North Bosque River: Implementing a TMDL to Protect General Uses
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).
Return to topStatus and Activities
- Status Report, Water Quality in the North Bosque River, September 2016
A summary of water quality management in the watershed and resulting changes in water quality. - Reducing Phosphorus in the North and Upper North Bosque River
A summary of the activities outlined in the Implementation Plan. - North Bosque River: Monitoring Effectiveness of TMDL Implementation
A grant-funded project of the Texas Institute for Applied Environmental Research (TIAER) to track trends in instream quality after implementation of pollution reduction measures.
Adopted TMDLs
The commission adopted these TMDLs on February 9, 2001.
- Two TMDLs for Phosphorus in the North Bosque River
- 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.
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.
Learn more about the WQMP.
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
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.
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 2016
- Semiannual Water Quality Report for the Bosque River Watershed (Monitoring Period: January 1, 2010 - December 31, 2016)
For older or mid-year reports, go to TIAER's online publications search and search in the title block for "Bosque River."
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.
