Bessie's Creek
This is a project to reduce bacteria and protect recreational safety in Bessie’s Creek. The stakeholders and TCEQ will develop a total maximum daily load and implementation plan, which together will be the road map for improving water quality.
Counties: Waller and Fort Bend
Parameter: bacteria
River Basin: Brazos River
Segment: 1202I
Assessment Units (AUs): 1202I_01
On this page:
Background and Goals
TCEQ identified Bessie’s Creek (assessment unit 1202_01) as impaired due to elevated levels of fecal indicator bacteria. The presence of these bacteria, which come from human and animal waste, may indicate a health risk to people who swim or wade in the creek—activities referred to as “contact recreation” in the Texas Surface Water Quality Standards. Learn more about these findings in the 2024 Texas Integrated Report of Surface Water Quality.
In 2024, TCEQ approached the Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC) to initiate a total maximum daily load (TMDL) project for Bessie’s Creek. A TMDL determines the maximum amount of a pollutant that a waterbody can receive while still meeting water quality standards.
TCEQ and stakeholders are developing a TMDL and implementation plan (I-Plan) to reduce bacteria in the creek.
Watershed Description
The Bessie’s Creek watershed covers 106 square miles of rural and developing land within Waller and Fort Bend counties. The largest cities in the watershed are Brookshire and Fulshear. Other communities include Simonton, Pattison, and the town of Monaville. The watershed includes two named creeks, Bessie’s Creek (Segment 1202I) and Brookshire Creek (Segment 1202G)—freshwater tributaries to the Brazos River (Segment 1202).
All the flow in these creeks is perennial (year-round), except for the most upstream extents, the headwaters, which primarily exist as intermittent streams with pools. Treated wastewater supports the flow of these creeks.
The watershed lies in the Gulf Prairies and Marshes Ecoregion and most of it is used for agricultural production, primarily livestock grazing. Landcover includes:
- hay or pasture (57%)
- developed (19%)
- cropland (15%).
Like much of outer Houston, the region is transitioning from rural to suburban, with new roads and subdivisions being developed to serve the growing population. The estimated 2024 population for the Bessie’s Creek watershed is 20,800 and is expected to increase by more than four times the current population by 2050.
Get Involved
TCEQ seeks your opinions and information if you represent government, permitted facilities, agriculture, business, environmental, and community and private interests in the watershed. H-GAC staff have been working with stakeholders to distribute information about this project and develop the TMDL and I-Plan for watershed improvement.
Bessie’s Creek and Brookshire Creek Watershed stakeholder meeting
The watershed stakeholder group will discuss any work done in relation to developing the Bessie’s Creek Total Maximum Daily Load. During this meeting, we will review work completed and discuss the project’s timeline. This work is taking place to reduce fecal sources of bacteria to help Bessie’s Creek meet water quality standards.- https://www.tceq.texas.gov/waterquality/tmdl/nav/bessies-creek-and-brookshire-creek-watershed-stakeholder-meeting
- Bessie’s Creek and Brookshire Creek Watershed stakeholder meeting
- 2026-08-27T14:00:00-05:00
- 2026-08-27T16:00:00-05:00
- The watershed stakeholder group will discuss any work done in relation to developing the Bessie’s Creek Total Maximum Daily Load. During this meeting, we will review work completed and discuss the project’s timeline. This work is taking place to reduce fecal sources of bacteria to help Bessie’s Creek meet water quality standards.
Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026
2:00 – 04:00 p.m.
Status and Activities
[Approved] I-Plan
[Adopted] TMDLs
Contact Us
Please e-mail tmdl@tceq.texas.gov and reference the Bessie's Creek TMDL in the subject line. Or call us at 512-239-6682.