Guadalupe River Above Canyon Lake: A TMDL Project for Bacteria

Counties: Comal, Kendall, Kerr
Parameter: Bacteria
River Basin: Guadalupe River
Segments: 1806

Guadalupe River in Kerrville, Texas

• Project Overview (PDF. Help with PDF.)
• Background and Goals
• Public Participation
• TMDL
• For More Information

Project Background

County: Kerr

Water quality testing found that in a small segment of the river within the city of Kerrville, bacteria levels are elevated, 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, referring to all recreation in which people come in direct contact with the water.

The segment of the Guadalupe River being addressed by the project is #1806, the Guadalupe River Above Canyon Lake. The areas of concern are specifically confined to two small assessment areas within the city of Kerrville: 1) one mile upstream of Flat Rock Dam to a confluence with Camp Meeting Creek, and 2) from RR394 to one mile downstream. The goal of the project is to reduce bacteria concentrations to within acceptable risk levels for contact recreation.

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Public Participation

TCEQ staff and the contractor are working with the Steering Committee of the Upper Guadalupe River Authority to keep the public informed of the status of TMDL activities. The Steering Committee is an existing forum established under the Texas Clean Rivers Program. The committee is made up of representatives from state and federal agencies, cities, industries, citizen groups, local governments, universities, water districts, agricultural producers, and other water user groups.

Meeting Summaries and Presentations

The documents below are in PDF format. (Help with PDF)

• Public Meeting—June 2006
  • Meeting Summary
  • TMDL Program Introduction
  • Public Participation Presentation
  • Bacteria TMDL Update
• Public Meeting—February 2005
  • Presentation on the Project Scope

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TMDL

The commission adopted this TMDL on July 25, 2007. The EPA approved the TMDL on September 25, 2007, at which time it became part of the state's Water Quality Management Plan.

• One TMDL for Bacteria in the Guadalupe River Above Canyon Lake, Segment 1806 (Help with PDF)
• Response to Public Comment (Help with PDF)

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For More Information

For additional information about this project, contact Kerry Niemann at 512/239-0483. Or send an e-mail to tmdl@tceq.state.tx.us, and reference the Guadalupe River project in the subject line.

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