greens bayou - segment 1016 - · pdf file11371 greens bayou at us 59 nine times ... of greens...
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Hall s Bayou
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GREENS BAYOU - SEGMENT 1016
Assessment Stations for the 2010 Texas Integrated ReportUse Impairment Bacteria
Dissolved Oxygen
ID11124, 11125, 11369, 11370, 11371, 11376, 13778, 16589, 16590, 16676, 1749516676
Location Map
Number of Outfalls: 108 Total Population2000 80,5672010 (Proj.) 309,8292035 (Proj.) 486,539
Watershed Boundary!. Monitoring Station"/ USGS Flow Station_̂ Texas Stream Team# Wastewater Outfall
Major RoadWaterwayCounty BoundaryCity, Town or Place
Land Cover (2008)High Intensity DevelopedLow Intensity DevelopedOpen Space DevelopedCultivatedGrassland/ShrubForestWoody WetlandHerbaceous WetlandBareOpen Water
Ü0 21 Miles
0 21 Kilometers
Area of ImpairmentBacteriaBacteria, Dissolved Oxygen
Degree of Impairment and Overall Trends Segment ID Dissolved Oxygen Bacteria Nutrients PCBs/Dioxin Chlorophyll a Other1016 100 100 1016A 82 82 1016B 100 1016C 100 100 1016D 100 100 100
Segment Number: 1016 Name: Greens Bayou Above Tidal Length: 24 miles Watershed Area: 139 square miles Designated Uses: Contact Recreation; Limited Aquatic Life Use
Number of Active Monitoring Stations: 11 Texas Stream Team Monitors: 0 Permitted Outfalls: 138
Description:
From a point 0.7 km (0.4 miles) above the confluence of Halls Bayou in Harris County to a point 100 meters (110 yards) above FM 1960 in Harris County Sub‐Segment 1016A: Garners Bayou (unclassified water body)—From the Greens Bayou confluence upstream to the Williams Gully confluence Sub‐Segment 1016B: Unnamed Tributary of Greens Bayou (unclassified water body)—From the Greens Bayou Above Tidal confluence to Hirsch
Road Sub‐Segment 1016C: Unnamed Tributary of Greens Bayou (unclassified water body)—From the Greens Bayou Above Tidal confluence to 1.8
km (0.99 mi) west of IH‐45 Sub‐Segment 1016D: Unnamed Tributary of Greens Bayou (unclassified water body)—From the Greens Bayou Above Tidal confluence to 0.19
km (0.12 mi) west of JFK Blvd
FY 2011 Active Monitoring Stations
Site ID Site Description Frequency Monitoring Entity Parameter Groups
11124 Unnamed Trib of Greens Bayou at Green Ranch Road
Nine Times / Year COH / HHS Field, Conventional, Bacteria
11125 Garners Bayou at Beltway 8 North Nine Times / Year COH / HHS Field, Conventional, Bacteria
Indicates general improvement Indicates general degradation Numbers indicate percent of segment impaired
11369 Greens Bayou at Tidwell Road Nine Times / Year COH / HHS Field, Conventional, Bacteria 11369 Greens Bayou at Tidwell Road Quarterly TCEQ Field, Conventional, Bacteria, Chlorophyll‐a, Flow 11370 Greens Bayou at Mt Houston Parkway Nine Times / Year COH / HHS Field, Conventional, Bacteria 11371 Greens Bayou at US 59 Nine Times / Year COH / HHS Field, Conventional, Bacteria 11376 Greens Bayou at West Greens Parkway Nine Times / Year COH / HHS Field, Conventional, Bacteria 13778 Greens Bayou at Knobcrest Street Nine Times / Year COH / HHS Field, Conventional, Bacteria 16589 Garners Bayou at Old Humble Road Nine Times / Year COH / HHS Field, Conventional, Bacteria 16590 Unnamed Trib of Greens Bayou at Mesa Dr Nine Times / Year COH / HHS Field, Conventional, Bacteria 16676 Unnamed Trib of Greens Bayou at Smith Rd Nine Times / Year COH / HHS Field, Conventional, Bacteria 17495 Greens Bayou at Mills Road Nine Times / Year COH / HHS Field, Conventional, Bacteria
Segment 1016
Standards Screening Levels Temperature (°C): 33 Ammonia (mg/L): 0.33Dissolved Oxygen (24‐Hr Average) (mg/L): 3.0 Nitrate‐N (mg/L): 1.95Dissolved Oxygen (Absolute Minima) (mg/L): 2.0 Orthophosphate Phosphorus (mg/L): 0.37pH (standard units): 6.5‐9.0 Total Phosphorus (mg/L): 0.69E. coli (MPN/100mL) (grab): 394 Chlorophyll‐a (µg/L): 14.1E. coli (MPN/100 mL) (geometric mean): 126Chloride (mg/L as Cl): 150Sulfate (mg/L as SO4): 150Total Dissolved Solids (mg/L): 1,000
