Lake Austin: A TMDL Project for Dissolved Oxygen

County: Travis
Parameter: Dissolved oxygen
River Basin: Colorado River
Segment: 1411

Lake Austin at Mansfield Dam Photograph courtesy of the Lower Colorado River Authority

• Background
  and Goals
• TMDLs and
  Implementation Plan
• For More
  Information

Background and Goals

Low dissolved oxygen levels at the upper end of Lake Austin, immediately downstream of Mansfield Dam, led to the segment being listed as impaired for aquatic life use. The water released from the dam is low in dissolved oxygen because the releases are from the cold, noncirculating bottom zone characterized by oxygen depletion with no replenishment from circulation or photosynthesis. Since neither point-source nor nonpoint-source loadings are causing the low levels of dissolved oxygen, this TMDL does not assign specific loads to pollutant sources. To address low dissolved oxygen in Lake Austin, the implementation plan calls for the use of an aerator at the dam to improve water quality to meet standards.

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TMDLs and Implementation Plan

The following documents are available as PDF files. (Help with PDF.)

• A Total Maximum Daily Load for Dissolved Oxygen in Lake Austin
  This TMDL was adopted by the commission on November 17, 2000. On December 5, 2001, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommended delisting the impairment rather than taking action on the TMDL, because the cause of the low dissolved oxygen was pollution, not pollutants. The EPA stated that no official action is required for a TMDL written to address an impairment caused by pollution.
  
  The letter from the EPA stated:

  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Region 6 received the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission’s (TNRCC’s) document entitled “A Total Maximum Daily Load for Dissolved Oxygen in Lake Austin (Segment 1403)” on December 13, 2000. Lake Austin is listed on the Texas 1998 Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 303(d) List for dissolved oxygen. However, according to the TMDL document, the cause of low dissolved oxygen in Lake Austin is due to pollution and not a pollutant. Specifically, the impairment is linked to the release of anoxic water into Lake Austin from the Mansfield Dam. Therefore, EPA recommends that TNRCC de-list the waterbody.

  The TNRCC was the predecessor of the TCEQ.

• Response to Public Comment on the Lake Austin TMDL
   
• Implementation Plan for Lake Austin Dissolved Oxygen TMDL
  The Commission approved the Implementation Plan on January 13, 2001.
   
• Response to Public Comment on the Lake Austin Implementation Plan

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For More Information

For further information regarding the proposed TMDLs, please call Gail Rothe, Project Manager, at 512/239-4617. Or e-mail us at tmdl@tceq.state.tx.us and reference Lake Austin in the subject line.

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