff collects:

• Information about the presence or absence of water recreation activities, stream flow, and stream depth.
• Data on other physical conditions that are necessary for safe recreational use.

The procedures for conducting RUAAs are available on Handouts and Documents, the Web page that records the activities of the Advisory Group on Surface Water Quality Standards.

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Public Participation

Local participation is crucial to identifying the locations most used for contact recreation. The TCEQ is informing the public about this project through the local Arroyo Colorado Watershed Partnership Steering Committee, at other public meetings, and with notices in print and electronic media. All meetings about the project are open to everyone.

Residents will be given the opportunity to review and change the sampling plan based on their local knowledge and expertise. Strong participation should ensure that the project staff collect and assess samples from the most appropriate sites.

Meeting Summaries

• July 22, 2010
• Meeting Summary
• Nueces River Authority Presentation
• April 22, 2010
  • Meeting Summary
  • TCEQ Presentation

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For More Information

Please e-mail us at tmdl@tceq.texas.gov and reference the Arroyo Colorado RUAA in the subject line. Or call Roger Miranda at 512-239-6278.

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Counties: Brazos, Brewster, Cameron, Harris, Jefferson, Kinney, Maverick, Presidio, Terrell, Val Verde, Webb, Willacy, Zapata
Parameter: Toxicity in water and sediment
Basins: Neches-Trinity Coastal, San Jacinto River, Brazos River, Nueces–Rio Grande Coastal, Rio Grande
Segments: 0702A, 1007A, 1209A, 1209B, 2201, 2304, 2306
 

•  Project Overview (PDF)
• Background and Goals
• Summaries
• Final Reports
• Posters
• For More Information

Background and Goals

Water quality data assessed in 1999 indicated that toxic conditions might exist in the water or the sediment of seven water bodies at various locations in Texas. Toxicity in water and sediment are conditions that are measured to determine if a water body can support a healthy aquatic community.

To determine the potential of water bodies to be toxic to aquatic life, sensitive aquatic organisms are exposed to water and sediment samples under laboratory conditions. These sensitive organisms serve as surrogates for the species indigenous to the water body being tested. However, there is not always a positive correlation between toxicity observed in the laboratory and actual toxic conditions in the water body being tested. Also, the laboratory tests used to determine the potential for toxicity do not identify the specific chemical toxicants responsible for the observed effects.

The goal of this project was to confirm the presence of toxicity and to determine its causes, where present. Summaries of the results for each water body assessed during the project are provided below.

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Summaries

These summaries are provided in PDF.

• Project Overview
• Summary Test Results
  
  • Alligator Bayou, Segment 0702A
  • Vince Bayou, Segment 1007A
  • Bryan Municipal Lake and Fin Feather Lake, Segments 1209A and 1209B
  • Arroyo Colorado, Segment 2201
  • Rio Grande Below Amistad Reservoir, Segment 2304
  • Rio Grande Above Amistad Reservoir, Segment 2306

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Final Reports

These reports are provided in PDF.

• Alligator Bayou, Segment 0702A (12.7 MB)
• Vince Bayou, Segment 1007A (6 MB)
• Bryan Municipal Lake and Fin Feather Lake, Segments 1209A and 1209B (6.4 MB)
• Arroyo Colorado, Segment 2201 (4.3 MB)
• Rio Grande Below Amistad Reservoir, Segment 2304 (2.5 MB)
• Rio Grande Above Amistad Reservoir, Segment 2306 (2.2 MB)

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Posters

These posters were presented at the SETAC 24th Annual Meeting in North Ammerica, November 2003. They are provided in PDF.

• An Assessment of the Presence and Causes of Ambient Toxicity in Seven Texas Waterbodies
• Toxicity Identification Evaluation: Porewater and Sediment Approach for Alligator Bayou
• Toxicity Indentification Evaluation: Arsenic in Sediment of Finfeather Lake
• A Case Study of the Rio Grande Toxicity Project

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For More Information

For more information about the the project, please call Louanne Jones at 512/239-2310. Or e-mail us at tmdl@tceq.texas.gov, and reference the Toxicity Assessment project in the subject line.

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Atascosa River

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Counties: Atascosa, Bexar, Frio, Karnes, Live Oak, McMullen, Medina, Wilson
Parameters: Bacteria and Dissolved Oxygen
Basin: Nueces River
Segment: 2107

• Project Overview (PDF)
• Project Description
• Public Participation
• Reports
• For More Information

Project Description

In the Atascosa River in south central Texas, water quality testing found elevated levels of bacteria and low concentrations of dissolved oxygen. The TCEQ is working with the Nueces River Authority and other stakeholders to develop a plan to address these conditions.

