Greater Trinity Region: Implementing a Plan to Protect Recreational Uses

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Watershed Counties: Dallas, Tarrant
Parameter: Bacteria
River Basin: Trinity
Segments:  0805, 0806E, 0822A, 0822B, 0841, 0841B, 0841C, 0841E, 0841F, 0841G, 0841H, 0841J, 0841K, 0841L, 0841M, 0841N, 0841R, 0841T, 0841U, 0841V

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Overview

Bacteria concentrations are occasionally elevated in portions of the Trinity River that flow through Dallas and Tarrant counties. High bacteria concentrations might pose a risk to people who swim or wade in natural waters. Swimming and wading are called “contact recreation” in the state’s standards for water quality; the term refers to all recreation in which people are likely to swallow natural waters.

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Watershed Description

The watersheds for the Greater Trinity River I-Plan encompass an area of 406 square miles. The human population is 1.33 million as of 2013, with a population density of approximately 3,232 people per square mile. The Implementation Plan implements TMDLs for:

• Upper Trinity River (Segment 0805, upper end)
• Elm Fork Trinity River tributaries of Grapevine Creek and Cottonwood Branch (Segments 0822A and 0822B)
• Lower West Fork Trinity River (Segment 0841) and 11 of its tributaries
• Mountain Creek Lake Upstream Watersheds (Segments 0841F, 0841K, 0841N, and 0841V), added in 2015

Goal

The goal of this project is to reduce bacteria concentrations and protect recreational safety by implementing total maximum daily loads. A TMDL is like a budget for pollutants—it estimates the amount of a pollutant that a water body can receive from categories of sources and still support its designated uses.

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Get Involved

The North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) is working with stakeholders to implement bacteria TMDLs throughout their region.

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Status and Activities

Cities in the watershed continue to address bacteria levels in the impaired waterways covered by the Implementation Plan. Highlights from 2017 include:

• Developed and distributed a TMDL Information Request. Collected information from TMDL area stakeholders about TMDL I-Plan efforts.
• Attended public meetings in preparation for the inclusion of the Sycamore Creek watershed to the Greater Trinity I-Plan.
• Completed the Greater Trinity River Region TMDL Implementation Plan Status Report . Incorporated data and information from the Four Total Maximum Daily Loads for Indicator Bacteria in the Cottonwood Creek, Fish Creek, Kirby Creek, and Crockett Branch Watershed Upstream of Mountain Creek into the current I-Plan.
• Coordinated and facilitated the North Texas Urban Feral Hog Forum in May 2017, which engaged nearly 50 interested stakeholders.
• Helped plan and promote the North Texas Feral Hog Conference in November 2017, led by our partner agency, Trinity River Authority, which created further progress on Strategy 4.0: Feral hog management.
• Created a Texas Stream Team web page on the NCTCOG website including an overview of the program, contacts, and equipment information.
• Coordinated and facilitated the Sanitary Sewer Overflow Initiative (SSOI) Benefits webinar on August 21, 2017. The webinar had 31 participants, with speakers including Mary Gugliuzza from the Fort Worth Department and Scott Hoelzle from the North Texas Municipal Water District.

More details about the stakeholders' activities are available on the NCTCOG website and in the Greater Trinity River Region TMDL Implementation Plan Status Report .

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Partners

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Contact Us

Please e-mail us at tmdl@tceq.texas.gov, and mention the Greater Trinity River plan in the subject line. Or call us at 512-239-6682.

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