North Bosque River: Implementing a TMDL to Protect General Uses

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

• Background and Goals
• Status and Activities 
• Adopted TMDLs
• Implementation Plan
• Public Participation
• Reports
• For More Information

Background and Goals

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 and Activities

• Status Report, Water Quality in the North Bosque River, August 2019
  A summary of water quality management in the watershed and resulting changes in water quality through state fiscal year 2018.
• Reducing Phosphorus in the North and Upper North Bosque River 
  A summary of the activities outlined in the Implementation Plan.

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Adopted TMDLs

• TMDL Project Overview 

The commission adopted these TMDLs on February 9, 2001.

• Two TMDLs for Phosphorus in the North Bosque River 
  Segments 1226 and 1255
• Response to Public Comment on the North Bosque TMDLs 

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.

• July 2008 , pages 7-9
• July 2009 , Appendix IV, page 11

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.

• Implementation Plan for Soluble Reactive Phosphorus in the North Bosque River Watershed 
• Response to Public Comment on the North Bosque Implementation Plan 

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Public Participation

A committee called the Bosque River Stakeholder Advisory Group was established to advise the TCEQ on this project. The last planned meeting of the Advisory Group was in August 2002.

• Membership

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Reports

• Final Report:  Refinement and Application of the TMDL Model
• Composted Manure Incentive Project 
• Water Quality Reports, TIAER
• Assessment of Water Quality Trends for the North Bosque River through 2018
• Semiannual Water Quality Report for the Bosque River Watershed

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

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For More Information

Please e-mail us at 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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