Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Dickinson Bayou: A TMDL Project and Use Assessment for Bacteria Troubled Waters


Dickinson Bayou: A TMDL Project and Use Assessment for Bacteria




A current project to survey recreational uses and develop and implement a TMDL to reduce bacteria. The TMDL is completed; the I-Plan is in development.




Background and Goals





High concentrations of bacteria measured in Dickinson Bayou Tidal, Segment 1103, and four of its tributaries might pose a health risk for people who swim or wade in the bayou. Bacteria from human and animal waste may indicate the presence of disease-causing microorganisms that may cause illness. Swimming and other forms of recreation in which people come into direct contact with the water are referred to as contact recreation in the state's standards for the quality of streams, lakes, and bays.



The TMDL project will characterize the sources of bacteria in the watershed of the bayou and develop a plan to improve water quality. The goal of the TMDL is to reduce bacteria concentrations to within acceptable risk levels for contact recreation.



The TCEQ will also conduct a recreational use survey and attainability analysis for part of the bayou. Recreational use-attainability analyses (RUAAs) are conducted to determine which of the four recreational use categories is appropriate for a particular water body. During an RUAA project, staff usually collect:



Information on a water body, such as the presence or absence of water recreation activities, stream flow type, stream depth Information about the frequency and types of recreation for which the water body is currently used Data on physical conditions in a water body





Adopted Total Maximum Daily Loads



On February 8, 2012, the commission adopted:



Eight Total Maximum Daily Loads for Indicator Bacteria in Dickinson Bayou and Three Tidal Tributaries (PDF) On June 6, 2012, the EPA approved the TMDLs, at which time they became part of the state’s Water Quality Management Plan. Learn more about the Water Quality Management Plan.



Return to top



Reports



Final Technical Support Document



Public Participation



Stakeholders in the watershed have formed the Dickinson Bayou Watershed Partnership to implement activities that improve water quality in Dickinson Bayou. Information about the Partnership’s meetings is available on their Web site. The TCEQ is working with this existing forum to participate with the public in developing and implementing the TMDL project. Other partners include the Houston-Galveston Area Council, the Galveston Bay Estuary Program, and the Texas Cooperative Extension.




Meeting Records, TCEQ-Led Meetings









Dickinson Bayou Watershed Partnership Meeting Notes 8/24/2011 • Attendees were welcomed and the meeting was brought to order by Charriss York, Texas Coastal Watershed Program (TCWP). • Following introductions of TCWP and Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) staff, a brief background of the Dickinson Bayou Watershed Partnership was given • Charriss York gave a presentation including an update on the Dickinson Bayou Bacteria Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) progress including an overview of the process for the upcoming public comment period • Ms. York also gave an update to the Bacteria TMDL implementation plan that workgroups have been working on since Febryary. Management measures determine by each of the three work groups (On‐site Sewage Facilities, Wastewater Treatment Facilities, and Animal Sources) and their associated load reductions were discussed.



• A copy of Ms. York’s presentation can be found at:










• Questions/comments were taken throughout the presentation these include: o Partnership members asked that in the future bacteria load reductions be presented in a more meaningful and easy to understand fashion such as representing the bayou as a 55 gallon barrel and pollution loads a portion of that barrel o Questions about septic systems and who is responsible for permitting them in the watershed o Questions about the chemicals used in wastewater treatment facilities and how they impact the bayou o Recommendation to include information about other types of pollution such as pharmaceuticals








SFR-066/11 January 2012



Managing Nonpoint Source Pollution in Texas: 2011 Annual Report by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and the Texas State Soil & Water Conservation Board



Dickinson Bayou Watershed Protection Plan Implementation Project



Dickinson Bayou does not meet water quality standards for DO or pathogen indicator bacteria. The Dickinson Bayou Watershed Protection Plan (WPP) outlines a series of actions for improving the overall health of the watershed and reducing the amount of pollutants entering the Bayou. These actions are based on the vision and goals proposed for the watershed by a broad group of stakeholders representing individual citizens, non-profit and commercial interests, and local, state, and federal governmental entities.



For the initial implementation phase of the Dickinson Bayou WPP, the Texas AgriLife Extension Service (AgriLife Extension) proposed short-term implementation measures through a CWA Section 319 grant with the TCEQ. Several on-the-ground demonstrations of site specific BMPs were funded through this grant. This funding helped develop educational workshops for many different groups, NPS-related fact sheets, a pet waste education campaign, lesson plans for teachers, and also provided youth education using watershed models.



For on-the-ground implementation, AgriLife Extension worked with Clear Creek School District and City of League City officials on a storm water wetland (four acres) project at the Education Village on FM 96 in the northeast portion of the Dickinson Bayou watershed. AgriLife Extension staff also worked with the City of Dickinson and Keep Dickinson Beautiful to install a rain garden (0.02 acres) and a roof rain catchment cistern (0.03 acres) at the Dickinson Public Library. In addition, AgriLife Extension staff collaborated with representatives from the City of Dickinson to install a new watersmart landscape (0.23 acres) consisting of native trees and shrubs around the new city hall complex. AgriLife Extension staff also partnered with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) Dickinson Marine Laboratory to design and install their new watersmart landscape (0.012 acres).



