Lower Laguna Madre Water Quality Tim Cawthon Nonpoint Source Program Texas Commission on Environmental Quality

Coordinated Monitoring Coordinated Monitoring Schedule - https://cms.lcra.org/ Coordinated Monitoring Meetings held annually by each Clean Rivers Program Partner IBWC – Rio Grande River Basin Nueces River Authority – Nueces-Rio Grande Coastal Basin (Basin includes Brownsville Ship Channel, Lower Laguna Madre, Arroyo Colorado, and areas north)

Basin Highlights and Summary Reports Nueces River Authority - https://www.nueces-ra.org/CP/CRP/ IBWC - https://www.ibwc.gov/CRP/Index.htm Basin Summary – Every 5 Years Basin Highlights – Annually

Texas Surface Water Quality Standards

Texas Surface Water Quality Standards Proposed every 3 years Standards consist of two parts: Uses, or purposes Presumed vs Designated Criteria, or indicators to determine use attainment Five general categories: Aquatic life Contact recreation Public water supply Fish consumption General uses http://www.tceq.state.tx.us/waterquality/standards

Examples mg/L

Laguna Madre Segment 2491 Split Laguna Madre Segment 2491 is currently proposed to be split into the Upper and Lower segments in the 2014 update to the Texas Surface Water Quality Standards. Hasn’t been officially approved by EPA yet Saltillo Flats

TCEQ Assessment

Texas Integrated Report Assessment of water bodies every 2 years 7 year rolling average of data Identify impaired water bodies  303 (d) List of Impaired Waters Categories 5a – TMDL, watershed action plan 5b – Evaluate water quality standard 5c – Additional data needed https://www.tceq.texas.gov/waterquality/assessment

Impaired Segments TCEQ Integrated Report - https://www.tceq.texas.gov/waterquality/assessment/14twqi/14txir “Index of Water Quality Impairments” is a comprehensive list of all impairments by Assessment Unit (AU).* Segment Assessment Unit 4a = TMDL *303(d) list isn’t a comprehensive list of impairments because segments with approved TMDLs are removed.

SWQM Viewer http://tceq.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=b0ab6 bac411a49189106064b70bbe778 Monitoring stations (Includes Inactive Stations) Segments (No Assessment Units)

Stations Used Water Bodies Evaluated Report - https://www.tceq.texas.gov/assets/public/waterquality/swqm/assess/14txir/2014_wbevaluated. pdf

Assessment Results Assessment by Basin - https://www.tceq.texas.gov/waterquality/assessment/14twqi/14basinlist

2014 Integrated Report Water Quality Assessment

2014 Integrated Report Water Quality Assessment Laguna Madre (2491)* 2014 Integrated Report Water Quality Assessment Low Dissolved Oxygen Chlorophyll-a Low Dissolved Oxygen Bacteria Ammonia Nitrate Chlorophyll-a Low Dissolved Oxygen Port Isabel Fishing Harbor (2494A) Bacteria Brownsville Ship Channel (2494) Bacteria Low Dissolved Oxygen *Segment 2491 is currently proposed to be split into the Upper and Lower segments in the 2014 update to the Texas Surface Water Quality Standards. Lower Segment will be the bay south of the Saltillo Flats.

2202 (AUs 04 – 01) 2201 (AU 05) 2201 (AU 04) 2201 (AUs 03 – 01) Bacteria DDE, Mercury, and PCBs in edible Tissue Nitrate Chlorophyll-a Total Phosphorus Bacteria Low Dissolved Oxygen DDE, Mercury, and PCBs in edible Tissue Chlorophyll-a Nitrate Bacteria Low Dissolved Oxygen Chlorophyll-a Nitrate Bacteria Chlorophyll-a Nitrate

Downloading and Viewing Data

Water Quality Data Sources SWQMIS Public Viewer - https://www80.tceq.texas.gov/SwqmisPublic/public/default.htm STORET – https://www.waterqualitydata.us/portal/ USGS WQ - https://waterwatch.usgs.gov/wqwatch/map?state=tx&pcode=00010 Stream Team - https://aqua.meadowscenter.txstate.edu/basins.aspx Beach Watch - https://cgis.glo.texas.gov/Beachwatch/ CWQM Stations - https://www.tceq.texas.gov/waterquality/monitoring/cwqmn-data-links

SWQMIS Public Viewer https://www80.tceq.texas.gov/SwqmisPublic/public/default.htm Download the Pipe delimited file 1 2

CRP Data Tool https://www80.tceq.texas.gov/SwqmisWeb/public/crpweb.faces 1 2 3 4 x 5 6 7

Opening Pipe Delimited file in Excel Open Microsoft Excel. Select the Data tab. Click From Text. Browse to the text file and select it. Click Import. The Text Import Wizard will begin. Select Delimited and click Next. Uncheck Tab and select Other. Enter in pipe symbol | . Hold shift key and press button above Enter key. Click Next. Click Finish. Click Ok Data can now be viewed in Excel

Questions?