Big Elm Creek: Watershed Protection Plan Implementation

Project Area

River Basin: Brazos

Water Body: Big Elm Creek (1213A) 

Location: Bell, Milam, Falls, and McLennan counties

Background

Big Elm Creek stretches 62.8 miles through a drainage area of 305 square miles in the eastern portion of Central Texas, between Moody and Cameron. It consists of a single segment with two assessment units (1213A_01 and 1213A_02).

Since 2010, Big Elm Creek has not met all water quality standards for primary contact recreation use due to high bacteria concentrations. Concerns for elevated nitrate have been reported since 2018.

Little Elm Creek, a tributary to Big Elm Creek, has also seen concerns for depressed dissolved oxygen and elevated nitrate. On the unnamed tributary of Little Elm Creek there have been concerns for elevated nitrate and from 2010 to 2014, for impaired aquatic habitat.

The Texas Water Resources Institute (TWRI) helped stakeholders develop a watershed protection plan (WPP) for Big Elm Creek. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency accepted the WPP in February 2021.

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Project Description

September 2020 – February 2025

TWRI will support a watershed coordinator position who will transition the Big Elm Creek WPP from the development phase to the initial implementation phase, focusing on education and outreach.

Education and outreach activities will include:

• Hosting regular meetings
• Communicating with stakeholders
• Providing presentations to local groups to promote the goals of the WPP
• Applying for grants and other financial and technical assistance
• Scheduling water quality education events in the watershed

Potential educational programs to utilize for these events: 

• Lone Star Healthy Streams
• Septic Systems for Homeowners
• Riparian Management Workshops
• Texas Well Owner Network
• Texas Watershed Stewards

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For More Information

Big Elm Creek Project Page

To find out more about the NPS Program, call 512-239-6682 or email us at nps@tceq.texas.gov.

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