Highland-Bayou-Coastal-Basin-Wpp
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Watershed Protection Plan For Highland Bayou, Highland Bayou Diversion Canal, Marchand Bayou, Moses Bayou, And Unnamed Tributary of Moses Lake Highland Bayou 2424A_01, 2424A_02, 2424A_03, 2424A_04, 2424A_05 Marchand Bayou 2424C_01 Highland Bayou Diversion Canal 2424G_01 Moses Bayou 2431A_01 Unnamed Tributary of Moses Lake 2431C_01 Funded By: Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) TCEQ Grant Agreement 582-19-90214 Galveston Bay Estuary Program (GBEP) 17041 El Camino Real, Ste. 210 Houston, Texas 77058 Prepared By: Texas Community Watershed Partners Texas A&M University 1335 Regents Park Dr., Suite 260 Houston, Texas 77058 Draft Version Date: January 2021 The preparation of this report was financed through grants from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency through the TCEQ. Acknowledgements The Texas Community Watershed Program would like to thank and acknowledge the many individuals who have contributed to this Watershed Protection Plan. Their participation is the backbone of the plan. Entities include, in alphabetical order: Artist Boat, City of Bayou Vista, City of Hitchcock, City of La Marque, Galveston Bay Estuary Program, Galveston Bay Foundation, Galveston County, Galveston County Drainage District No. 2, Galveston County Engineering Department, Galveston County Health Department, Galveston County MUD 12, Galveston County Parks and Cultural Services Department, Galveston County Road and Bridge Department, Hitchcock Industrial Development Corporation, Texas A&M University, Galveston County AgriLife Extension Service, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Texas Sea Grant, Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Galveston District, University of Houston Coastal Center, and Water Control and Improvement District No. 19. WPP Project Team: Texas Community Watershed Partners Steven Mikulencak, Celina Lowry, Amanda Solitro Ashcroft, Yu Wen Chou, Rebecca Davanon, Valeria Rodriguez Keese, Charriss York. i Executive Summary This plan covers several coastal watersheds in southern mainland Galveston County within the Highland Bayou Coastal Basin including: Highland Bayou, Marchand Bayou, Highland Bayou Diversion Canal, Moses Bayou, and an Unnamed Tributary of Moses Lake. Each of these waterways flows into a portion of Galveston Bay and is influenced by tidal fluctuation. This portion of Galveston County is rapidly developing, adding pressure to already precarious bayou systems. Local communities rely on the bayous for stormwater and flood conveyance as well as for fishing, recreation, and ecotourism. Problem Statement Water quality monitoring for the project area bayous indicate high levels of fecal coliform bacteria and low levels of dissolved oxygen. The upper reaches of Highland Bayou, all of Marchand Bayou, and all of the Diversion Canal, Moses Bayou, and the unnamed tributary of Moses Lake have higher than acceptable levels of fecal coliform bacteria. Portions of Highland Bayou and Marchand Bayou also show low levels of dissolved oxygen in the water under certain circumstances. Due to these impairments, all stream segments discussed are included on the State of Texas impaired waterbodies list. With this listing comes a need to improve the water quality and restore the health of each bayou. This watershed protection plan (WPP) is a stakeholder led project facilitated by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service to restore water quality and repair watershed health within the project area. Plan Overview This WPP was developed as a result of the water quality impairment listing discussed above and included extensive stakeholder involvement spanning several years. Through a series of meetings, on-going dialogue, data collection and review, and group prioritization, a number of voluntary actions were determined and described. These actions describe management strategies and practices for local communities, drainage districts, wastewater operators, elected officials, and homeowners to implement. Even with all of the resources and knowledge poured into this WPP, bayous are dynamic systems that continue to change, and it is essential this Plan be dynamic as well. This WPP should be viewed as a living document, to be updated and revisited as needed for continued relevance in the project watersheds. Pollutant Sources Local experts and credible data were used to identify sources of pollution for the project area. These include domesticated dogs, cattle, feral hogs, failing on-site sewage facilities, sanitary sewer overflows, wastewater treatment facilities, and stormwater runoff. Stakeholders also expressed concerns about water flow in Highland Bayou. ii There is a general consensus that improving flow in the bayou will improve flushing of the system and therefore improve water quality and bayou health. Recommended Actions In addition to determining sources of pollution, local stakeholders determined appropriate and realistic actions to mitigate these sources. Twelve actions were prioritized and 26 additional project ideas documented. The 12 actions can be grouped into seven topic areas. • Sanitary Sewers. Wastewater facilities and infrastructure within the project area is aging and is often undersized due to increased development and populations. Management measures include upgrading sanitary systems and educating residents on proper disposal of household items including wipes, fats, oils, and grease that frequently clog sewer pipes. • Flow in Highland Bayou. Over time, changes made to the main channel of Highland Bayou, and the construction of the Diversion Canal have dramatically altered flow in Highland Bayou. Stakeholders prioritized measures to increase flow and flushing of Highland Bayou to improve stream health. • Pet waste. A large number of residents own pets, especially dogs. This measure is focused on educating residents on the need to clean up after their pets. • Stormwater Management. As development continues in the project area watersheds, stormwater management is a growing need. Measures include mapping, maintaining, and improving infrastructure; incorporating new techniques including green infrastructure practices, and updating ordinances that protect the stormwater conveyance system. • Natural Areas. Stakeholders will encourage the identification, protection, preservation, and enhancement of natural areas for their ecosystem services. This includes both public and private lands. • On-Site Sewage Facilities. The Diversion Canal and Moses Bayou watersheds have large concentrations of on-site sewage facilities (OSSFs). It is well known locally that heavy clay soils do not allow for traditional drain fields to function well, and that homeowners are not savvy about maintenance for new aerobic systems. Many opportunities exist for educating OSSF owners so these systems function well. • Feral Hogs. Undeveloped areas in Galveston County have growing feral hog populations, but landowners have few local resources to assist with management. This measure is focused on bringing educational resources to local landowners in a meaningful and useful way, so that the hog population can be suppressed. Education and Outreach Execution of this WPP and improving watershed health depends on more than just the individuals and organizations involved in the WPP process. Continual education efforts and materials are essential throughout the project area to ensure success. Several management measures focus specifically on education efforts, but education is needed iii as a component of each action. A wide variety of audiences will be engaged from elected officials, to homeowners, landowners, and pet owners. A mixture of in-person and digital media will be needed to reach various groups and meet individuals where they are while encouraging behavior change. Goals of the WPP The primary goal of this WPP is to provide locally derived solutions to improve water quality and stream health in the project area bayous, resulting in removal of all segments from the State of Texas Impaired waterbodies listing. Interim goals were identified to measure progress throughout the process, and to allow for course correction if needed to reach the goal of fully functional bayou systems throughout the project area. iv Table of Contents Acknowledgements .......................................................................................................................... i Executive Summary ......................................................................................................................... ii Problem Statement .................................................................................................................. ii Plan Overview ........................................................................................................................... ii Pollutant Sources ..................................................................................................................... ii Recommended Actions .......................................................................................................... iii Education and Outreach ........................................................................................................ iii Goals of the WPP ..................................................................................................................... iv Table of Contents ............................................................................................................................ v List of Tables ................................................................................................................................