Brandy Branch Reservoir: Assessing the Safety of Fish Consumption
A completed project of the TMDL Program to assess the extent of contamination in fish from Brandy Branch Reservoir
County: Harrison
Parameters: Selenium
River Basin: Sabine River
Segment: 0505E
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Project Description and Goal
Brandy Branch Reservoir, which is also known as Hallsville or Pirkey Lake, is located southwest of Marshall in Harrison County. The reservoir is an impoundment of Brandy Branch Creek. The 1,242-acre reservoir was constructed in 1983 to serve as a cooling pond for a steam-electric power plant. The reservoir is a popular recreational area for boating and fishing.
In 1992, the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) issued an advisory restricting the consumption of fish from the reservoir because selenium concentrations in fish tissue posed a risk to consumers. The goal of this project was to determine whether the consumption of fish from the reservoir still posed a threat to human health. TCEQ worked with DSHS to collect fish samples, conduct laboratory analyses, and characterize the risks to consumers from all contaminants found in fish tissue samples.
Back to topStatus and Results
After assessing all the data and characterizing the risks associated with all contaminants found in fish tissue, DSHS concluded that consumption of fish from Brandy Branch Reservoir no longer poses a threat to human health. DSHS rescinded the fish consumption advisory on October 14, 2004.
Contact the TMDL Program
Please email tmdl@tceq.state.tx.us, and mention Brandy Branch Reservoir in the subject line. Or call us at 512-239-6682.
