Texas Clean Rivers Program2008 - 2009

Nueces River AuthorityTexas Commission on Environmental Quality

Citizens

30,500 square miles

3 Basins 23 Watersheds

45 Segments

CRP Area of ResponsibilityCRP Area of Responsibility

Overview of the Clean Rivers Program

• Funding and Allocation of Resources– State fee-funded– $9 Million State-Wide for 2 years– NRA: $548,272

• Project Administration – 21%• Quality Assurance – 4%• Water Quality Monitoring – 39%• Data Management – 13%• Data Analysis and Reporting – 9%• Stakeholder Participation and Public Outreach – 13%• Special Projects – 1%

Deliverables

• Quality Assured Data

• Basin Highlights Report

• Basin Summary Report (every 5th year)

• Data Accessibility via Website

Overview of the Clean Rivers Program

• Role of the Steering Committee and Stakeholders– Objective 4: Inform and Engage Stakeholders

• 1. Give stakeholders the opportunity to contribute their ideas and concerns through steering committee meetings, public meetings, and/or other forums

• 2. Participate in public information and education activities to increase stakeholder involvement in the program and interest in water quality issues

• 3. Communicate information on water quality issues to stakeholders so that priorities may be set considering local, regional, state, and federal needs

• 4. Support stakeholders, volunteers, and other programs in addressing water quality issues

• 5. Provide information requested by interested parties and disseminate information via the Internet

Overview of the Clean Rivers Program

• Water Quality Assessment– 2006 – December 1, 1999 – November 30, 2004– 2008 – December 1, 1999 – November 30, 2006

• Water Quality Inventory– Concerns – 305(b) list– Impairments – 303(d) list

Monitoring Schedulehttp://cms.lcra.org/

FY 2008 Monitoring Sites• San Antonio – Nueces Coastal Basin

– NRA • 12 sites

– TCEQ• 12 sites

FY 2008 Monitoring Sites

• Nueces Basin– NRA

• 18 sites

– TCEQ• 17 sites

FY 2008 Monitoring Sites• Nueces – Rio Grande Coastal Basin

– NRA

• 3 sites

• 2 24-DO sites on

Arroyo Colorado

• CWQM on Petronila

Creek

– TCEQ

• 33 sites

– City of Abilene

(Boy Scouts of America)

• 1 site

Use Assessment &Monitoring Parameters

• Aquatic Life– Dissolved Oxygen

• Public Water Supply– Chloride– Sulfate– TDS

• Contact Recreation– Bacteria

• General Use– Water Temperature– pH– Ammonia– Nitrogen– Phosphorus

• Fish Consumption– Fish Tissue

© Shedd Aquarium/www.fishphotos.org

Delistings from the 303d list• 2104 Nueces River Above Frio River (depressed

DO)• 2107 Atascosa River (impaired habitat)• 2113 Upper Frio River (impaired habitat)• 2116 Choke Canyon Reservoir (bacteria)• 2117 Frio River Above Choke Canyon Reservoir

(depressed DO)• 2204 Petronila Creek Above Tidal (chloride,

sulfate, TDS)• 2485 Oso Bay (bacteria)

New Listings on the 303d list• 2117 Frio River Above Choke Canyon

Reservoir (bacteria)

Continued Listings on the 303d list

• 2001 Mission River Tidal – bacteria• 2003 Aransas River Tidal – bacteria• 2004A West Aransas Creek (unclassified) – bacteria• 2106 Nueces/Lower Frio River – TDS• 2107 Atascosa River – bacteria, impaired fish community, depressed DO• 2108 San Miguel Creek – bacteria• 2109 Leona River - bacteria• 2113 Upper Frio River – impaired fish community, impaired

macrobenthic community• 2116 Choke Canyon Reservoir – depressed DO• 2117 Frio River Above Choke Canyon Reservoir – bacteria• 2201 Arroyo Colorado Tidal – bacteria, depressed DO• 2202 Arroyo Colorado Above Tidal - bacteria

Status/updates Water Quality Standards

• TCEQ website:1997 Texas Surface Water Quality Standards2000 Texas Surface Water Quality StandardsEPA Approval of 2000 Standards TimelineFuture Revisions of the Texas Surface Water

Quality StandardsSurface Water Quality Standards Workgroup

Copano Bay/Aransas and Mission Rivers BacteriaTMDL for bacteria (2003)

To support this TMDL:

•TSSWCB and NRA funding for more monitoring

•6 events/up to 30 sites (stream sites and WWTP)/year (4 high flow/wet events, 2 low flow/dry events)

•3 consecutive days

•More sites chosen in upper reaches of watershed

•TWRI and TCE educational programs and assemble and evaluate existing information

•University of Texas model of watershed

•Texas A&M CC BST

2008 Basin Summary Report

– Draft available for review– Comments by April 30– Comments to Rocky Freund– Email: rfreund@nueces-ra.org– Fax: 361-825-3195– Mail: Nueces River Authority

6300 Ocean Drive – Unit 5865

Corpus Christi, TX 78412-5865

Basin Summary Report Format

• Watershed Overview

• Segments and Assessment Units

• Active Wastewater Permits Permit Numbers Discharge Information

Basin Summary Report Format Cont.

• Sampling History All stations

throughout history Current Stations

2008 Monitoring Stations

Entity Frequency Parameter

Groups

AU Site Date Range

2104_03

12974 – At FM 624 1983, 2002 – 2004

2104_02

12973 – SH 16 south of Tilden 1972 – Present

17897 – Approx. 13.9 km downstream of SH 16 on Smith Lease

2002 – 2004

2104_01

12972 – FM 1042 bridge 1.2 miles north of Simmons1968 – 1992, 2002 -

Present

AU Site Entity Frequency Parameter Groups

2105-02 12973 – SH 16 south of Tilden NRA Quarterly Conventional, Bacteria, Field

2105_01 12972 – FM 1042 bridge 1.2 miles north of Simmons NRA Quarterly Conventional, Bacteria, Field

• Flow Information

Basin Summary Report Format Cont.

• Water Quality Analysis and Trend Analysis TDS, chloride, sulfate for entire segment Analysis for each AU (min, max, median, discussion)

DO pH Ammonia Nitrate+Nitrite OP Total Phosphorus Chlorophyll a TSS Bacteria (E.Coli, Enterococcus)

Basin Summary Report Format Cont.

pH (su): 58 samples, ranging from 7.5 to 8.6, median value is 7.8, 0 values outside criteria range of 6.5 to 9, decreasing trend. There is a fairly large variation in pH values, but it does not seem to correlate with seasons or changes in flow. The data indicates a decreasing trend. The values are still well above the minimum criteria value and are not a concern at this time. However, this parameter needs to be watched and understood so that it does not become a problem.

Groundwater Model

Rainfall Runoff Model

Monarch Madness Festival

Aquatic Education Program

Wetland on Wheels

Arroyo Colorado Watershed

Model

Contact Information

http://www.nueces-ra.org

Sky Lewey: slewey@nueces-ra.org 830-278-6810

Rocky Freund: rfreund@nueces-ra.org361-825-3193

Beth Almaraz: balmaraz@nueces-ra.org

361-825-3193