Oso Bay and Oso Creek Watersheds: Implementing a Total Maximum Daily Load
The Coastal Bend Bays and Estuaries Program will create a physical model of the Oso Bay and Oso Creek watershed that will be used at educational events in elementary schools and in the community.
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Project Area
River Basin: Bays and Estuaries
Water Body: Oso Bay (2485), Oso Bay Oyster Waters (2485OW), Oso Creek (2485A), West Oso Creek (2485D), and two unnamed tributaries (2485B and 2485C)
Location: Cities of Corpus Christi and Robstown
Background
Oso Bay is an enclosed, shallow water body situated along the southern shore of Corpus Christi Bay that receives stormwater runoff mostly from Corpus Christi, and freshwater input from Oso Creek whose flow is dominated by permitted wastewater discharges. Oso Bay has not met state water quality standards for aquatic life use since 1996 due to low dissolved oxygen, and since 2006, high fecal bacteria concentrations in oyster waters. Oso Creek also did not meet primary contact recreation use standards in 2002 due to high concentrations of fecal bacteria.
Two Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) were developed for Oso Bay and Oso Creek in 2004 and 2013, respectively. Stakeholders are currently developing one TMDL Implementation Plan to address both the Creek and the Bay impairments.
Back to topProject Description
September 2020 – August 2024
The Coastal Bend Bays and Estuaries Program (CBBEP) is creating an education and outreach program that cultivates personal responsibility for water quality and polluting behaviors in the Oso Bay and Oso Creek watershed. The program will create a plastic, custom relief model of the watershed for elementary school and community education and outreach events.
The project will connect residents with their watershed by guiding event participants to visualize their “place” within the watershed, understand pollutant pathways better, and recognize their role in reducing nonpoint source pollution.
For More Information
Coastal Bend Bays and Estuaries Program
To find out more about the NPS Program, call 512-239-6682 or email us at nps@tceq.texas.gov.