Water Quality Issues Summary
Issue
2008
Assessm
ent
Draft 2010
Assessm
ent Affected
Area Possible Causes / Influences / Concerns Voiced by Stakeholders
Possible Solutions / Actions To Be Taken
Elevated Levels of Bacteria
I I Entire segment
‐ WWTP non‐compliance, overflows, collection system by‐passes
‐ Small, privately‐run WWTP ‐ Developments with septic tanks especially in the
lower portion of the watershed ‐ Rapid urbanization and increased impervious
‐ Increase monitoring requirements for self‐reporting
‐ Impose new or stricter bacteria limits than those designated by TCEQ
‐ Require all systems to develop and implement a utility asset management program and protect
cover ‐ Constructed storm water controls failing ‐ Direct and dry weather discharges ‐ Waste haulers illegal discharges/improper
disposal ‐ Improper or no pet waste disposal ‐ Animal waste from agricultural production,
hobby farms, and riding stables
against power outages at lift stations or provide alternative power supplies during outages
‐ Regionalize wastewater treatment to prevent or minimize number of small package plants and reduce septic tank dependency
‐ Require larger partials of land in developments platted to use OSSF
‐ More public education regarding OSSF operations and maintenance
‐ More public education on pet waste disposal ‐ Improve storm water controls in new
developments by adding bacteria reduction measures
‐ Improve compliance and enforcement of existing storm water quality permits to minimize
‐ Improve construction oversight to minimize TSS discharges to waterways.
‐ Implement stream fencing or alternative water supplies to keep livestock out of or away from waterways
‐ Promote and implement Water Quality Management Plans for individual agricultural properties
‐ Protect or install vegetative buffers along waterways
Dissolved Oxygen
I I 1016D_01 ‐ Excessive nutrients and organic matter from WWTP effluent, sanitary sewer overflows, malfunctioning OSSFs, illegal disposal of grease trap waste, biodegradable solid waste such as grass clippings and pet waste
‐ Excessive nutrients and organic matter from agricultural production, and related activities
‐ Industrial discharge of high temperature water
‐ Improve compliance and enforcement of existing storm water quality permits
‐ Improve operation and maintenance of existing WWTP and collection systems
‐ Regionalize wastewater treatment to prevent or minimize number of small package plants and reduce septic tank dependency
‐ More public education regarding pet waste disposal
‐ More public education regarding disposal of household fats, oils, and grease
‐ More stringent OSSF maintenance and education
‐ Create and implement Water Quality Management Plans for individual agricultural properties
‐ Install and/or maintain riparian buffer areas between agricultural fields or animal pens and along all waterways
Elevated Levels of Nutrients
C C Entire segment except 1016B in 2010. AUID 1016B not assessed in 2008.
‐ Fertilizer runoff from urbanized properties such as landscaped areas, residential lawns, and sport fields
‐ Fertilizer runoff from surrounding watershed promote algal growth in waterways
‐ Nutrient loading from WWTPs effluent, sanitary sewer overflows, and malfunctioning OSSFs promote algal growth
‐ Implement YardWise and Watersmart landscape practices
‐ Create and implement Water Quality Management Plans for individual agricultural properties
‐ Riparian buffer areas between agricultural fields and waterways
‐ Reduce or manage fertilizer runoff from agricultural areas
‐ Improve storm water controls in new developments
‐ Improve compliance and enforcement of existing storm water quality permits.
