Nueces River and Corpus Christi and Baffin Bays: Stakeholder Committee and Expert Science Team

Next Meeting

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Basin and Bay Area Stakeholder Committee (BBASC)

Stakeholder committees develop environmental flows recommendations for their river basin and bay system based on their associated science team's recommendations and other factors, including present and future needs of water for other uses.

The Nueces River BBASC was appointed by the Environmental Flows Advisory Group (EFAG) on October 1, 2010.

• BBASC Members and Meetings

Basin and Bay Area Expert Science Team (BBEST)

Science teams develop environmental flow analyses and a recommended environmental flow regime to support a sound ecological environment for their river basin and bay system. The science teams must consider all reasonably available science, without regard for other water use needs, and make recommendations based solely on the best science available.

The Nueces River BBEST was appointed by the BBASC on March 1, 2011.

• BBEST Members and Meetings

The Texas Water Code (TWC 11.02362) required Basin and Bay Area Stakeholder Committees and Expert Science Teams for specific river basin and bay systems.

Environmental Flows Recommendation Reports

• BBEST Environmental Flow Regime Recommendations Report (Submitted to EFAG October 28, 2011)
• Environmental Flows Science Advisory Committee (SAC) Review Comments on the Nueces River and Corpus Christi and Baffin Bays BBEST Report (Submitted to EFAG December 19, 2011)
• BBASC Environmental Flow Standards and Strategies Recommendations Report (Submitted to EFAG August 22, 2012)

Adopted Environmental Flows Rules

On February 12, 2014, TCEQ adopted environmental flow standards for the Nueces River, and Corpus Christi and Baffin Bays. For more information see the Environmental Flows Rules Web page or view the basin rules [30 TAC, 298(F)].

*The rules the TCEQ makes available on this site as a public service are not a substitute for the official rules as approved and filed with the Office of the Secretary of State. See full disclaimer. The TCEQ assumes no legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of any information provided on this site. Official copies of TCEQ rules may be obtained by e-mailing register@sos.state.tx.us.

Work Plan for Adaptive Management

After submitting environmental flow recommendations, the TWC 11.02362(p) requires that the BBASC, assisted by the BBEST, prepare a work plan that:

• establishes a periodic review of the environmental flow recommendations and a schedule for continuing validation or refinement of them
• prescribes monitoring and studies

Once complete, the work plan is submitted to the Environmental Flows Advisory Group (EFAG) for approval.

• Work Plan for Adaptive Management (Submitted November 30, 2012)
• BBASC Work Plan Addendum (Submitted November 16, 2015)

Funding Cycles and Projects

FY 2014-2015

The 83^rd Texas Legislature appropriated $2,000,000 to the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) for the continued study of environmental flows and instream flows for Texas river basins.

• $312,500 was approved by the EFAG for projects in the 2012 Nueces River, and Corpus Christi and Baffin Bays Basin and Bay Area Work Plan
• Studies concluded on August 31, 2015
• Supporting documents:
  • SAC Funding Recommendation Letter
  • EFAG Approval of Appropriation HB4 Contingency Rider
• Final Project Report:
  • Re-examination of the 2001 Agreed Order Monthly Targets and Safe Yield Versus Current Demand Evaluations
  • Nueces Watershed Pre- and Post-Development Nutrient Budgets
  • Modeling Salinity Fluxes in the Nueces Delta
  • Using Landform and Hydraulic Modifications to Increase the Benefit of Fresh Water Inflows to Nueces Bay and Nueces Delta

FY 2016-2017

The 84^th Texas Legislature appropriated $2,000,000 to TWDB for the continued study of environmental flows and instream flows for Texas river basins.

• $300,000 was granted by TWDB for projects in the 2012 Nueces River, and Corpus Christi and Baffin Bays BBASC Work Plan
• Studies concluded on August 31, 2017
• Final Project Report:
  • Identify vegetation/marsh changes occurring in the Rincon Bayou Delta and the relationship of those changes to freshwater inflow
  • Using landform and hydraulic modifications to increase the benefit of freshwater inflows to Nueces Bay and Nueces Delta (Phase II)
  • Re-examination of the 2001 Agreed Order monthly targets (Phase II)
  • Nutrient Budget for Nueces Bay
  • Alternative methods to add freshwater to the Nueces Delta

FY 2018-2019

The 85^th Texas Legislature appropriated $2,000,000 to the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) to support environmental flow data collection and studies. $1,500,000 was provided for environmental flows studies in basins and bays across Texas.

• Studies concluded on August 31, 2019
• Final Project Report:
  • Using comparative long-term benthic data for adaptive management of freshwater inflow to three estuaries (Colorado-Lavaca, Guadalupe, and Nueces)
  • Influence of freshwater inflow gradients on estuarine nutrient-phytoplankton dynamics in the three estuaries (Upper Laguna Madre, Guadalupe, and Nueces)