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Questions or Comments: tmdl@tceq.texas.gov

North Bosque River: A Community Project to Protect General Uses

A project to improve water quality by developing and implementing TMDLs. The TMDLs are adopted and the I-Plan is approved; together, they provide the road map to improved water quality.
photo of the North Bosque River
North Bosque River
map of the North Bosque River watershed

Counties: Bosque, Erath, Hamilton, and McLennan
Parameter: soluble reactive phosphorus
River Basin: Brazos River
Segments: 1226, 1255

Background and Goal

The North Bosque River and Waco Lake, formed by an impoundment of the Bosque River, serve as the primary drinking water supplies for more than 200,000 people in the Waco area. Water quality testing found high levels of nutrients in the North Bosque that have contributed to excessive growth of algae and other aquatic plants in the river. This TMDL project addresses the elevated levels of phosphorus (the limiting nutrient in the watershed).

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Status

Status of TMDL Implementation Reported at Stakeholders Meetings

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Get Involved

In all our projects, we seek opinions and information from people who represent government, permitted facilities, agriculture, business, environmental, and community and private interests in the watershed. Membership in the North Bosque River TMDL stakeholders group is open and voluntary. Please email tmdl@tceq.texas.gov to be added to TCEQ's stakeholder email group. Find out more about what it means to Participate in TMDL Projects.

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North Bosque River TMDL Work Group

At the suggestion of the general stakeholder group in September 2020,TCEQ formed a small work group to recommend next steps for this watershed. Members of the North Bosque River TMDL Advisory Work Group were volunteers from the general stakeholder group.

Original Bosque River Stakeholder Advisory Group

A committee called the Bosque River Stakeholder Advisory Group was established to advise the TCEQ on development of the TMDLs and I-Plan. The last planned meeting of the named Advisory Group was in August 2002.

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Adopted TMDLs

The commission adopted these TMDLs on February 9, 2001.

The EPA approved these TMDLs on December 13, 2001, at which time they became part of the state's Water Quality Management Plan.

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Updates to TMDLs

From time to time, it is necessary to revise TMDLs to account for changing conditions in the watershed, such as new or amended permits, or urban growth, or to correct oversights in the original TMDL report. Revisions to the load allocations in TMDLs are made via the state’s WQMP, which is updated quarterly.

The WQMP provides projected effluent limits for use in planning and permitting activities under the Texas Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (TPDES). The TCEQ reviews all applications for new and amended permits for conformance with applicable portions of the WQMP, including adopted TMDLs.

Revisions to the TMDL are documented in the approved WQMP updates listed below.

WQMP updates may be viewed in-person at the TCEQ Library, Building A, 12100 Park 35 Circle, Austin, Texas. Electronic versions back to the January 2014 Update are available on the Texas State Library and Archives Commission website . Learn more about the Water Quality Management Plan.

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Implementation Plan

The commission approved the implementation plan on December 13, 2002. The Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board approved it on January 16, 2003.

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Reports

For older or mid-year reports, go to TIAER's online publications search and search for the subject "Bosque River."

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For More Information

Please e-mail tmdl@tceq.texas.gov and mention the North Bosque River in the subject line. Or call us at 512-239-6682.

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