Water Quality in Southeast Texas Brian Koch Regional Watershed Coordinator Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board Clean Waters Initiative

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1 Water Quality in Southeast Texas Brian Koch Regional Watershed Coordinator Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board Clean Waters Initiative Workshop Houston, Texas June 24, 2015

2 Water Quality in SE Texas What will be covered today Brief TSSWCB Agency Overview Water quality impairments Potential sources of water pollution Surface Water Quality Monitoring Programs and Projects focused on water quality improvement

3 Agency Role Water Quality Mandate - Texas Agriculture Code Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board (TSSWCB) is the lead agency in Texas responsible for planning, implementing and managing programs and practices for abating agricultural and silvicultural nonpoint source water pollution.

4 Agency Role Provide technical and financial assistance to local soil and water conservation districts Local districts encourage landowners and agricultural producers to voluntarily conserve natural resources on their private lands through the implementation of best management practices Results in a positive impact on state water resources, and protects soil quality which supports the strength of Texas agricultural economy

5 How this gets done TSSWCB administers several programs to achieve conservation goals across the state, they include: Nonpoint Source Grant Program Water Quality Management Plan Program Water Supply Enhancement Program (Brush control) Flood Control Program

6 How this gets done Nonpoint Source Grant Program -uses Clean Water Act 319 funding and State General Revenue funding to develop projects that improve and protect water quality, through planning, implementation, and demonstration This is the program that is being used to bring you this program today

7 Water Quality Impairments Every two years Texas is required through the Clean Water Act to assess water quality In Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act there is a list of impaired (polluted) waters Bacteria exceeding the contact recreation standard make up the majority of the impairments across Texas, including this area Low Dissolved Oxygen (DO) affects many streams in the area and the state

8 Water Quality Issues: Elevated Bacteria

9 Water Quality Issues: Low Dissolved Oxygen

10 What are the sources of pollution? Failing wastewater infrastructure Untreated wastewater entering streams Runoff from urban and suburban areas Runoff from cropland and grazing land Direct deposition from wildlife, livestock, and feral hogs

11 Surface Water Quality Monitoring

12 Surface Water Quality Monitoring Rivers and Streams in Southeast Texas are monitored on a regular basis Quarterly and Monthly routine monitoring are the most common frequency that takes place Common parameters that are monitored are Dissolved Oxygen, Bacteria, Nitrates, Phosphorus, Chlorophyll-a, Total Dissolved Solids, temperature and a few others Other parameters monitored are flow, sediment quality, fish tissue, fish community/habitat, and benthic community/habitat

13 Surface Water Quality Monitoring Coordinated through the Texas Clean Rivers Program Coordination between agencies that focus on water quality monitoring Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) River Authorities United States Geological Survey (USGS) Some local governments Counties/Cities

14 Surface Water Quality Monitoring Entities that perform routine surface water quality monitoring in Southeast Texas TCEQ Houston-Galveston Area Council (HGAC) Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) Brazos River Authority (BRA) USGS Trinity River Authority Lower Neches Valley Authority Sabine River Authority

15 Improving Water Quality Many efforts are underway across the state to address many of these water quality issues. Watershed Protection Plans (WPP) Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDL) Implementation Plans (I-plans)

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17 Improving Water Quality WPPs The goal of a WPP is to provide a roadmap to improve the water quality in different water bodies by looking at all pollution sources through a voluntary collaborative approach, using stakeholder ideas written into the plan

18 Improving Water Quality There are several WPPs that are written or under review for endorsement in Southeast Texas Bastrop Bayou in Brazoria County San Bernard River in Austin, Colorado, Brazoria, Fort Bend, and Wharton Counties Dickinson Bayou in Brazoria and Galveston Counties Cedar Bayou in Harris, Liberty and Chambers Counties Double Bayou in Liberty and Chambers Counties Armand Bayou in Harris County Highland and Marchand Bayous in Galveston County

19 Improving Water Quality TMDLs A Total Maximum Daily Load, or TMDL, is a calculation of the maximum amount of a pollutant that a waterbody can receive and still safely meet water quality standards. It is usually applied to streams with large numbers of Point Sources of pollution that can be regulated, i.e. covered under a permit, Wastewater Treatment Facilities, CAFOs, and Urban Stormwater from larger cities are usually permitted dischargers

20 Improving Water Quality I-plans Implementing a TMDL for an impaired water body involves applying the pollution control practices necessary to reduce the pollutant loads to the extent determined necessary in the TMDL. These practices usually consist of point source control permits and/or non-point source control Best Management Practices (BMPs).

21 Improving Water Quality I-plans are quite numerous in Southeast Texas, especially in Houston and its suburbs. Bacteria Implementation Group covers many watersheds in Harris, Montgomery, Fort Bend, Brazoria and Galveston Counties Dickinson Bayou Armand Bayou Adams/Cow Bayous Upper Oyster Creek

22 Improving Water Quality Water Quality Management Plan Program Site Specific Farm Plan Cover the entire farm or ranch Specifically designed to achieve pollution prevention/abatement Texas Water Code

23 Improving Water Quality WQMPs can also include: Nutrient management Pest management Animal waste management system Waste utilization Irrigation water management

24 Improving Water Quality WQMPs can be written by TSSWCB, SWCD or NRCS staff WQMPs are certified by the TSSWCB Statewide WQMP implementation is prioritized to Impaired Waterbodies, Coastal Zone, Aquifers, I-plans and WPPs WQMPs are Common Management Measures for implementing Agriculture NPS components of I-plans and WPPs SWCDs can hire technicians to develop WQMPs in specific watersheds

25 Improving Water Quality Currently there are SWCD Technicians developing WQMPs to support WPP implementation across the state These include Plum Creek, Geronimo Creek, Leon River, and Lampasas River Local WPPs like Cedar and Double Bayous have identified WQMP implementation as a management measure, and local SWCDs have responded by applying for grants to hire a technician

26 Improving Water Quality Financial Assistance WQMPs can be implemented by using State, Federal or Local funding State funding comes from the TSSWCB WQMP Program allocation Federal funding can be CWA 319 funding or Farm Bill programs through the USDA

27 Questions?

28 Brian Koch Regional Watershed Coordinator Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board Wharton Regional Office 1120 Hodges Ln Wharton, TX v f bkoch@tsswcb.texas.gov Authorization for use or reproduction of any original material contained in this presentation is freely granted. TSSWCB would appreciate acknowledgement.