2026 Technical Reports
TR-570 Continued Monitoring on Deer and Pond Creeks to Support Watershed Characterization
Author: Anna Eismont
Deer Creek and Pond Creek are located within the larger Brazos River Basin. Deer Creek begins west of the unincorporated community of Chilton and flows east to its confluence with the Brazos River within Falls County. Pond Creek begins northwest of the unincorporated community of Belfalls and flows southeast to the Brazos River in Milam County. AUs within both watersheds are listed as impaired in the Texas Integrated Report (TCEQ, 2024). This report will focus on the impaired AUs on Deer Creek (1242J_01) and Pond Creek (1242F_01).
Water quality in these creeks as reported in the Texas Integrated Report currently exceeds primary recreational use standards for bacteria concentrations (TCEQ, 2024). Deer Creek was first listed in the 2006 Texas Integrated Report (TCEQ, 2006) and an AU of Pond Creek was designated impaired in 2010 (TCEQ, 2010). In the 2024 report, the Escherichia coli (E. coli) geometric means for these creeks ranged from approximately 187 to 242 most probable number (MPN) /100 mL, which is above the applicable water quality primary contact recreation standards of 126 MPN/100 mL in place for the tributaries (TCEQ, 2024).
TR-573 Town Creek Watershed Characterization
Author: Ali Akram Niazi and Michael Schramm
The Town Creek Watershed is approximately 31,821 acres that ultimately drain to Keechi Creek and
the Trinity River. The watershed includes portions of the City of Palestine and Anderson
County. Town Creek is Segment 0804L in the Texas Integrated Report on Water Quality, and includes
a single Assessment Unit, 0804L_01. Bassett Creek, 0804M_01 and 0804M_02, is a tributary to
Town Creek that roughly split Town Creek in half near the western edge of Palestine.
The 2024 Texas Integrated Report on Water Quality (Texas Integrated Report) indicates that Town
Creek (0804L) is impaired for Recreation Use due to excessive bacteria. It had a geometric mean of
529.23 cfu/100mL for 28 samples collected from December 2015 through November 2022. The Texas
Integrated Report also includes concerns for exceedances of the nutrient screening levels for Nitrate
and Total Phosphorus. Bassett Creek (0804M) is listed impaired for Aquatic Life Uses due to impaired fish and microbenthic communities.
