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Houston-Galveston Region: Implementation Plan and TMDLs

The goal of this plan, developed by the Bacteria Implementation Group (BIG), is to make recreation safer by reducing bacteria levels in waterways of the Houston area. The TMDLs and Implementation Plan together are the road map to improving water quality.

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Implementation Plan

The commission approved the implementation plan on January 30, 2013. This plan was developed by stakeholders in the Bacteria Implementation Group (BIG) .

Implementation Plan for Seventy-Two Total Maximum Daily Loads for Bacteria in the Houston-Galveston Region

This plan originally implemented 72 TMDLs for 60 waterway segments in 10 counties. Other TMDLs and water bodies have since been added. The TMDLs for Armand Bayou were added to the BIG I-Plan by vote of the BIG and the Armand Bayou stakeholders in 2014; the commission approved this action in 2015. The TMDLs for San Jacinto River were added by vote of the BIG and the San Jacinto stakeholders in 2015; the commission approved this action in 2016. The TMDL for Jarbo Bayou was added to the BIG I-Plan by vote of the BIG and the Jarbo Bayou stakeholders in 2015; the commission approved this action in 2018.

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TMDLs

On the date of their approval by EPA, all these TMDLs became part of the state’s Water Quality Management Plan.

Armand Bayou
The commission adopted these TMDLs on August 5, 2015. The EPA approved them on October 2, 2015.
Brays Bayou watersheds
The commission adopted these TMDLs on September 15, 2010. The EPA approved them on September 27, 2010.
Buffalo and Whiteoak Bayous
The commission adopted these TMDLs on April 8, 2009. The EPA approved them on June 11, 2009.
Clear Creek
The commission adopted these TMDLs on September 10, 2008. The EPA approved them on March 6, 2009.
Eastern Houston watersheds
The commission adopted these TMDLs on September 15, 2010. The EPA approved them on September 27, 2010.
Greens Bayou
The commission adopted these TMDLs on June 2, 2010. The EPA approved them on August 12, 2010.
Halls Bayou
The commission adopted these TMDLs on September 15, 2010. The EPA approved them on September 27, 2010
Jarbo Bayou
The commission adopted this TMDL on January 24, 2018. The EPA approved the TMDL on March 29, 2018.
Lake Houston Watersheds
The commission adopted these TMDLs on April 6, 2011. The EPA approved them on June 29, 2011.
San Jacinto River, East and West Forks; Lake Houston; and Crystal Creek
The commission adopted these TMDLs on August 24, 2016. The EPA approved them on October 7, 2016.
Sims Bayou
The commission adopted these TMDLs on September 15, 2010. The EPA approved them on September 27, 2010.

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Revisions to TMDLs

From time to time, it is necessary to revise TMDLs to account for changing conditions in the watershed. Revisions to the load allocations in TMDLs are made via the state’s Water Quality Management Plan (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 are made to TMDLs in one of two ways:

Updates are made to account for changing conditions in the watershed, such as new or revised wasteload allocations, permits that have been canceled or have expired, or changed facility names.
Addenda are created to add load allocations for assessment units that are impaired by the same pollutant or condition, within the same watershed as in the original TMDL report.

Revisions to the TMDLs are documented next to the original TMDL report. Both updates and addenda are provided in the same units of measure used in the original TMDL.

Summary of TMDLs, Addenda, and Updates

All linked files in the table below are provided in PDF Adobe Acrobat PDF Document

