Project Tasks
Task 1: Project Coordination and Administration
Objective: TWRI will organize an An Monitoring Oversight Committee to coordinate projrect efforts with all project participants. In addition, TWRI will ensure project goals are achieved in the manner proposed, summarize activities and achievements made throughout the course of the project by developing and submitting quarterly progress reports and a final report, hold regular meetings and maintain communication among all personnel involved.
Task 2: Compilation and Evaluation of Prior Studies and Data
Objective: TWRI, with assistance from members of the Ag Monitoring Oversight Committee, will compile historical water quality data and information from previous studies and conduct a detailed analysis of the most significant water quality parameters to investigate the trends and the different biological and physical process taking place in the watershed that contribute to changes in water quality in the Arroyo. These results will be organized and summarized for project participants to identify critical data gaps and these results will be provided to project personnel and for development of education materials.
Task 3: Inventory Conservation Practice Implementation
Objective: TAES-Temple, with assistance from TCE, USDA-NRCS, USDA-FSA, the TSSWCB Harlingen Regional Office, and the SWCDs, will identify all producers in the watershed, compile information on the location and types of Conservation Practices implemented in the Arroyo Colorado Watershed since 1995, assemble a geo-referenced database and develop a map (hard copy and electronic) displaying conservation practice implementation information collected, and transfer all information to use in targeting educational activities and identifying areas needing priority implementation work.
Task 4: Update Land Use/Land Cover Data
Objective: The Spatial Sciences Lab (SSL) will obtain data for the Arroyo Colorado Watershed including: 1998 LULC and major LULC changes since 1998; 2003 LANDSAT ETM+ Data, Path 26/ Row 42 and Path 27/ Row 42; applicable digital data on cropland from USDA - FSA; digital location data on citrus production from USDA-APHIS; digital data on locations of sugarcane fields from sugar mill; 2004 1m DOQ for Cameron, Hidalgo and Willacy counties; most recent digital data from irrigation districts; 1998 tile drainage data and if available, obtain updated data from TSSWCB and TCE; 1998 data on colonia and if available, obtain updated data from TWDB; 1998 data on non-colonia septic systems and if available, obtain updated data from Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council (LRGVDC); and 1998 data on land Application and if available, obtain updated data from NPDES Permits.
Task 5: Develop Quality Assurance Project Plan
Objective: TWRI will develop a project QAPP and submit it to TSSWCB and EPA for approval. TWRI will and provide annual revisions and necessary amendments as needed.
Task 6: Perform Sub-Watershed Monitoring and Measure Pollutant Attenuation in Drainage Ditches
Objective: TAMUK will perform water quality monitoring and develop Stage-discharge relationships at four drainage ditch sites. The data will be summarized in a report. In addition, TAMUK will assess the ability of the drainage ditches to mitigate nitrogen and phosphorus and with this information, TAMUK, with assistance from TAES, will develop a suite of suitable BMPs.
Task 7: BMPs to Reduce NPS Pollution at the Farm Level
Objective: TCE, TAES-Weslaco, and TAMUK will select suitable demonstration sites to assess loadings from agricultural runoff and leachate produced by different BMPs and compare traditional practices with innovative BMP for the 3 most representative crops of the watershed at 6 representative sites. Runoff and leachate samples will be collected by TAES-Weslaco for the different practices and laboratory analyses will be performed to determine agricultural loadings such as nutrients and solutes. TCE will conduct one field day and one result demonstration per year to demonstrate and transfer the results to farmers and interested persons.
Task 8: Develop Final Report
Objective: TWRI, with assistance from TAES and TAMUK, will prepare final report for submittal to the TSSWCB.