The Simple Method for calculating urban storm water loads from the Center for Watershed Protection was used to determine load reduction from these on-the-ground BMPs. Estimated reductions are:



Phosphorus 356 lbs



Nitrogen 770 lbs




SNIP...















133 PAGE REPORT AS FOLLOWS ;




***303(d) List for elevated levels of bacteria, PCBs, dioxins in edible fish tissue, and impaired macrobenthic communities



Clean Water Act 319(h) Nonpoint Source Pollution Control Program Development of a Watershed Protection Plan for Cedar Bayou



TSSWCB Project Number 10-08



Revision No. 0



Monitoring Quality Assurance Project Plan Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board



Prepared by:



Houston-Galveston Area Council 3555 Timmons Lane, Suite 120 Houston, TX 77027



Effective Period: Upon EPA Approval through October 31, 2013 (With annual revisions required)



Questions concerning this quality assurance project plan should be directed to: Justin Bower P.O. Box 22777 Houston, TX 77227-2777 (713) 499-6653 Justin.Bower@H-GAC.com



Project No. 10-08 Section A5 Revision No. 0 8/29/12 Page 15



In the 2008 Texas Water Quality Inventory (TWQI) and 303(d) List, Cedar Bayou Above Tidal (0902) is listed as impaired for macrobenthic communities. Cedar Bayou Tidal (0901) is listed as non-supporting of the contact recreation standard due to elevated levels of indicator bacteria, and is also impaired for PCBs and Dioxin in edible fish tissue.



In the 2010 Integrated Report for Clean Water Act Sections 305(b) and 303(d), the same impairments exist, with the exception of a delisting of Segment 0902 for impaired macrobenthic communities. However, the 2010 Integrated Report also indicates that Segment 0902 has concerns for impaired macrobenthic communities and depressed dissolved oxygen, while Segment 0901 has a concern for chlorophyll-a.



Cedar Bayou Tidal is part of the Houston Ship Channel and Upper Galveston Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) project for Dioxin and Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) in Fish Tissue. Additionally, the TMDL for Upper Galveston Bay (Segment 2421), currently being addressed in the Upper Gulf Coast Oyster Waters TMDL Implementation Plan, is potentially affected by flow from the Bayou. Some aspects of nonpoint source (NPS) pollution are being addressed by the City of Baytown and the Joint Task Force (Harris County, Harris County Flood Control District, the City of Houston, and the Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT) through their respective TPDES storm water permits, which include areas in the Harris County portions of the watershed. Cedar Bayou supports appreciable recreational activity, including boating, swimming, and fishing, which could be impacted by these water quality impairments. Cedar Bayou is also a tributary to the Galveston Bay system, thus these contaminants potentially impact a wide range of economic and ecological interests even beyond their watershed of origin. To that end, H-GAC sought CWA §319(h) grant funding from the EPA through the TSSWCB for the development of a watershed protection plan for Cedar Bayou, resulting in this project.





SNIP...SEE 133 PAGES OF HOW AND WHAT THEY INTEND ON DOING









2010 REPORT ON TROUBLED WATERS GALVESTON BAY




Water bodies must meet certain standards for recreational uses, including swimming, wading and fishing, or they will be listed as impaired by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). Only six stream segments within the region are considered acceptable for recreation. The causes for the impairments vary, however, the most significant water quality concern throughout the region continues to be high levels of bacteria. Toxicity, particularly dioxin in fish tissue, is also a problem in 75% of the region’s tidal water ways, though generally isolated to the Houston Ship Channel and Galveston Bay. Several Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) studies are currently under way to address these issues.


SEE PAGE 6 ;


Summary of Water Quality Impairments and Concerns


Basin & Segment Name Number DO Bacteria Nutrients Dioxin/PCBs Other Frog(s)


X’S = FROGS IN THIS FORMAT...TSS


Trinity - San Jacinto Coastal Basin


Cedar Bayou Above Tidal 902 100 X X X X


X X X X Impairment or concern exists in the water body


Cedar Bayou Tidal 901 100 100 100 X


X Severe, multiple water quality impairments and/or concerns exist in the majority of the water body



SNIP...



Regional Concerns



• Most water bodies in our region are considered unsuitable for recreational activities like swimming.



• More than half of our waterways do not meet state guidelines due to elevated levels of bacteria.



• More than 74% of the region’s waterways have elevated levels of nutrients.



• Approximately 27% of the region’s waterways have low levels of dissolved oxygen.



• Nearly 75% of our tidal waterways are impaired by dioxin or PCBs in fish tissue.