‐ Support/continue/initiate public education regarding nutrients and consequences
Segment Discussion
Watershed Characteristics: The watershed is heavily developed in the central and western sections with residential and mixed commercial developments as the predominant land uses. The T.H. Wharton power plant is located at the headwaters of Greens Bayou and its cooling water discharge provides year‐round flow to the bayou. Beltway 8 runs through the middle of the watershed with large, high intensity developments and business districts found adjacent to and at the intersections with I‐45, US Highway 59 and Texas Highway 249. The US Highway 59 and Beltway 8 corridors have grown in density in the past five years as new, higher intensity residential development has replaced single family homes. Bush Intercontinental Airport is located in the north central section of the watershed. The eastern most potion of the watershed is mostly undeveloped with mixed residential and commercial developments scattered throughout. The majority of the area is served by sanitary sewer. Most new residential development will be on sanitary sewer but parts of the watershed us on‐site sewer facilities. Water Quality Issues: Recreation use is not supported in this watershed. Bacteria geometric mean for all assessment units (AUs) reported values between 297 and 2,183 MPN/100 mL exceeding the standard of 126 MPN/100 mL. E. coli samples collected exceed the single grab criteria in more than 40% of the measurements for all AUs. The 2008 Texas Integrated Report (IR) also listed bacteria impairment for this segment. All four nutrients being monitored – nitrate nitrogen (nitrate), orthophosphate phosphorous (OP), total phosphorous (TP), and ammonia nitrogen (ammonia) are considered concerns because they exceeded the screening levels in different AUs. Ammonia exceeded the screening level in 3 out of 7 AUs in more than 11% of
the measurements. Nitrates were a concern in six out of seven AUs because these exceeded the screening level of 1.95mg/L. OP was a concern in seven AUs exceeding the screening level of 0.37mg/L in more than 90% of the measurements in each AU. TP was another cause of concern in six AUs exceeding the screening level in 57% of the measurements. Aquatic life use is not supported in the AU farthest downstream. Dissolved oxygen (DO) grab measurements were below the grab minimum 18% of the time while 80% of the 24‐hour DO averages were below the standard of 5.0 mg/L and 30 % of the measurements were below the 24 hour minimum. The dissolved oxygen (DO) grab screening level was a concern because 61% of the measurements were below the screening level of 5mg/L. Special Studies/Projects: During the past five years this segment has been subject to one TMDL project, the Houston Metro TMDL for bacteria. This segment is part of the geographic area for the Bacteria Implementation Plan which is currently being finalized. For more information, please refer to the detailed discussions of the Houston Metro TMDL and the BIG located at the beginning of the water quality section of the 2011 Basin Summary Report. Trends: Regression analysis of watershed‐level data revealed statistically‐significant trends for eight water quality parameters. There were five trends found in the data from the classified segment and five trends found in the data from the unclassified tributaries. Total suspended solids (TSS) and ammonia concentrations are the two most interesting trends. For both the classified and unclassified water bodies, the trends are decreasing, especially on the classified stream. With very small fluctuations, the annual median TSS concentrations have been steadily declining since 1996. The ammonia concentrations have also been declining steadily over the years. On the unclassified stream, the annual medians for ammonia used to exceed the screening level. Since 2006, all annual medians have been well below the screening level of 0.33 mg/L. On the classified stream, the annual medians for ammonia have always been below the screening level but they also have been steadily getting lower. Between 2007 and 2009 the annual medians for ammonia were 0.05 mg/L. Regression analysis on data from 11 individual monitoring stations revealed 54 significant trends. In the data from station 17495, the most upstream monitoring site, there are five trends. Nitrate, OP, TP, and pH are increasing while ammonia is decreasing. Upstream of this station is intense residential and commercial development. One could speculate that the nutrients are coming from urban lawns, landscaping, and WWTP. At station 13778 (Greens Bayou at I‐45), ammonia concentration are decreasing but many still exceed the screening level of 0.33 mg/L. Looking at the other sites on Greens Bayou proper, where an ammonia trend is decreasing, there is frequently an increasing trend for nitrates at the same time. At the upstream monitoring site on Garners Bayou (16589), the ammonia trend is decreasing while the nitrate trend is increasing. However, something happened upstream of that site during mid‐2007. Ammonia concentrations dropped to below the screening level and have stayed below that level since. The most likely cause would have been a major sewage bypass was eliminated or a WWTP was upgraded. The reason in not known for sure. One unnamed tributary of Greens Bayou (AU1016D_01) also exhibits an improvement with both ammonia and nitrate concentrations. Both have been decreasing with nitrate concentrations well below the screening levels since late 2007. Recommendations:
Address the various concerns found in this segment summary through stakeholder participation in the BIG. Continue collecting water quality data to support actions associated with watershed protection plan development and future modeling. Work with local partner and contract labs to lower detection limits for nutrients