2020 Technical Reports

Authors: Anna Gitter, Lucas Gregory, Brian Hux, John Boswell, Terry Gentry, Carlos Monserrat, Elizabeth Casarez, Kristina Mena

The 2018 Texas Integrated Report of Surface Water Quality identified 250 waterbodies as being impaired due to excessive bacteria in Texas. To identify bacterial sources and help address these impairments, Texas established the Bacterial Source Tracking (BST) Program in 2006. To support the maintenance, expansion, and use of the Texas BST Library and other BST tools, the Texas Water Resources Institute (TWRI), University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health, El Paso Campus, Environmental Microbiology Laboratory (UTSPH EP), and the Texas A&M AgriLife Research, Department of Soil and Crop Sciences (SCSC) collaborated with the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board (TSSWCB) to 1) expand the Texas Escherichia coli (E. coli) BST Library through known source sample collection in the Mission and Aransas river watersheds; 2) support BST efforts in the Mission and Aransas river watersheds; 3) evaluate and refine the Texas E. coli BST Library by assessing geographic and temporal stability, composition, average rates of correct classification, diversity of source isolates of the updated library, and working to develop/refine source-specific PCR markers; and 4) provide outreach regarding BST. Major findings from the project included:

• The current version of the Texas E. coli BST Library now contains 1,912 isolates from 1,653 known source fecal samples retrieved from 4,301 individual known source samples in over 20 watersheds. An additional 30 isolates from the Mission and Aransas Rivers were added to the BST Library.
• BST analysis in the Mission & Aransas watersheds indicate that wildlife (non-avian and avian) are the leading contributors of E. coli in the two individual watersheds, followed by domestic animals and humans.
• Analysis of the Texas E. coli BST Library and qPCR markers identified: 1) the need for continued evaluation of geographic impacts on source identification as the statewide library continues to expand and 2) potential application of new human-specific qPCR markers for future BST projects in Texas.
• Outreach of the BST Program resulted in:
  • Three conferences and five meetings where BST Program results were shared with the public.
  • The Texas BST Program website was updated as part of the Texas Water Resources Institute’s overall website redesign.
  • The BST Program had 385 visits.

Authors: Jaime Flores

Texas Water Resources Institute (TWRI) implemented the Contract Name: Arroyo Colorado Watershed Protection Plan (WPP) Implementation – Los Fresnos Best Management Practices (BMPs) Implementation Contract Number: 582-17-70357, from August 1 2016 through August 31, 2020.  This project was funded by a Clean Water Act Section 319(h) Nonpoint Source Grant from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This project funded the implementation of selected low impact development (LID) improvements that are outlined in the Update to the Arroyo Colorado Watershed Protection Plan (2017).  Two sites in the city of Los Fresnos were selected: the City of Los Fresnos Nature Park and the Los Fresnos City Independent School District High School student parking lot and stormwater detention basin.

Los Fresnos developed a 20-acre nature park immediately south of the Los Fresnos High School, with funding in part from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, on land purchased with Coastal Impact Assistance Program funds. With this Contract, LID elements were installed in the nature park including the installation of a bio-retention basin in the parking lot, a rainwater collection system from the roof of the restroom building to a stormwater cistern, installation of a bio-swale to capture stormwater overflow from the cistern and educational signage. High school classes are also able to utilize the park as an outdoor classroom for a variety of natural sciences- and natural resource-based classwork.

The Los Fresnos High School has a large, sloped parking lot that drains into a stormwater detention basin that happens to be part of an abandoned Resaca.  With this Contract, several LID, BMPS were implemented including planting native trees, shrubs and flowers in the detention basin to remove sediments and pollutants from the stormwater, install interpretive signage to identify the native trees and plants and trained Los Fresnos science students to conduct Citizen Water Quality Monitoring in the parking lot, with water testing kits from the Texas Stream Team. The high school was able to incorporate this experiential learning into their Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) curricula.

