Matagorda Bay and Nearby Coastal Waters: A Project to Assess Dissolved Oxygen and pH
Palacios Port Jetty
Watershed Counties: Matagorda, Jackson, Calhoun, Refugio, and San Patricio
Parameters: Dissolved Oxygen, pH
River Basins: Bays and Estuaries, Colorado-Lavaca Coastal Basin, San Antonio-Nueces Coastal Basin
Segments: 2451, 2452, 2456, 2483A
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Background and Goals
Water quality testing found that dissolved oxygen and pH concentrations were sometimes outside the range required to support a healthy aquatic community in several bays and a harbor on the Texas coast. The affected segments were Matagorda Bay/Powderhorn Lake (Segment 2451), Tres Palacios/Turtle Bay (Segment 2452), Carancahua Bay (Segment 2456), and Conn Brown Harbor (Segment 2483A).
These coastal waters represent an ecologically important part of the Texas coast that include both freshwater and saltwater marshes along with open estuaries. The area has many diverse uses including recreation, production of oil and gas, cultivation of rice, sorghum, and cotton, livestock grazing, and commercial and residential developments.
The goal of this project was to assess water quality conditions in detail and to ensure the bays and harbor sustain a healthy aquatic community.
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Public Participation
Project personnel informed the public about this project through a series of public meetings. The meetings were open to everyone.
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Project Documents
Project documents are in PDF.
- Protecting Tres Palacios Bay — Brochure
- Tres Palacios Bay TMDL Source Assessment Report
- Matagorda Bay and Nearby Coastal Waters Dissolved Oxygen and pH TMDL Assessment Report
For More Information
Please e-mail us at tmdl@tceq.texas.gov, and mention the Matagorda Bay project in the subject line. Or call us at 512-239-6682.
