Watershed Protection Plan - Lower Rio Grande Valley Development ...

IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULE
TMDL Monitoring
Water quality monitoring conducted for the purpose
of developing specifi c rates and constants for use in
Phase II of the Arroyo Colorado DO TMDL began in
February of 2006. Although Phase II of the Arroyo
Colorado will make use of all water quality monitoring
data collected as part of the ACW Protection Plan,
the water quality monitoring conducted specifi cally for
Phase II of the Arroyo Colorado DO TMDL is scheduled
to be completed by December of 2006.
Continuous Meteorological, Stage and Water
Quality Monitoring in the Zone of Impairment
The TCEQ and the IBWC completed installation of
a continuous water quality monitoring station on the
Arroyo Colorado Tidal at Rio Hondo (Station 13072)
in 2006. Initial testing of the site revealed serious
problems associated with corrosion and bio-fouling of
instruments in the highly productive surface waters and
dysoxic bottom waters of the Arroyo Colorado Tidal.
The TCEQ and the IBWC are continuing to test and
assess instrumentation at the site to overcome these
problems. The site is expected to be fully operational in
January 2007 and will continue to operate indefi nitely
as long as there is a continuing need for the data and
funding remains available for this data collection effort.
Monitoring of Agricultural Activities
In 2007, TAMUK and the TAES will begin monthly
and event monitoring of fl ow and water quality in four
tributaries of the Arroyo Colorado that drain primarily
agricultural sub-watersheds. Also in 2007, TAMUK
and the TAES will begin edge-of-fi eld monitoring of
irrigated agricultural land and shallow groundwater to
better characterize the impact of agricultural activities
on water quality in the Arroyo Colorado. The monitoring
efforts are expected to last two years.
Arroyo Colorado Tidal Biodiversity Assessment
In 2007, the TPWD will resume monitoring
abundance and biodiversity of aquatic species in the
Arroyo Colorado Tidal. Pending the availability of
funding for this monitoring effort, TPWD will conduct
subsequent surveys of the Arroyo Colorado Tidal every
three years through the duration of the implementation
period of the ACW Protection Plan (2007-2015).
Boat dock Arroyo Colorado Tidal near the Laguna Madre
January 2007 151 Arroyo Colorado Watershed Protection Plan