Pesticides and Water Quality - Texas Center for Policy Studies

Within the Upper Neches River Basin specific non-point sources of pollution were identified, includingsilviculture activities and potential contamination from the use of herbicides. Approximately 75 percentof the Upper Neches River basin study area is involved in forestry and forestry-related activities. The1994 assessment report recommended that a specific water quality monitoring program aimed atdetermining impact from silviculture activities be developed. In addition, the report concluded thatagricultural and urban applications of fertilizers and pesticides might be impacting water quality in thebasin, but that more monitoring and evaluation was needed to assess actual impacts. 46The 1996 Regional Assessment of the Upper Neches River basin did not identify any concerns forpesticides in the eight segments studied.The 1996 Assessment recommended that continued support be given to the Texas State Soil and WaterConservation Board’s efforts to implement Best Management Practices for control of agricultural andsilvicultural non-point source pollution. 47Brazos River BasinThe 1994 Regional Water Quality Assessment of the Brazos River Basin concluded that pesticide waterquality data was not available for most major watersheds in the basin. 48 The Assessment recommendedthat more sampling be conducted to support water quality standards, including the collection of moreorganic constituent data. The pesticide endosulfan was detected at levels high enough to be considered apossible concern in the Brazos River from Lake Whitney to Possum Kingdom Lake, but the data werelimited. 49 The 1994 Assessment listed Segment 1242 (Lower Brazos River) as having the second highestnumber of fish kills reported within the Brazos River Basin, but did not identify the cause of theincidents.The 1996 Assessment of the Lower Brazos River Basin identified non-point source pollution as apotential problem for some segments of the study area, but the assessment screening process did notidentify any specific problems with pesticides. 50The 1996 Assessment of the Middle Brazos River Basin did not identify any specific concerns forpesticides, though the study noted that the area had potentially significant non-point source dischargesfrom row crop agriculture and CAFOs. 51The 1996 Assessment of the Upper Brazos River Basin did not identify any specific potential problemswith pesticides.46 Angelina and Neches River Authority, Regional Assessment of Water Quality Upper Neches River Basin Area (Lufkin:ANRA, 1994), RPT-37.47 Angelina and Neches River Authority, Regional Assessment of Water Quality Neches River Basin Vol. 1 Upper Neches RiverBasin Study Area, October 1996 (Lufkin: ANRA, 1996), ii. The Angelina and Neches River Authority and Stephen F. AustinUniversity did conduct a Poultry Litter Land Application Rate Study to determine the water quality and soil impacts from landapplication of poultry litter.48 Brazos River Authority, 1994 Final Report Regional Assessment of Water Quality of the Brazos River Basin (Waco: BrazosRiver Authority, 1994), 16.49 Ibid.50 Brazos River Authority, 1996 Final Report Regional Assessment of Water Quality Brazos River Basin, 1996 (Waco: BrazosRiver Authority, 1996), ES-12.51 Ibid.23