High concentrations of bacteria may indicate a health risk to people who swim or wade in the rivers—activities referred as “contact recreation” in the state’s Standards for surface water quality. Dissolved oxygen is essential for the survival of aquatic life, and so is used to indicate whether conditions support the “aquatic life use” in the Standards

In 2009, proposed revisions to the state’s recreational use standard prompted the TCEQ to re-evaluate development of a TMDL, which had been underway since fall 2004. The agency decided to evaluate the aquatic life and contact recreation uses at the same time to gain a fuller understanding of the biological and flow conditions for the entire stream.

Using protocols developed by the TCEQ’s Water Quality Standards Group, the TMDL Team managed a study to support both an aquatic life use attainability analysis (ALUAA) and a recreational use attainability analysis (RUAA) on the entire length of the Atascosa River. UAAs are comprehensive examinations of the physical, chemical, and biological factors that determine whether a particular use is attainable in a specific area of a water body.

Depending on the results of these UAAs, the recreational and aquatic life use standards may be modified. Contact the TCEQ Standards Team to inquire about the status of these analyses.

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Public Participation

The TCEQ is informing stakeholders about this project at public meetings and in print and electronic media. Meetings about the project are open to everyone.

Meeting Records

Documents are provided in PDF unless otherwise indicated.

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Reports

Reports are provided in PDF unless otherwise noted. The TCEQ Standards Team will use these reports to analyze use attainability and decide whether to recommend revisions to the standards.

ALUAA Report for the Atascosa River

• Chapters 1 through 5
• References and Appendixes

RUAA report for the Atascosa River

Final reports from the 2004 assessment to determine the extent and severity of impairments to the recreational and aquatic life uses of the river.

• Final Report, Volume 1: Physical and Chemical Components
• Final Report, Volume 2: Biological and Habitat Components

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For More Information

Please e-mail us at tmdl@tceq.texas.gov and mention the Atascosa River project in the subject line. E-mail the TCEQ Standards Team to inquire about the status of the UAAs. Or call us at 512-239-6682.

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County: Travis
Parameter: Bacteria
River Basin: Colorado
Segments: 1403J, 1403K, 1428B, 1429C

• Project Overview
• Background and Goals
• Get Involved
• Reports
• For More Information

Background and Goals

High concentrations of bacteria are often found in four streams in the Austin metropolitan area — Walnut Creek, Waller Creek, the Spicewood Tributary to Shoal Creek, and Taylor Slough South. High concentrations of bacteria may indicate a health risk to people who swim or wade in the creeks—activities called “contact recreation” in the state’s standards for water quality.

The goal of the project is to reduce bacteria levels to protect people who swim or wade in the creeks. The City of Austin provides summary information about the watersheds on its website.

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Get Involved

In all our projects, we seek opinions and information from people who represent government, permitted facilities, agriculture, business, environmental, and community and private interests in the watershed.

Throughout this project, all stakeholders and communities that use or affect these streams will be engaged in developing the strategy to improve water quality.

The UT School of Law Center for Public Policy Dispute Resolutionand the City of Austin will coordinate public involvement in this project. 

Meetings

Notice of all general meetings will be posted here. Stay tuned to UT's Improving Austin Streams Web page for dates and information about subcommittee meetings.

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Reports

Documents created by the member organizations of the Coordination Committee are posted on UT's Improving Austin Streams Web page.

For More Information

Please e-mail us at tmdl@tceq.texas.gov, and mention the Austin Area Bacteria TMDL project. Or call Chip Morris or Lauren Oertel, Project Managers, at 512-239-6682.

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County: Harrison
Parameters: Selenium
River Basin: Sabine River
Segment: 0505E

• Project Overview
  (PDF)
• Project Background and Goals
• Project Status
• For More Information

Project Background and Goals

Brandy Branch Reservoir, which is also known as Hallsville or Pirkey Lake, is located southwest of Marshall in Harrison County. The reservoir is an impoundment of Brandy Branch Creek. The 1,242-acre reservoir was constructed in 1983 to serve as a cooling pond for a steam-electric power plant. The reservoir is a popular recreational area for boating and fishing.

