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

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THE ARROYO COLORADO WATERSHED PARTNERSHIP Mission The following mission statement was adopted by the ACW Partnership: Vision “Reduce the additions of pollutants to the Arroyo Colorado to the maximum extent possible in order to meet state water quality standards and improve the natural terrestrial, riparian, and aquatic habitat associated with the Arroyo Colorado Watershed.” The ACW Partnership adopted the following Vision: “An ecologically sound Arroyo Colorado and Lower Laguna Madre that is understood and valued by all residents of the Lower Rio Grande Valley.” Goals The ACW Partnership adopted the following goals: • Reduce the additions (i.e., loading) of nitrogen, phosphorus, ammonia, sediment, bacteria and biochemical oxygen-demanding substances by 7-19% over the next 10 years, • Improve the awareness and understanding of the water quality issues associated with the Arroyo Colorado, its connection to the Lower Laguna Madre and the value both these natural resources bring to the communities of the Lower Rio Grande Valley, • Improve water quality to minimize fi sh kills and maintain aquatic diversity, • Encourage the voluntary adoption of best management practices (BMPs) to reduce suspended solids from cropland erosion, BOD from crop residue and nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer runoff from irrigated and non-irrigated cropland, • Improve the quality of treated effl uent from wastewater treatment facilities, • Increase wastewater and storm water infrastructure development for rural and unincorporated low-income communities (i.e., colonias) in the Arroyo Colorado watershed, • Implement enhanced biological treatment projects to remove nutrients from wastewater treatment facility effl uent, Arroyo Colorado near Harlingen • Focus Phase II Storm Water Management Programs for small MS4s on the pollutants of concern in the Arroyo Colorado, • Protect and restore valuable terrestrial habitat areas throughout the watershed, • Protect and restore riparian areas, resacas, and freshwater and coastal wetlands, • Reduce erosion and nonpoint source runoff through enhanced structural control measures along the stream banks of the Arroyo Colorado and throughout the watershed, • Coordinate decision-making for the protection, restoration, and enhancement of the Arroyo Colorado and its watershed, and • Introduce and encourage alternative urban development designs that help protect and restore water quality. Arroyo Colorado Watershed Protection Plan 18 January 2007
THE ARROYO COLORADO WATERSHED PARTNERSHIP Background The effort to produce a Watershed Protection Plan for the Arroyo Colorado evolved from the State of Texas’ effort to develop a Total Daily Maximum Load (TMDL) to address low dissolved oxygen in the stream. The goal of Texas’ TMDL program is to restore water quality in water bodies that do not meet the State’s Water Quality Standards; these water bodies are often referred to as “impaired.” TMDLs are established using analytical methods that determine a water body’s capacity to assimilate pollutants. Based on these estimates, TMDLs assign a “budget of pollution” to all the sources in the watersheds of the impaired water bodies. For as long as the state of Texas has been assessing water quality in the State, the Arroyo Colorado has consistently failed to meet the States’ Water Quality Standards. As required by federal law, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) established TMDLs for four legacy pesticides in 2001 and added eight additional TMDLs for toxic organic compounds in 2003. In addition to these TMDLs, the TCEQ also completed a TMDL study to address low dissolved oxygen (DO) in 2002. The TMDL study showed that extensive physical modifi cations and excessive nutrient concentrations were the cause of periodic, but occasionally severe, oxygen depletion in the boundary between the fresh water and tidally infl uenced portions of the stream. The DO TMDL study also found that, in order to meet the DO criteria specifi ed in the States’ Water Quality Standards, the loading of nitrogen and phosphorus-based pollutants to the Arroyo Colorado would have to be reduced by as much as 90%. This is due, in part, to the physical modifi cations imposed on the stream (i.e. dredging and channelization for navigational purposes), which greatly diminish its capacity to assimilate pollutants. Because of the uncertainty associated with the DO TMDL analysis (referred to hereafter as the Phase I Tidal Segment near Arroyo City Storm over the watershed TMDL Study) and because the TCEQ did not consider a load reduction target of 90% to be realistically achievable, a TMDL to address low DO in the Arroyo Colorado was not established (TCEQ 2003). However, the Phase I TMDL study showed that improvements in water quality, including higher DO levels, can be achieved by reducing the amounts of nutrients and BOD entering the stream. Following completion of the Phase I TMDL study in 2002, the TCEQ began efforts to develop a comprehensive strategy to improve water quality in the Arroyo Colorado. The Phase I TMDL study included a thorough investigation of the causes and sources of pollution and provided a starting point for the development of the ACW Protection Plan. Through a Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 319(h) grant awarded by the U.S. EPA, the TCEQ provided fi nancial support to the Texas Sea Grant College Program, a division of the Texas A&M University System, to facilitate and coordinate the development of a community-based watershed protection plan for the Arroyo Colorado. Using the existing framework for stakeholder involvement and public participation, Texas Sea Grant facilitated the formation of the ACW Partnership to foster watershed stewardship and develop the ACW Protection Plan. With substantial technical support from the TCEQ, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board (TSSWCB), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), and the U.S. International Boundary Water Commission (IBWC), the ACW Partnership developed a comprehensive plan to restore and protect the uses designated to the Arroyo Colorado and the Lower Laguna Madre by the State of Texas, including a high aquatic life use and contact January 2007 19 Arroyo Colorado Watershed Protection Plan
Page 2 and 3: Photos courtesy of Brand Cowan, Cam
Page 5 and 6: CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .........
