Scope of
Work
Funding Source
Funding provided by the Texas Commission on Environmental
Quality and EPA as part of a Clean Water Act Section 319(h)
Grant.
Background
This project addresses the tasks necessary for TCEQ, its partner
agencies, and its contractors to facilitate implementation of the
Arroyo Colorado Watershed Protection Plan (Arroyo WPP) to address
low dissolved oxygen in the tidal segment of the Arroyo Colorado.
The Arroyo Colorado WPP shall be completed under a previous Clean
Water Act Section 319(h) project through Texas Sea Grant.
Concurrent to WPP finalization, this project will begin
facilitating its implementation.
Since assessments of water quality were first conducted by the
state of Texas in the mid 1970s, the tidal segment of the Arroyo
Colorado (segment 2201) has consistently failed to meet the state's
water quality standards designed to protect aquatic life use in
tidal streams of the state. Segment 2201 is again included in the
most recent list of impaired water bodies of the state of Texas,
the draft 2004 Texas Clean Water Act Section 303(d) List, because
dissolved oxygen concentrations in the upper 8 miles of the segment
are often lower than the criteria established to assure optimum
conditions for aquatic life.
Extensive agricultural activity in the watershed and millions of
gallons of treated, marginally treated, and, essentially untreated
wastewater contribute to high levels of pollutants entering the
Arroyo Colorado on a daily basis. In addition to high loadings of
oxygen-demanding substances and nutrients, the Arroyo Colorado
stream system has been physically modified extensively to convey
storm water and wastewater produced within its watershed. The tidal
segment of the Arroyo is also dredged for navigation from the
intercoastal waterway in the Laguna Madre to the Port of
Harlingen.
In 1998 the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ)
initiated an effort to develop a TMDL for pollutants causing low
dissolved oxygen (DO) in the tidal segment of the Arroyo
Colorado.
The TMDL effort was completed in 2002. However, because of
lingering uncertainty surrounding cause-and-effect relationships
associated with the observed DO impairment, the TMDL analysis
completed in 2002 was unable to support a quantitative, water
quality target-based allocation of loadings of constituents
associated with DO dynamics in the tidal segment of the Arroyo
Colorado.
The Arroyo Colorado TMDL study completed in 2002 also concluded
the following:
- DO dynamics in the Arroyo Colorado are highly influenced by
physical characteristics of the stream (i.e. dredged tidal channel
hydraulics)
- Load reductions necessary to comply with current DO criteria
are not realistically achievable (i.e. the study found that a 90%
reduction in loading would be necessary)
- There is need for further study to gain a better understanding
of cause-and-effect relationships associated with the observed
impairment and also to reduce uncertainty in the analysis.
The (2002) TMDL effort did not result in TCEQ adoption. However,
as a direct result of this initial TMDL effort, TCEQ led efforts to
develop a comprehensive strategy to address low DO in the tidal
segment of the Arroyo Colorado. The strategy includes efforts to
reduce pollutant loadings, improve aquatic habitat, and conduct
additional monitoring and modeling for refinement of the existing
TMDL analysis. Development of the Arroyo Colorado Watershed
Protection Plan was a consensus-based effort initiated by a group
of stakeholders with assistance from several state and federal
agencies.
The stakeholder group associated with this project, the Arroyo
Colorado Watershed Partnership, was formed in Weslaco, Texas in
July, 2003 and includes members of the previous Arroyo Colorado
TMDL Stakeholder Committee and the Arroyo Colorado TMDL Science and
Technical Advisory Committee, both of which were formed in
1998.
The Arroyo Colorado Watershed Partnership, in close cooperation
with TCEQ, formed the Arroyo Colorado Watershed Steering Committee
and five separate work groups to provide direction for the
Partnership and to address and develop five major components of the
comprehensive Arroyo Colorado Watershed Protection Plan. These
components were identified as a result of TMDL development efforts
in the Arroyo Colorado and are as follows:
- Wastewater Infrastructure
- Agricultural Issues
- Habitat Restoration
- Further Study/ Refinement of TMDL Analysis
- Outreach and Education
The five workgroups created to address issues associated with
each of the components described above were responsible for
developing recommendations for improving water quality, including
reducing current pollutant loadings, restoring/improving aquatic
habitat, increasing public awareness and education, and conducting
additional monitoring and research. Recommendations provided by the
workgroups were integrated into the comprehensive Watershed
Protection Plan for the Arroyo Colorado.