In 1992, the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS; then known as TDH) issued an advisory restricting the consumption of fish from the reservoir because selenium concentrations in the fish posed a risk to consumers. The goal of this project was to determine whether the consumption of fish from the reservoir still posed a threat to human health. The TCEQ worked with the DSHS to collect fish samples, conduct laboratory analyses, and characterize the risks to consumers from all contaminants found in fish-tissue samples.

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Project Status

After assessing all the data collected and characterizing the risks associated with all the contaminants found in fish tissue, the DSHS concluded that consumption of fish from Brandy Branch Reservoir no longer poses a threat to human health. The fish-consumption advisory was rescinded on October 14, 2004.

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For More Information

Please e-mail us at tmdl@tceq.state.tx.us, and reference the Brandy Branch Reservoir in the subject line. Or call us at 512-239-6682.

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County: Brazos
Parameter: Bacteria
River Basin: Brazos
Segment: 1209C, 1209D, 1209L

• Project Overview 
• Background and Goals
• TMDLs and Implementation Plan
• Get Involved
• Reports
• For More Information

Background and Goals

High concentrations of bacteria such as E. coli and fecal coliform, which are naturally found in both human and animal waste, may indicate a health risk to people who swim or wade in the creek—activities called “contact recreation” in the Texas Surface Water Quality Standards. Water quality testing has indicated that concentrations of bacteria in Carters, Burton, and Country Club creeks are sometimes higher than the criteria in the Standards.

The watershed of Carters creek is in Brazos County, and covers about 57 square miles. Land use in the watershed is heavily urbanized in the upper reach where Carters Creek originates in Bryan/College Station, and becomes more rural in the lower reach. Country Club Branch flows into Burton Creek, which in turn flows into Carters Creek. These tributary watersheds are almost entirely urbanized.

The goal of this project is to reduce bacteria concentrations to within acceptable levels for contact recreation through development of total maximum daily loads and a plan to implement them. A TMDL is like a budget for pollutants. It determines the amount of a pollutant (or load) that a water body can receive and still support its designated uses.

The total load is then allocated among the categories of pollution sources within the watershed, and stakeholders develop a plan with measures to reduce pollutant loads. I-Plans are carried out by stakeholders over a period of several years.

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TMDLs and Implementation Plan

On August 22, 2012, the commission adopted the TMDLs for Carters Creek watershed and approved the stakeholders’ Implementation Plan.

• Three Total Maximum Daily Loads  for the Carters Creek Watershed
• Implementation Plan  for Three Total Maximum Daily Loads for Bacteria in the Carters Creek Watershed

On September 27, 2012, the EPA approved the TMDLs, at which time they became part of the state’s Water Quality Management Plan.

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Get Involved

In all its projects, the TCEQ seeks opinions and information from people who represent government, permitted facilities, agriculture, business, environmental, and community and private interests in the watershed. The TCEQ solicits advice from the public at meetings and through notices in print and electronic media.

The Texas Water Resources Institute (TWRI) coordinated stakeholder involvement and the drafting of the I-Plan. Records of stakeholder meetings  held during development of the TMDLs and I-Plan are available on their website.

Meeting Records

• August 28, 2012: Review of Implementation Progress
• Presentation 

Reports

• Technical Support Document  for Bacteria TMDLs for the Carters Creek Watershed

For More Information

Please e-mail us at tmdl@tceq.texas.gov, and reference the Carters Creek Watersheds TMDLs in the subject line. Or call us at 512-239-6682.

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Counties: Brazoria, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris
Parameters: chloride, total dissolved solids (TDS)
River Basin: San Jacinto-Brazos Coastal
Segment: 1102
 

• Project Overview
• Background
• TMDLs
• Implementation Plan
• For More Information

Background

Clear Creek Above Tidal is a suburban freshwater stream located in the southernmost portion of the city of Houston, Texas. Water quality testing has found that concentrations of chlorides and total dissolved solids in Clear Creek Above Tidal (Segment 1102) are not optimum for supporting aquatic life.

The goal of this project is to reduce chloride and TDS in Clear Creek to levels that support a healthy aquatic community.

The goal of a TMDL is to restore the full use of a water body that has limited quality in relation to one or more of its uses. The TMDL defines an environmental target by determining the extent to which a certain pollutant must be reduced in order to attain and maintain the affected use. Based on this environmental target, the state develops an implementation plan to mitigate anthroprogenic sources of pollution within the watershed and restore full use of the water body.

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Adopted TMDLs

The commission first adopted these TMDLs on August 10, 2005. The commission adopted revisions to them on April 12, 2006.

