2002 Texas Water Quality Inventory and 303(d) List

This report describes the status of the state’s waters, as required by Sections 305(b) and 303(d) of the federal Clean Water Act. It summarizes the status of the state’s surface waters, including concerns for public health, fitness for use by aquatic species and other wildlife, and specific pollutants and their possible sources.

Overview

Recent guidance from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency directs the state to integrate the 305(b) Water Quality Inventory and 303(d) List for all waters of the state.

Section 305(b) of the act requires states to report the extent to which water bodies attain designated standards for water quality.

Section 303(d) of the act requires states to identify water bodies for which effluent limitations are not stringent enough to implement water-quality standards.

Summary: 2002 Texas Water Quality Inventory

This summary of the 2002 Texas Water Quality Inventory describes the status of the state’s waters based on historical water-quality data.

Water-Body Assessments and Categorization

Assessments are based on five years of data on water quality collected by the TCEQ and cooperating agencies under approved quality-assurance guidelines.

Categorization of Water Bodies

One of five categories is assigned to each assessment unit (AU), or area assessed, to provide more information to the public, EPA, and internal agency programs about water-quality management. Water bodies are listed in Categories 1 through 5.

• Categories Assigned to Water Bodies

Assessments

• Summary Lists
  Statewide summaries of impairments, concerns, sources of pollution, and flow types
• Assessments of Individual Water Bodies
  View from a list alphabetized by water body name, or from lists organized by river basin and segment number

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2002 Texas 303(d) List

The 303(d) List consists of water bodies that do not meet water-quality standards and have been placed in Category 5. 2002 Texas 303(d) List (PDF, October 1, 2002) (Help with PDF)

Note: The 2002 303(d) List was revised effective August 22, 2003. The list now indicates the Patrick Bayou portion of the Houston Ship Channel, segment 1006, does not support the temperature criterion.

2002 Guidance for Assessing Texas Surface and Finished Drinking Water Quality Data

• 2002 Guidance for Assessing Texas Surface and Finished Drinking Water Quality Data (PDF, October 1, 2002)

Public Comment and Participation

• Response to Comments on Texas Water Quality Inventory and 303(d) List (PDF, October 1, 2002) (Help with PDF)
• Response to Comments on the Draft Inventory (PDF, June 13, 2002). Comments were solicited to the first draft of the 305(b) Inventory in a 30-day comment period, January 21–February 19.

• Commission Response to Comments Received from the Public on the Guidance and Methodology (PDF, August 21, 2001)
• Meeting to rank water bodies for TMDL priority for 2002
• • Meeting Notice, Agenda, and Attendance (PDF)
  • Ranking Results (PDF, February 25, 2002)

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