TMDLs	Addenda	Updates
Armand Bayou Six Total Maximum Daily Loads for Indicator Bacteria in Armand Bayou Return to top
Brays Bayou Five Total Maximum Daily Loads for Indicator Bacteria in Brays Bayou Above Tidal and Tributaries Return to top	TMDL Addendum: Three TMDLs for Brays Bayou Watershed Submitted in the April 2013 Update to the WQMP. EPA approved August 2013.	January 2016, Appendix I, pages 10-11 January 2013, Appendix II, page 11 January 2011, Appendix II, pages 12-13
Buffalo and Whiteoak Bayous Eighteen Total Maximum Daily Loads for Bacteria in Buffalo and Whiteoak Bayous and Tributaries Return to top	TMDL Addendum I: One TMDL for Bacteria in Vogel Creek Submitted to EPA in the April 2013 Update to the WQMP. EPA approved August 2013. TMDL Addendum II: One TMDL for Bacteria in Rolling Fork Creek Submitted to EPA in the April 2015 Update to the WQMP. EPA approved July 2015.	January 2018, Appendix I, pages 10-11 April 2017, Appendix I, pages 11-12 July 2016, Appendix I, page 11 April 2016, Appendix I, page 11 January 2016, Appendix II, page 12 October 2015, Appendix I, page 7 July 2015, Appendix I, page 11 April 2015, Appendix II, pages 10-11 January 2015, Appendix I, page 11 October 2014, Appendix I, pages 11-12 July 2014, Appendix I, pages 7-8 April 2014, Appendix I, pages 11-12 January 2014, Appendix I, pages 10-11 October 2013, Appendix I, pages 12-13 April 2013, Appendix I, page 11 January 2013, Appendix I, pages 9-10 July 2012, Appendix I, pages 10-11 January 2012, Appendix I, pages 11-13 January 2011, Appendix I, page 11 April 2010, Apendix I, pages 10-15
Clear Creek Nine Total Maximum Daily Loads for Bacteria in Clear Creek and Tributaries Return to top	TMDL Addendum: Four TMDLs in Clear Creek Watershed Submitted in the October 2012 Update to the WQMP. EPA approved March 2013.	July 2016, Appendix II, pages 12-15 April 2016, Appendix II, pages 12-13 January 2016, Appendix IV, pages 14-15 July 2014, Appendix II, page 9 July 2011, Appendix I, pages 11-12 April 2009, Appendix I, pages 13-15
Eastern Houston Watersheds Thirteen Total Maximum Daily Loads for Indicator Bacteria in Eastern Houston Watersheds Return to top	TMDL Addendum: One TMDL for Eastern Houston Watersheds Submitted in the April 2013 Update to the WQMP. EPA approved August 2013.	January 2016, Appendix V, page 16 October 2015, Appendix II, pages 8-9 January 2011, Appendix III, pages 14-15
Greens Bayou Eight Total Maximum Daily Loads for Indicator Bacteria in Greens Bayou Above Tidal and Tributaries Return to top		April 2017, Appendix II, pages 13-14 January 2016, Appendix VI, pages 17-18 January 2015, Appendix I, page 12 October 2014, Appendix II, page 13 April 2014 Update, Appendix II, page 13 January 2014 Update, Appendix II, page 12 October 2012, Appendix II, pages 34-35 January 2012, Appendix II, page 14 January 2011, Appendix I, page 11
Halls Bayou and Tributaries Four Total Maximum Daily Loads for Indicator Bacteria in Halls Bayou and Tributaries Return to top		July 2015, Appendix IV, pages 15-16 October 2014, Appendix III, page 14 July 2011, Appendix III, pages 14-15 January 2011, Appendix IV, pages 16-17
Jarbo Bayou One Total Maximum Daily Load for Indicator Bacteria in Jarbo Bayou Return to top
Lake Houston Watersheds Fifteen Total Maximum Daily Loads for Indicator Bacteria in Watersheds Upstream of Lake Houston Return to top	TMDL Addendum: Six TMDLs for Lake Houston Area Watersheds Submitted in the October 2013 Update to the WQMP. EPA approved February 2014.	January 2018, Appendix II, pages 12-13 October 2017, Appendix I, pages 10-12 July 2017, Appendix I, pages 11-13 April 2017, Appendix III, pages 15-16 October 2016, Appendix I, pages 11-12 July 2016, Appendix IV, pages 44-45 April 2016, Appendix V, pages 17-18 January 2016, Appendix VII, pages 19-20 October 2015, Appendix III, pages 10-11 July 2015, Appendix V, pages 17-18 April 2015, Appendix IV, pages 30-31 January 2015, Appendix I, page 13 October 2014, Appendix IV, pages 15-16 July 2014, Appendix IV, pages 17-18 April 2014 Update, Appendix III, pages 14-16 January 2014 Update, Appendix III, pages 13-16 October 2013 Update, Appendix II, pages 14-16 April 2013, Appendix II, pages 12-13 January 2013, Appendix III, pages 12-13 October 2012, Appendix III, pages 36-38 July 2012, Appendix II, pages 12-13 January 2012, Appendix III, page 15 October 2011, Appendix III, pages 20-21 July 2011, Appendix IV, page 16-27
San Jacinto River, East and West Forks; Lake Houston; and Crystal Creek Seven Total Maximum Daily Loads for Indicator Bacteria in the East and West Forks of the San Jacinto River, Lake Houston, and Crystal Creek Watersheds Return to top		January 2018, Appendix III, page 14 January 2017, Appendix I, pages 11-13
Sims Bayous and Tributary Four Total Maximum Daily Loads for Indicator Bacteria in Sims Bayou Above Tidal and Tributary Return to top	TMDL Addendum: One TMDL for Sims Bayou Watershed Submitted in the April 2013 Update to the WQMP. EPA approved August 2013.	January 2016, Appendix IX, pages 23-24 July 2011, Appendix V, pages 28-29 January 2011, Appendix V, pages 18-19

Contact Us

For more information regarding this project, please e-mail us at tmdl@tceq.texas.gov, and mention the Houston-Galveston bacteria project in the subject line. Or call us at 512-239-6682.

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