• Two Total Maximum Daily Loads for Total Dissolved Solids and Chloride in Clear Creek Above Tidal, April 2006 (PDF)
• Response to Public Comment on the TMDLs

The EPA approved them on June 26, 2006, at which time they became part of the state's Water Quality Management Plan.

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Updates to TMDLs

From time to time, it is necessary to revise TMDLs to account for changing conditions in the watershed, such as new or amended permits, or urban growth, or to correct oversights in the original TMDL report. 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.

Revisions to the TMDL are documented in the approved WQMP updates listed below.

• July 2009, Appendix I, pages 6-7

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

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Implementation Plan

The commission approved this I-Plan on August 23, 2006.

• Implementation Plan for Two Total Maximum Daily Loads for Total Dissolved Solids and Chlorides in Clear Creek above Tidal, For Segment 1102
• Response to Public Comment on the Implementation Plan

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For More Information

Please e-mail us at tmdl@tceq.texas.gov and reference the Clear Creek TDS project in the subject line. Or call us at 512-239-6682.

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Counties: Brazoria, Fort Bend, Galveston, and Harris
Parameter: Volatile organic compounds
River Basin: San Jacinto–Brazos Coastal Basin
Segments: 1101, 1102

• Background and Goals
• TMDLs and
  Implementation Plan
• Status and Implementation
• For More Information

Background and Goals

The Clear Creek watershed drains parts of Fort Bend, Harris, Brazoria, and Galveston Counties. In 1993, the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS; then known as TDH) issued a fish-consumption advisory for portions of Clear Creek due to elevated concentrations in fish tissue of two volatile organic compounds (1,2-dichloroethane and 1,1,2-trichloroethane) and the pesticide chlordane (covered under another TMDL project). These volatile organic compounds are associated primarily with chemical manufacturing. An abandoned refinery was identified as the source of VOCs in Clear Creek. The goal of this TMDL project is to reduce concentrations of contaminants in fish tissue to levels that constitute an acceptable risk to consumers.

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TMDLs and Implementation Plan

These TMDLs were first adopted by the commission on February 9, 2001. They were revised to include minor clarifying language and adopted by the commission on June 14, 2002. The EPA approved the TMDLs on May 9, 2003, at which time they became part of the state’s Water Quality Management Plan.

• Four TMDLs for Volatile Organic Compounds in Clear Creek
• Response to Public Comment on the Clear Creek VOC TMDLs

The commission approved the implementation plan on October 12, 2001.

• Implementation Plan for Clear Creek VOC TMDLs
• Response to Public Comment on the Clear Creek VOC
  Implementation Plan

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Status and Implementation

The consumption ban was rescinded in October 2001; the fish consumption use is no longer identified as impaired for VOCs. Concentrations of VOCs in Clear Creek have declined by more than 90 percent since 1993. The Brio Refinery, a Superfund site, was identified as a major source of VOCs to the creek. The refinery site is located along Clear Creek near the tidal boundary. Contamination at the site is being addressed under the federal Superfund program.

In 2007, the TCEQ funded an assessment by DSHS of fish captured from the creek that verified that VOC levels in fish remain at acceptable levels. Information on fish tissue advisories and bans in Texas can be found on the DSHS website  .

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For More Information

For further information regarding this project, please e-mail us at tmdl@tceq.texas.gov and reference “Clear Creek VOCs” in the subject line. Or call us at 512-239-6682.

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Counties: Brazoria, Fort Bend, Galveston, and Harris
Parameter: Chlordane
River Basin: San Jacinto–Brazos Coastal Basin
Segments: 1101, 1102
 

• Background and Goals
• TMDLs and
  Implementation Plan
• Status and Implementation
• For More Information

Background and Goals

The Clear Creek watershed drains parts of Fort Bend, Harris, Brazoria, and Galveston Counties. In 1993, the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS; then known as TDH) issued a fish-consumption advisory for portions of Clear Creek due to elevated concentrations in fish tissue of the pesticide chlordane and of volatile organic compounds (VOCs addressed by another TMDL project). Because chlordane is a legacy pollutant — a chemical that has been banned or severely restricted, but which still remains in the environment — no significant new sources are expected to occur. The goal of this TMDL project is to reduce contaminant concentrations in fish tissue to levels that constitute an acceptable risk to consumers.

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TMDLs and Implementation Plan

The commission adopted these TMDLs on January 17, 2001. The EPA approved them on June 14, 2001, at which time they became part of the state’s Water Quality Management Plan.

• Two Total Maximum Daily Loads for
  Chlordane in Clear Creek
  
• Response to Public Comment on the Clear Creek TMDLs

The commission approved the implementation plan on September 14, 2001.

