Water Quality of Livingston Reservoir
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TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES REPORT 230 WATER OUALITY OF LIVINGSTON RESERVOIR ON THE TRINITY RIVER, SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS By Jack Rawson United States Geological Survey This repOrt was prepared by (he U,S. Geolog.cal Survey under coo~ral'lIe agreement wIth (he Texas Depanmenl of W,l1er Resources and the Tm"tv RIVer AuthOrity. April 1979 TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES Harvey Oa,.s, Executive Director TEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD A. L. Black, Chairman John H. Garrett, Vice Chairman Milton Potts Glen E. Roney George W. McCleskey W. O. Bankston TEXAS WATER COMMISSION Felix McDonald, Chairman Dorsey B. Hardeman, Commissioner Joe R. Carroll, Commissioner Authorization for use or reproduction of any original material contained in this publicatiun, i.e., not obtained from other sources, is freely granted. The Department would appreciate acknowledgement. Published and distributed by the Texas Department of Water Resources Post Office Box 13087 Austin, Texas 78711 " TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT .. INTRODUCTION 3 Purpose of Study. 3 Standard International Units and Conversion factors . 3 DESCRIPTION OF LIVINGSTON RESERVOIR AND ITS ENVIRONMENT. 3 ANALYSIS OF WATER·QUALITY DATA 5 Stream Aecords ... 5 Reservoir Water Quality 7 Thermal Stratification 7 Dissolved Oxygen 9 Dissolved Iron and Dissolved Manganese 10 Nitrogen and Phosphorus . 11 Dissolved Solids, Chloride, Sulfate, and Hardness 14 SUMMARY OF CONCLUSIONS 14 SelECTED REFERENCES .. 17 TABLES 1. Concentrations of Selected Dissolved Constituents and Hardness for the Trinity River Near Crockett (Station 08065350). ....... I. 2-16. Chemical·Quality Survey of Livingston Reservoir: 2. October 15. 1969 19 3. March 6, 1970 20 4. August 26·27.1970. 21 5. October 20, 1970 23 iii TABLE OF CONTENTS-Continued Page 6. February 25·26, 1971 25 7. May 19, 1971 . 27 8. February 10, 1972 29 9. June 20, 1972 . 31 10. August 15·16, 1972 33 11. February 27, 1973 35 12. May 15, 1973 . 37 13. August 30, 1973 .... .. .. 39 14. February 12, 1974 41 15. April 30·May 1, 1974 43 16. August 28·29, 1974 . 45 FIGURES 1. Map Showing locations of Water·Quality Data-Collection Sites 4 2. Graphs Showing Water Discharges and Concentrations of Dissolved Solids for Trinity River Near Crockett. Water Years 1965·74 . 5 3. Graphs Showing Relations of Dissolved Solids and Percentages of Ions to Water Discharge, Trinity River Near Crocken . 6 4. Graphs Showing Variations of Air and Water Temperatures at Selected Sites, October 1969·August 1974 8 5. Graphs Showing Seasonal Profiles of Water Temperature and Dissolved Oxygen for Site Ac 9 6. Graphs Showing Variations of Concentrations of Dissolved Oxygen During Summer and Winter Surveys 10 7. Graphs Showing Sea50nal Profiles of Dissolved Iron, Manganese, and Oxygen for Site Ac 10 8. Graphs Showing Variations of Concentrations of Dissolved Iron During Summer and Winter Surveys 11 9. Graphs Showing Variations of Concentrations of Dissolved Manganese During Summer and Winter Surveys . 11 TABLE OF CONTENTS-Continued Page 10. Graphs Showing Variations of Concentrations of Dissolved Iron and Manganese at Site AC. October 1969-August 1974 12 11. Graphs Showing Seasonal Profiles of Total Inorganic Nitrogen, Total Phosphorus, and Water Temperature for Site AC 13 12. Graphs Showing Variations of Concentrations of Total Phosphorus During Summer and Winter Surveys 14 13. Graphs Showing Variations of Concentrations of Total Inorganic Nitrogen During Summer and Winter Surveys 14 14. Graphs Showing Variations of Concentrations of Total Inorganic Nitrogen and Total Phosphorus at Site AC. October 1969-August 1974 15 15. Graphs Showing Variations of Average Concentrations of Dissolved Solids, Chloride, Sulfate, and Hardness, October 1969-August 1974 16 16. Graphs Showing Variations of Concentrations of Dissolved Solids During Summer and Winter Surveys 16 , WATER QUALITY OF LIVINGSTON RESERVOIR ON THE TRINITY RIVER, SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS By Jack Rawson U.S. Geological Survey ABSTRACT The concentrations of dissolved solids, chloride, manganese from bottom sediments in the deep parts of and sulfate in Livingston Reservoir on the Trinity River the reservoir. At site AC' a deep site near livingston in southeastern Texas usually average less than 250 mgtl Dam, dissolved-iron concentrations in water near the (milligrams per literl. 