Authors: Brian Hux, John Boswell, Terry Gentry, Stephanie deVilleneuve

To better characterize sources of bacteria that are entering the Trinity and Galveston Bays a water quality monitoring regime was employed to gather information needed to address bacteria concerns in five watersheds of the bays through Bacteria Source Tracking (BST). The BST further characterized the watersheds and supports the implementation of the following watershed-based plans: Double Bayou Watershed Protection Plan (WPP), Cedar Bayou WPP, The Bacteria Implementation Group (BIG) Implementation Plan and Dickinson Bayou WPP. This information will help decision-makers determine the most appropriate management measures needed to reduce bacteria in the waterbodies. Monthly sampling was conducted by the Texas Water Resources Institute (TWRI) at one site each on Buffalo, Double, Cedar and Dickinson Bayous, and Clear Creek for one year. Samples were delivered to the Soil and Aquatic Microbiology Laboratory (SAML) for processing in preparation for BST. TWRI worked with local experts to determine how many samples were needed from various sources of bacteria. A total of 75 known source samples were collected and delivered to SAML. SAML used the samples to supplement the Texas Escherichia (E. coli) BST Library where isolates were added using the Enterobacterial Repetitive Intergenic Consensus Polymerase (ERIC-PCR) and RiboPrinting combination method. SAML also conducted library-dependent BST and analyzed 240 E. coli isolates from the 60 collected water samples. The results of the analysis indicated that over 50 percent of the collected isolates originated from wildlife.

Authors: Ed Rhodes, Allen Berthold

Historical water quality monitoring data for the Mission and Aransas rivers, located on the Texas Gulf coast, had shown that the water bodies did not meet water quality standards for recreation due to elevated levels of Enterococci. The tidal segments of the Mission and Aransas rivers were classified as impaired beginning with the 2004 Texas Water Quality Inventory and 303(d) List. This subsequently led to the development of a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) and Implementation Plan to address pollutants in these waterbodies. Under the current project, water quality monitoring was conducted from November 2018 to June 2020, occurring twice per quarter, to supplement the ongoing quarterly Clean Rivers Program monitoring. Supplemental monitoring shows a marked decline in Enterococci levels over the duration of the project, suggesting that water quality in the watersheds may be improving.

Authors: Anna Gitter, Mohneesh Nayal, Jacqueline Rambo, Luna Yang, Lucas Gregory

The Thompsons Creek watershed lies in the greater Brazos River above Navasota watershed and includes three tributaries that are listed as impaired. The three tributaries, including portions of Cottonwood Branch (1242B_01 and 1242B_02), Still Creek (1242C_02) and Thompsons Creek (1242D_01 and 1242D_02) are all identified as impaired for elevated concentrations of Escherichia coli (E. coli) in the 2020 Texas Integrated Report of Surface Water Quality for the Clean Water Act Sections 305(b) and 303(d). Elevated concentrations of E. coli have been identified in the watershed since as early as 2002. This characterization addresses the E. coli impairments in the Thompsons Creek watershed with supplementary water quality monitoring and a review of the current demographic, climatic, physical and hydrological conditions of the watershed. Existing data for water quality parameters, flow, livestock, wildlife, stormwater permits and a number of on-site sewage facilities have been analyzed to develop a better understanding of potential causes and sources of bacteria pollution. Future work for the watershed will include continued water quality and flow monitoring and meeting with local stakeholders to discuss objectives to address the bacteria impairments in the watershed.

Authors: Diane Boellstorff, John W. Smith, Emily Monroe, Rebecca Bowling, Reagan Hejl, Joel Pigg

The Healthy lawns and Healthy Waters (HLHW) education program delivered 14 science-based, community-responsive programs across the state to 398 Texans. Through the Texas Water Resources Institute and the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences within Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, Texans have received free education focusing on turf management, soil testing, proper fertilization and pesticide application, efficient irrigation, and water resource management. The goal for this program has been to provide residents with a connection between home lawn care practices and the quality of water in their watershed. This report includes the presentations, pre- and post-tests, follow-up surveys, and an overview of the program from October 2017 through August 2020. It is a Clean Water Act Section 319(h) grant funded by the US Environmental Protection Agency through the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Contract No. 582-17-70356.