Page 7 and 8: CONTENTS - FIGURES Habitat Restorat
Page 9: TABLES LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Tabl
Page 13 and 14: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Arroyo Colora
Page 15 and 16: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Habitat Approxima
Page 17 and 18: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY management practi
Page 19 and 20: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Elements of the W
Page 22 and 23: INTRODUCTION In its most pristine c
Page 24 and 25: INTRODUCTION Colorado, where physic
Page 27 and 28: THE ARROYO COLORADO WATERSHED PARTN
Page 29: THE ARROYO COLORADO WATERSHED PARTN
Page 34 and 35: THE ARROYO COLORADO WATERSHED The A
Page 36 and 37: THE ARROYO COLORADO WATERSHED the D
Page 38 and 39: THE ARROYO COLORADO WATERSHED Figur
Page 40 and 41: THE ARROYO COLORADO WATERSHED Table
Page 42 and 43: THE ARROYO COLORADO WATERSHED Resac
Page 45 and 46: STATE OF THE WATERSHED From a natur
Page 47 and 48: STATE OF THE WATERSHED resacas loca
Page 49 and 50: STATE OF THE WATERSHED Water Qualit
Page 51 and 52: STATE OF THE WATERSHED Table 8. Des
Page 53 and 54: STATE OF THE WATERSHED Figure 12. L
Page 55 and 56: STATE OF THE WATERSHED Figure 14. 1
Page 57 and 58: STATE OF THE WATERSHED Figure 18. T
Page 59 and 60: STATE OF THE WATERSHED Figure 20. T
Page 61 and 62: STATE OF THE WATERSHED facilities a
Page 63 and 64: STATE OF THE WATERSHED controlled.
Page 65 and 66: STATE OF THE WATERSHED Tree plantin
Page 67 and 68: XXX Arroyo Colorado Watershed Prote
Page 69 and 70: POLLUTION IN THE ARROYO COLORADO
Page 71 and 72: POLLUTION IN THE ARROYO COLORADO 1)
Page 73 and 74: POLLUTION IN THE ARROYO COLORADO St
Page 76 and 77: INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK Successful
Page 78 and 79: INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK the water r
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INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK managing pr
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INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK criteria fo
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INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK pertaining
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ELEMENTS OF THE ARROYO COLORADO WAT
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EDUCATION AND OUTREACH Fostering lo
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EDUCATION AND OUTREACH • Distribu
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EDUCATION AND OUTREACH quality prob
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EDUCATION AND OUTREACH • Develop
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EDUCATION AND OUTREACH take to do t
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EDUCATION AND OUTREACH industry, de
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EDUCATION AND OUTREACH To support m
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EDUCATION AND OUTREACH members of t
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ESTIMATED WATERSHED LOADINGS AND LO
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WATER QUALITY MONITORING PLAN Figur
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WATER QUALITY MONITORING PLAN Figur
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WATER QUALITY MONITORING PLAN Autom
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TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
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SOURCES OF TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL
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IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULE Federal CWA
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IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULE Table 24. T
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IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULE TMDL Monito
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MEASURING PROGRESS The ultimate mea
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MEASURING PROGRESS Table 25. Criter
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MEASURING PROGRESS Table 27. Milest
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APPENDICES HUC HWWS IBWC IMAS km LL
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APPENDICES APPENDIX B Arroyo Colora
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APPENDICES arise necessitating the
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APPENDICES c. Committee Members: Co
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APPENDICES APPENDIX C Arroyo Colora
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APPENDICES FRANK MARTINEZ IBWC JAME
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APPENDICES WESLEY ROSENTHAL TAMU JE
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APPENDICES APPENDIX E Rare Plants a
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APPENDICES Common Name Scientific N
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APPENDICES APPENDIX F Locally Activ
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APPENDICES Gorgas Science Foundatio
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APPENDICES Endangered Species Act T
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APPENDICES APPENDIX H List of Feder
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APPENDICES Common Name Scientific N
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APPENDICES APPENDIX I Selected Mars
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APPENDICES Mid-Depths - 15 to 50 cm
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REFERENCES Arnold, J.G., P.M. Allen
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REFERENCES IBWC, 2003. Hydraulic Mo
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REFERENCES TAES (Texas Agricultural
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REFERENCES USEPA, 1999. Draft Guida
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