Upper Cibolo Creek: Developing A Watershed Protection Plan

Background

Cibolo Creek originates in the hills west of the City of Boerne in southern Kendall County. Upper Cibolo Creek (Segment 1908) supports an abundant and diverse aquatic community. However, its designated use for swimming and wading—activities called "primary contact recreation" in the state's standards for surface water quality—has not meet water quality standards for fecal bacteria since 2006. From 2002 to 2016 Upper Cibolo Creek did not meet standards for chloride. The creek has also periodically had elevated phosphorus levels and low levels of dissolved oxygen according to the Texas Water Quality Inventory and 303(d) List. This history of water quality concerns, coupled with increasing human population growth and associated changes in land use practices raised local concerns for the long-term health of the creek.

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Project Description

The City of Boerne, in partnership with the Cibolo Nature Center and local stakeholders, developed a Watershed Protection Plan for Upper Cibolo Creek to restore the primary contact recreation uses of the creek and to prevent pollution that could result from population growth in the watershed. WPP development involved extensive input from local stakeholder and community for choosing best management practices for addressing fecal bacteria levels and other water quality concerns. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency accepted the Upper Cibolo WPP on September 20, 2013.

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For More Information

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

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