Authors: Stephanie deVilleneuve

Middle Yegua Creek, Davidson Creek and Deer Creek have all been identified as impaired for elevated concentrations of Escherichia coli (E. coli) in the 2018 Texas Integrated Report of Surface Water Quality for the Clean Water Act Sections 305(b) and 303(d). Davidson Creek was also listed in the 2018 Texas Integrated Report as impaired for depressed dissolved oxygen. Elevated levels of E. coli have been identified in the Middle Yegua Creek watershed since as early as 2010. For the Davidson Creek watershed, elevated bacteria levels were first identified in 2002 and depressed dissolved oxygen in 2010. For the Deer Creek watershed, the bacteria impairment was first identified in 2006. The primary objectives of this project were to evaluate existing data within the project areas, identify causes and sources of pollution, engage local stakeholders, provide educational programs and assess water quality. The result of meeting these objectives was a thorough characterization of the Middle Yegua Creek, Davidson Creek and Deer Creek watersheds which will help stakeholders with future watershed planning efforts.

Authors: Stephanie deVilleneuve, Luna Yang, Jacqueline Rambo, Michael Schramm, Allen Berthold

Middle Yegua Creek, Davidson Creek and Deer Creek have all been identified as impaired for elevated concentrations of Escherichia coli (E. coli) in the 2018 Texas Integrated Report of Surface Water Quality for the Clean Water Act Sections 305(b) and 303(d). Davidson Creek was also listed in the 2018 Texas Integrated Report as impaired for depressed dissolved oxygen. Elevated levels of E. coli have been identified in the Middle Yegua Creek watershed since as early as 2010. For the Davidson Creek watershed, elevated bacteria levels were first identified in 2002 and depressed dissolved oxygen in 2010. For the Deer Creek watershed, the bacteria impairment was first identified in 2006. This characterization addresses the E. coli impairments in the Middle Yegua Creek, Davidson Creek and Deer Creek watersheds with supplementary water quality monitoring and a review of the current demographic, climatic, physical and hydrological conditions of the watersheds. Existing data for water quality parameters, flow, livestock, wildlife, stormwater permits and a number of on-site sewage facilities have been analyzed to develop a better understanding of potential causes and sources of bacteria pollution.

Authors: Emily Monroe, Lucas Gregory, Jeremiah Poling, Ken Awtrey

From October 2017 through February 2020, Texas Water Resources Institute (TWRI) implemented the “Attoyac Bayou Watershed Protection Plan Implementation – On-Site Sewage Facility (OSSF) Remediation” project, Contract #582-17-70355, funded by a Clean Water Act Section 319(h) Nonpoint Source Grant from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This project funded the repair, replacement and initial installment of OSSFs for 24 residences in the Attoyac Bayou Watershed from Nacogdoches, Rusk, San Augustine and Shelby counties. Remediating these systems impacted water quality by reducing potential bacteria and nutrient loads into nearby waterbodies. The E. coli load reduction to the watershed is estimated to be 1.245E+14 cfu/100 mL. The daily potential total nitrogen (TN) load reduction is estimated to be 54.06 g TN/day. The daily potential total phosphorus (TP) load reduction is estimated to be 62.04 g TP/day. The total suspended solids (TSS) load reduction is estimated to be 2,507.45 g TSS/day. The potential 5-day biological oxygen demand (BOD5) load reduction is estimated to be 2,303 g BOD5/day. Additionally, the project recommended best management practices for OSSF data management to TCEQ and worked with Rusk County to develop a plan to digitize OSSF records.

Authors: Nathan Glavy, Lucas Gregory, Clare Escamilla, Isabella Garrone, and Nikki Dictson

The Delivery of a Watershed Coordinator Development Program or Texas Watershed Planning Short Course (WPSC) project provides this training and is funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) through the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board (TSSWCB).

Through a coordinated effort led by the Texas Water Resources Institute (TWRI), the WPSC project brought together many partners to develop and conduct the project tasks and deliverables. The project supports the Texas Nonpoint Source Management Program’s goal of protecting and restoring water quality. It provides training to water professionals and supports the goal of data collection and assessment and implementation by providing these water and natural resource professionals with knowledge and tools to conduct studies to determine sources of pollution and to develop and implement strategies to address pollution in impaired water bodies.

The first in the state and only course in the country on the required EPA nine elements, this project has educated many water professionals, ensuring watershed protection efforts are adequately implemented and improving water quality restoration efforts statewide.