Buffalo and Whiteoak Bayous: A TMDL Project for Bacteria

Counties: Fort Bend, Harris, Waller
Parameter: Bacteria
River Basin: San Jacinto River
Segments: 1013, 1014, 1017

Buffalo Bayou

• Project Overview
  (PDF. Help with PDF)
• Background and Goals
• Public Participation
• Proposed TMDLs
• Bacteria Implementation Group
• Project Documents
• For More Information

Background and Goals

Buffalo Bayou meanders from the outlying, less-developed portions of Harris County to join Whiteoak Bayou in the highly urbanized central part of the Houston business district. Both bayous lie within the San Jacinto River Basin and eventually discharge to Galveston Bay.

Water quality testing found that bacteria concentrations are elevated in the bayous, posing a risk to people who swim or wade in them. Swimming and wading are called “contact recreation” in the state’s standards for water quality; the term refers to all recreation in which people come in direct contact with the water.

The TMDL Program is working with the Houston-Galveston Area Council to characterize the sources of bacteria and to develop a plan to improve the water quality in the bayous. The goal of the project is to reduce bacteria concentrations to within acceptable risk levels for contact recreation. The TMDLs for this project are being coordinated with other projects to reduce bacteria in Houston area streams and the Galveston Bay system (see “Related Links”).

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Proposed TMDLs

Commission consideration of these TMDLs was postponed until December 10th, 2008, due to extensive damage to the Houston area from Hurricane Ike. The TCEQ is currently revising the TMDL report; the updated draft will be available on the Web prior to the commission’s December 10th meeting.

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Public Participation

An advisory group has been established advise the TCEQ on this project. Advisory group meetings are open to all. Find out more about meetings and membership of the advisory group.

Meetings about TMDL projects are open to everyone.

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Bacteria Implementation Group

The TCEQ is working with the Bacteria Implementation Group (BIG) of the H-GAC to develop a plan to reduce bacteria concentrations in 12 watersheds in the Houston area, including the projects for Lake Houston, Clear Creek, the Houston Metropolitan Area, and this project.

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Project Documents

The following documents are available in PDF. Help with PDF.

• Ground Rules
  As proposed for amendment at stakeholder meeting of January 28, 2004.
• Reports
  • June 2008
    - DRAFT TMDL Technical Support Document (5.5 MB)
    - Appendices (4.0 MB)
  • BLEST
    - First, save both the spreadsheet (0.6 MB) and the help file (0.1 MB) to a single folder on your computer.
    
    - To access BLEST Help, right click on any cell and select one of the following options at the bottom of the menu:
    BLEST Help for this Cell: Displays information about the active cell.
    BLEST Help for this Sheet: Displays information about the active worksheet.
    BLEST Help: Displays the 'Using BLEST' help topic.
    
    - Compatibility: BLEST Help is only compatible with Windows.
  • March 2007
    - Progress Report (0.6 MB)
  • January 2007
    - Progress Report (0.2 MB)
  • December 2006
    - Response to Technical Comments (0.2 MB)
    - Appendices to Response to Technical Comments (2.1 MB)
    - Response to Nontechnical Comments (0.8 MB) - NEW! (Posted October 2007)
    
    

    - Final Report: (1.6 MB) TMDLs for Fecal Pathogens in Buffalo Bayou and Whiteoak Bayou

    - Bacteria Load Estimation Spreadsheet Tool ("BLEST") (Microsoft Excel File - 1.5 MB)
    - BLEST Information Sheet (0.1 MB)

    - Comments on December 2006 Report
       - City of Houston Dept. of Public Works and Engineering (0.3 MB)
       - Harris Co. Public Infrastructure Dept. (7.6 MB)
       - PBS&J (0.02 MB)
       - Linda D. Pechaceck, P.E. (4.0 MB)
       - Texas Department of Transportation (2.6 MB)

  • BMP Effectiveness Reports
    - August 2006 Final Quarterly Report (4.6 MB; Updated December 2006)
    - June 2006 Quarterly Report (1.3 MB)
    - March 2006 Report (0.8 MB)
  • July 2006
    - Progress Report (1.6 MB)
  • November 2005
    - Final Report: (6.3 MB)
    TMDLs for Fecal Pathogens in Buffalo Bayou and Whiteoak Bayou
    - Appendix A: Stakeholder Slides (2.3 MB)
    - Appendix B: Quality Assurance Project Plan (6.1 MB)
    - Appendix C: Quality Control/Quality Assurance Assessment (0.5 MB)
    - Appendix D: Sample BST Printouts and Results (0.2 MB)
    - Appendix E: Time Varying Flow Excel Tool (0.7 MB)
    - Appendix F: HSPF Sediment Parameters (0.1 MB)
    - Appendix G: Self-reported Flows Used For Flow and TSS Load Development (0.1 MB)
  • November 2004
    - Final Report: Identifying Additional Potential Sources of Bacteria Into the Bayous (14 MB)
    - Appendix A: Presentations to Stakeholders (1.8 MB)
  • November 2003
    - Final Report: Investigation of Bacteria in Sediment, Load Allocation Issues, and Best Management Practices (6 MB)
    - Appendix A: Presentations to Stakeholders (5.5 MB)
  • January 2003
    - Final Report (14.4 MB)
    - Appendix A: Presentations to Stakeholders (1.1 MB)
  • June 2001
    - Final Report (7 MB)

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For More Information

For additional information regarding the advisory group, contact Earlene Lambeth at 512/239-3129. For technical information about this project, contact Ron Stein at 512/239-4507. Or e-mail us at tmdl@tceq.state.tx.us, and reference the Buffalo Bayou TMDL Project in the subject line.

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