40 mg/l. and 50 mg/l. respectively. bottom of the reservoir during summer have ranged from The water is usually hard or moderately hard (61 to 80 to 2,300 pg/I (micrograms per liter) and have 180 mgtl as calcium carbonate). The concentrations of averaged about 750 pg/I_ The concentrations of dissolved principal dissolved constituents in the reservoir are manganese in water near the bottom of the reservoir at usually maximum during summer and fall when this site during summer have ranged from 230 to 4,700 evaporation is high and inflow is low. pg/I and have averaged about 2,600 pg/1. Water near the surface of the reservoir throughout the year and water Thermal stratification of the reservoir usually near the bollom during periods of winter circulation begins in March and persists until September or October. usually contain less than 100 pg/I of dissolved iron and Neither the seasonal variation of dissolved constituents 100 pg/I of dissolved manganese. in inflow to the reservoir nor thermal stratification has resulted in significant stratification of the principal The concentrations of total phosphorus and dissolved constituents. However, thermal stratification inorganic nitrogen in water near the bottom at deep sites has resulted in significant seasonal and areal variations of near Livingston Dam are usually maximum during dissolved oxygen, which results in higher concentration periods of summer stagnation when decay of aquatic of dissolved iron, dissolved manganese, total phosphorus, organisms and chemical reduction of bollom sediments and total inorganic nitrogen. release phosphorus and nitrogen to the water, The concentrations of phosphorus in the bollom stratum of Oxygen utilized in the stabilization of unoxidized water at site AC average about 2.0 mg/I. The material from upstream sources, decaying algae, and concentrations of inorganic nitrogen in the bottom and pre-existing organic material along the bottom of the surface strata at this site during summer average about reservoir is not replaced during periods of summer 4,0 mg/I and 0.1 mg/I, respectively_ stagnation; and water below depths of 25 to 35 feet (8 to 11 meters) usually contains less than 1.0 mg/I Seasonal temperature and dissolved oxygen cycles dissolved oxygen. have resulted in significant quantities of dissolved iron, dissolved manganese, total phosphorus, and total During periods of summer stagnation, reducing inorganic nitrogen being trapped and recycled within the conditions often result in the solution of iron and reservoir. WATER QUALITY OF LIVINGSTON RESERVOIR ON THE TRINITY RIVER. SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS INTRODUCTION selected chemical constituents and characteristics of the water in Livingston Reservoir during the 1970-74 water years. Other reports containing results of water-quality Purpose of Study surveys for Livingston Reservoir are cited in the list of references. As part of a continuing cooperative program with State, federal, and local agencies to inventory the surface-water resources of Texas, the U.S. Geological Standard International Units Survey has made comprehensive water-quality surveys of and Conversion Factors selected reservoirs in Texas periodically since October 1961. During the 1970 water year, in cooperation with Most units of measurements in publications of the the Trinity River Authority and the Texas Water Geological Survey before 1973 were those of the English Development Board, the program was expanded to system. Reports published after July 1, 1973, have Include periodic water-quality surveys of livingston contained both English units and International System Reservoir. of Units (SI). Factors for converting English units to equivalents of the International System are given in the The purpose of this report is to summarize the following table: water-Quality records and to explain the variations of From To obtain Abbrevi· Multiply Abbrevi Unit ation by Unit ation acres 4,047 square meters m' acre·feet 1,233 cubic meters m' cubic feet cubic meters per second .02832 per second feet .3048 meters m miles 1.609 kilometers km DESCRIPTION OF LIVINGSTON area consists predominantly of densely forested rolling RESERVOIR AND ITS ENVIRONMENT hills with wide flood plains along the Trinity River. Livingston Dam is on the Trinity River about 6 Livingston Reservoir, which is owned and operated miles (10 km) southwest of Livingston in southeastern by the city of Houston and Trinity River Authority, was Tell:as. The reservoir ell:tends across parts of Polk, San designed to conserve water for municipal supply, Jacinto, Trinity, and Walker Counties (Figure 11. The industrial use, and irrigation. Construction of the project - 3- •I • ••., I• I • f: ~Y~ I { ' ~.J , ) z I . ,2 ~ ~ • • • • • ~.! I! M ! y .• • I • • • ! •" ,• • > , • c I • l i • [y) I i / .. , ,• I -.0.,. o> " -J , 1-",0 "(3'-"-rr~ -' .....-...../ ,.. , 0 u, 0 '0 a ,~ >- a 0 ~ '" C, ~ / m -0 3= -0 c 0 'z 0 u 0 ~ ·4· was started in May 1966 and was completed in August 1964. Streamflow records for this station, which is 1969. Deliberate impoundment of water began in about 136 miles (219 km) upstream from Livingston October 1968, and the first achievement of the normal Dam, and records of reservoir contents and outflow capacity occurred in November 1971 (Trinity River from Livingston Reservoir indicate that more than 80 Authority of Texas, 1974, sec. 8). percent of inflow to the reservoir sirlC1! deliberate impoundment began in October 1968 has originated in The reservoir has a total capacity of 1,750,000 the drainage area upstream from the station near 9 J acre·feel (2.16 X 10 m ) and a surface area of 82,600 Crockett. 2 acres (3.34 X 10"m ) at the top of the conservation pool at elevation of 131.0 feet (40.0 m).