Lake O' the Pines: Implementing a Plan to Protect Aquatic Life
Watershed Counties: Cass, Harrison, Marion, Morris, Upshur
Parameter: Dissolved oxygen
River Basin: Cypress Creek
Segment: 0403
- Overview
Goals, water quality, and project summary - Get Involved
- Partners
- Status and Activities
- Video, News, Maps, and Photos
TMDLs and I-Plan
The road maps for restoring water quality- Contact Us
Overview of the Project
Lake O’ the Pines and Big Cypress Creek (its primary tributary) are located in the Cypress Creek Basin. Lake O’ the Pines provides water for eight cities and towns, numerous rural water districts, and several steel manufacturers and electricity generators. The lake is also an important resource to the timber industry and to agricultural enterprises such as the poultry industry, dairies, and cattle operations, and for irrigation. Boating and fishing for trophy bass, catfish, and crappie lure large numbers of recreational users to the watershed each year.
In 2000, the TCEQ found that dissolved oxygen levels in Lake O’ the Pines were less than optimal for supporting fish and other aquatic species. Oxygen, which dissolves in water, is essential for the survival of aquatic life. While the amount of dissolved oxygen in water fluctuates naturally, human activities can cause unusually or chronically low dissolved oxygen levels.
The TCEQ adopted a total maximum daily load (TMDL) in 2006 that shows by how much we must reduce pollutants that use up oxygen. Stakeholders developed an Implementation Plan, through which they are working to improve conditions in the lake.
The original implementation plan (2008) underwent a thorough review by watershed stakeholders. In 2014, the stakeholders prepared a revised implementation plan to continue their efforts in improving local water quality.
Learn more about the state’s program for managing water quality by reading Preserving and Improving Water Quality.
Get Involved
The TCEQ is working to implement the I-Plan with the Northeast Texas Municipal Water District 
and its steering committee for the Clean Rivers Program. The steering committee includes representatives from state and federal agencies, cities, industries, citizen groups, local governments, universities, water districts, agriculture groups, and other water user groups.
The steering committee also advised the TCEQ on development of the TMDL, and then built the I-Plan.
Texas Water Resources Institute (TWRI) is coordinating stakeholder involvement in a review of the I-Plan and its progress.
Find out more about what it means to participate in TMDL projects.
Partners
The organizations listed below are members of the Coordination Committee for improving the water quality in Lake O’ the Pines. All of the links in this section exit the TCEQ website 
.
Contact Us
Please e-mail us at tmdl@tceq.texas.gov, and mention the Lake O’ the Pines TMDL project in the subject line. Or call us at 512-239-6682.