• Implementation Plan for Clear Creek Chlordane TMDLs
  
• Response to Public Comment on the Clear Creek Implementation Plan

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Status and Implementation

The consumption ban was rescinded in October 2001; the fish consumption use is no longer identified as impaired for chlordane. The DSHS assessment that resulted in a lifting of the consumption ban found that chlordane concentrations were actually higher in the fish tissue samples than they were in the previous assessment. However, the DSHS evaluates health risk based on the cumulative effect of all compounds detected. This value has been reduced to acceptable levels because the concentrations of the other legacy pollutants have declined.

In 2007, the TCEQ funded an assessment by DSHS of fish captured from the creek that verified that chlordane levels in fish remain at acceptable levels. Information on fish tissue advisories and bans in Texas can be found on the DSHS website . 

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For More Information

For further information regarding this project, please e-mail us at tmdl@tceq.texas.gov and reference “Clear Creek chlordane” in the subject line. Or call us at 512-239-6682.

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Back to TMDL Projects

Counties: Parker, Tarrant
Parameter: Dissolved oxygen
River Basin: Trinity
Segments: 0831, 0832

• Project Overview (PDF)
• Background and Goals
• Participate
• Status
• Reports
• For More Information

Background and Goals

This project focuses the two uppermost river segments of the Clear Fork Trinity River: Clear Fork Trinity above Lake Weatherford (Segment 0833) and Clear Fork Trinity below Lake Weatherford (Segment 0831). Both watersheds are predominantly rural; however, rapidly increasing urban populations are changing the landscape of this watershed.

Water quality assessment indicated that concentrations of dissolved oxygen in those segments of the river were not optimal for supporting aquatic life. However, data and information about the river suggested that the water quality standards for the segments might not be appropriate. Some criteria for evaluating attainability of the uses in specific water bodies are presumed if there are insufficient data to formulate site-specific criteria. The upper segments of the Clear Fork Trinity River have a presumed aquatic life standard.

The TMDL Program conducted a project to study the causes of low dissolved oxygen in the stream and to evaluate whether the agency should develop a total maximum daily load (TMDL) or a use attainability analysis (UAA).

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Participate

This project was a collaborative effort involving the TCEQ, the Texas Institute for Applied Environmental Research, the Trinity River Authority, and the Tarrant Regional Water District. To involve area stakeholders in the project, the TMDL Program worked with an existing stakeholder forum, the Trinity River Basin Steering Committee created by the Texas Clean Rivers Program. The steering committee includes representatives from state and federal agencies, cities, industries, citizen groups, local governments, universities, water districts, agriculture groups, and other water user groups.

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Status

The final project report, Technical Use Attainability Analysis, Clear Fork Trinity River (Stream Segments 0831 and 0833) was submitted in April 2003. The report is being reviewed by staff of the TCEQ’s Water Quality Standards program to determine if changes to the use or criteria are warranted. For information about the status of the UAA, call 512-239-6682 and ask to speak to a member of the Standards team.

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Reports

These documents are provided in PDF.

Final Report:

• Technical Use Attainability Analysis, Clear Fork Trinity River (Stream Segments 0831 and 0833)
• Report Covers
• Appendix A: Segment 0831 Anecdotal Record
• Appendix B: Segment 0831 Pictorial Record
• Appendix C: Segment 0831 Stream Cross Sections (Time of Travel Studies)
• Appendix D: Segment 0831 24-hour DO Plots
• Appendix E: Segment 0831 Tabular Water Quality
• Appendix F: Segment 0831 Habitat Quality Indices
• Appendix G: Segment 0831 Benthic Macroinvertebrate IBIs and Species Lists
• Appendix H: Segment 0831 Nekton IBIs and Species Lists
• Appendix I: Segment 0833 Anecdotal Record
• Appendix J: Segment 0833 Pictorial Record
• Appendix K: Segment 0833 24-hour DO Plots
• Appendix L: Segment 0833 Tabular Water Quality Data
• Appendix M: Segment 0833 Habitat Quality Indices
• Appendix N: Segment 0833 Benthic Macroinvertebrate IBIs and Species Lists
• Appendix O: Segment 0833 Nekton IBIs and Species Lists

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For More Information

Please e-mail us at tmdl@tceq.texas.gov, and mention the Clear Fork Trinity River project in the subject line. Or call us at 512-239-6682 and ask for the Standards Team or the TMDL Team.

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