1. Lower Laguna Madre/ Brownsville Ship Channel Watershed Characterization
Tim Cawthon TCEQ Nonpoint Source Program
Jude Benavides University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

2. Texas Nonpoint Source Management Program
Partnering with You to Restore and Protect Texas Rivers, Lakes, and Bays
Local Stakeholders

3. Watershed Protection Plans (WPPs)
WPPs are developed through local stakeholder groups, usually with funding and technical assistance from the TCEQ and/or the TSSWCB, along with the EPA.
All WPPs funded with CWA Section 319(h) grant funds will be required to meet EPA’s Nine Elements for Watershed-Based Plans
Four Principals:
Diverse, well integrated partnerships
A specific geographic focus (watershed)
Action driven by environmental objectives and by strong science and data
Coordinated priority setting and integrated solutions

4. Plans are Stakeholder Driven
Stakeholders involved throughout process
Approve watershed characterization and modeling results
Identify and select management measures
Approve plan
Open and Inclusive process
Anyone who lives, plays, or works in the watershed is invited to participate.
Work Groups - Subject matter experts
Lots of available guidance
EPA – Getting in Step

5. Three Recommended Steps
Watershed Characterization - Water Quality Monitoring, assessing existing data and information, and collecting new data and information.
Modeling - Modeling or other method to estimate pollutant loads and reductions needed to meet water quality criteria or goals
WPP Development

6. EPA’s 9-Elements A- Identify causes and sources of pollution
B - Estimate pollutant loading into the watershed and the expected load reductions
C - Describe management measures that will achieve load reductions and targeted critical areas
D - Estimate amounts of technical and financial assistance and the relevant authorities needed to implement the plan
E - Develop an information/education component
F - Develop a project schedule
G - Describe the interim, measurable milestones
H - Identify indicators to measure progress
I - Develop a monitoring component
First 3 most time consuming and the reason many WPPs not accepted by EPA. Can required modeling. SELECT Model in association with LDCs typically used for bacteria.

7. Examples SELECT Model Arroyo Colorado Bacterial Source Tracking
Estimating Septic Systems

8. Watershed-Based Planning in Lower Rio Grande Valley

12. 2014 Integrated Report Water Quality Assessment

14. Lower Laguna Madre/ Brownsville Ship Channel

15. Port Isabel Fishing Harbor (2494A)
Laguna Madre (2491)*
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

16. *No Bacteria data collected from 2008 - 2016
Segment
Uses (Recreation, Aquatic)
Criteria (Bacteria, DO)
2014 Assessment
2491_03 Lower Laguna Madre*
PCR1
E/O
35/14cfu
5.0 mg/L
Concern
2494 Brownsville Ship Channel*
NCR E
35 cfu
Impaired
2493 South Bay*
35/14 cfu
2494A Port Isabel Fishing Harbor* H
3.0 mg/L
*No Bacteria data collected from
Contact Recreation: PCR = Primary Contact Recreation, NCR = Noncontact Recreation
Aquatic Life Use: E = Exceptional, H = High, I = Intermediate, L = Low
Other: O = Oyster Waters , DO = Dissolved Oxygen

17. LLM/BSC WPP Next Steps
Determine Focus of WPP (Water Bodies, Water Quality Parameters, etc.)
Fill Data Gaps
Continue Watershed Characterization
Calculate Existing Pollutant Loadings
Calculate Load Reductions Needed to meet water quality goals
Determine best management practices
Write Plan