SNIP...



2010 Basin Highlights Report 8



Most Improved/Degraded Streams for Bacteria



SNIP...



Most Degraded



Water quality tests show that Clear Creek Above Tidal, Dickinson Bayou Tidal, Chocolate Bayou Tidal, and Lake Conroe stream segments have increased bacteria levels up to 900%.



Pinpointing the exact causes of increased bacteria levels is difficult. Overall, failing septic tanks, sanitary sewer overflows, poorly maintained waste water treatment plants, agriculture, livestock, and pet waste are the usual sources. The real questions are which of those sources are responsible for the largest portions of the bacteria problem and how do we prioritize the solutions.



For example, in the Dickinson Bayou Tidal stream segment, an increase in development as well as sanitary sewer line breaks that discharged a large amount of untreated sewage into the bayou are two significant factors leading to increased bacteria levels. The TCEQ is currently conducting a TMDL study in the Dickinson Bayou segment to help determine which sources are contributing to the bacteria problem.




Texas Sea Grant is also developing a Watershed Protection Plan to recommend actions that can be taken by local communities to reduce bacteria.





*** Water Bodies Impaired by Bacteria* SEE MAP PAGE 10



*** Water Bodies Impaired by Dioxin/PCBs in Fish Tissue* SEE MAP PAGE 11








2008 REPORT ON TROUBLED WATERS GALVESTON BAY



Ranking Key a 1 Frog = Significant water quality impairment and/or concerns have been identified.



a Cedar Bayou Tidal (0901) Major tributaries: Cary Bayou, McGee Gully



The tidal portion of Cedar Bayou is currently listed as not meeting its fish consumption use due to elevated levels of dioxin in catfish and crab tissue. The segment is also listed as impaired due to elevated levels of bacteria. In addition, PCBs in edible tissue were added to the Draft 303(d) List in 2008.



In response to a seafood advisory issued for the area by the DSHS in 1990, a TMDL was initiated for dioxin. Researchers are investigating the extent and level of dioxin contamination in sediment and tissue in the HSC and Upper Galveston Bay.



The ongoing dioxin TMDL study was divided into three separate phases. The first phase focused on assessing current conditions, the second on data gathering for all media types in order to quantify dioxin levels and the third is currently focusing on model development and load allocation. H-GAC began monitoring and collecting conventional chemical parameters along with bacteria in the tidal portion of the bayou in September 2007.

















VIDEO of ANNUAL MASSIVE FLOUNDER FISH KILL OFF BACLIFF, SAN LEON, AND BAYVIEW...



Galveston County BACLIFF TEXAS FLOUNDER FISH KILL MASSIVE AUGUST 11, 2012


see video of massive flounder kill with Seabreeze article September 6, 2012 ;


Thousands of Flounder Killed on San Leon Bacliff Shoreline (AGAIN)













additional sources for flounder kill video;










Who is responsible for this major screw-up? I believe it is a combination of HL&P not doing the dredging they agreed to do, and the Army Corps of Engineers not verifying that work was performed. It all has to do with money. We have put all of the documentation on our web site. To see the flounder kill video and copies of the permits and the drawings of the proposed dredging that was never done please visit ; Spillway inlet outlet canal Permit 5972 Hwy 146 Bacliff Texas pdf file














October 10, 2012


IKE DIKE PROPOSED BY RICE UNIVERSITY hangs our Bayshore communities out to dry, IN 25 FEET OF WATER, to make way for WATERFRONT RECREATION $$$







see toxic shit islands (GLIT i.e. glue and shit), being built around the shit channel, from dredge materials, and being passed off as a benefit for the community by the Army Corp. Eng. and parties involved.



GLIT ISLAND






GLIT ISLAND DOCK






GLIT ISLAND TRACTOR SPREADING A LOAD OF ?






JUST NORTH OF GLIT ISLAND, YOU HAVE MANY MORE GLIT TYPE ISLANDS BEING MANUFACTURED






1ST GLIT TYPE ISLAND PAST THE ORIGINAL GLIT ISLAND, WE HAVE GLIT ISLAND 2


GLID ISLAND 2






see tractors and pattern works here ???



zoom in and zoom out











JUST PAST THAT, GLIT ISLAND 3



GLIT ISLAND 3


(you can see the dredge way to the right of the photo. zoom in, and look at the waters of the bay from the dragline...)








ZOOM IN








GLIT ISLAND 4, JUST NORTH OF GLIT ISLAND 3,



GLIT ISLAND 4 SEEMS TO BE CONNECTED TO MANY GLIT TYPE ISLANDS NOW BEING FORMED AND FILLED IN, that eventually, once running northward, start to turn green, just before the Atkinson Island Wildlife Management area









Sunday, December 9, 2012



RICE DIKE PROPOSAL COULD DESTROY GALVESTON BAY BAYSHORE COMMUNITIES









TSS





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