Goals and Objectives
Recognizing the need to assist and track implementation of the
WPP, assess effectiveness of the WPP in improving water quality,
continue facilitation of the Arroyo Colorado Watershed Steering
Committee, provide necessary outreach and education, and seek
funding opportunities to ensure implementation of the WPP, TCEQ and
Arroyo Colorado Watershed Steering Committee will fund the position
of Watershed Coordinator and Grant Writer/Water Quality Analyst for
the Arroyo Colorado watershed.
This project will: 1) fund a watershed coordinator and grant
writer, 2) facilitate, coordinate, and track actual implementation
measures described in the WPP, 3) continue to identify additional
feasible measures for reducing pollutant loading to the Arroyo
Colorado, 4) identify and seek additional funding to continue
watershed protection efforts in the Arroyo Colorado, 5) link
partners and projects to available funding sources, 6) sponsor
local workshops with state, local, and regional agencies and
organizations, and 7) publicize and build awareness of the
watershed improvement efforts and bolster local support and
participation in these efforts. This project will also analyze all
available water quality monitoring data to examine and document
changes in pollutant loading, water quality, and habitat during the
implementation of the Arroyo Colorado WPP and continued outreach
and education efforts.
Facilitation, coordination and management of the Arroyo Colorado
Watershed Steering Committee and implementation of the WPP will
entail a substantial commitment of time and resources. The
Watershed Coordinator will provide a single point of contact for
activities of the work groups, manage and track work group
activities, facilitate information exchange among participants,
and, ultimately, ensure implementation of the WPP for the Arroyo
Colorado. The Arroyo Colorado Watershed Coordinator will be
responsible for coordinating management of the Steering Committee
and facilitating implementation of the WPP by providing the
extensive outreach and education activities that will be needed to
successfully achieve successful implementation.
The Grant Writer/Water Quality Analyst will identify and help
acquire additional resources for use by the Watershed Steering
Committee, Partnership, and individual work groups, to implement
the WPP. The Grant Writer/Water Quality Analyst will also compile
water quality data collected throughout the Arroyo and periodically
assess it for water quality trends and improvements.
Task 1: Project Administration
Objective: TWRI will effectively coordinate and
monitor all technical and financial activities performed under this
contract, prepare progress reports and a final report, and maintain
project files and data. TWRI will be responsible for hiring and
supervision of all project personnel. And TWRI will ensure regular
meetings and communication occur among project participants and
granting agency.
Task 2: Steering Committee and Work Group Facilitation
Objective: The ACWC will provide a
structure/encouragement for continued stakeholder participation and
involvement; arrange and facilitate Arroyo Colorado Watershed
Steering Committee meetings; ensure activities of work groups are
consistent with goals and objectives of the Watershed Steering
Committee and will advance the goal of implementing individual
components of the Watershed Protection Plan. The ACWC will also
document all Steering Committee and work group activities.
Task 3: Facilitate Watershed Protection Plan
Implementation
Objective: The ACWC will facilitate
implementation of the Watershed Protection Plan through outreach
and education activities in the Arroyo Colorado watershed, and
other activities designed to promote private and public support for
the implementation of the WPP. The ACWC will identify local,
regional and national groups and agencies planning, or engaging in
activities with goals similar to those of the Arroyo Colorado
Partnership and, to the highest extent practicable, coordinate and
integrate the efforts of the Arroyo Colorado Partnership with the
activities of the groups identified.
Task 4: Resource Identification and Grant Writing
Objective: Identify potential state, federal,
non-profit, and private sector resources useful to the Watershed
Partnership for implementation of the Watershed Protection Plan and
assist individual work groups in resource identification and grant
writing for activities and projects associated with individual work
group goals.
Task 5: Data Gathering and Analysis to Assess Effects of Water
Quality Protection Plan
Objective: The ACGC will assemble and maintain
a data clearinghouse for all data collected in the Arroyo and from
that data, evaluate changes in BOD, TSS, fecal bacteria, and
nutrient loading to Segments 2201 and 2202 of the Arroyo
Colorado.