Process Framework for Identifying and Prioritizing Water Quality Improvement for Meeting Tmdls in Texas
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Technical Report Documentation Page 1. Report No. 2. Government 3. Recipient’s Catalog No. FHWA/TX-04/0-4252-1 Accession No. 4. Title and Subtitle 5. Report Date August 2003 PROCESS FRAMEWORK FOR IDENTIFYING AND 6. Performing Organization Code PRIORITIZING WATER QUALITY IMPROVEMENT FOR MEETING TMDLS IN TEXAS 7. Author(s) 8. Performing Organization Report No. Samantha L. Hon, Michael E. Barrett, and Joseph F. Malina, 0-4252-1 Jr. 9. Performing Organization Name and Address 10. Work Unit No. (TRAIS) Center for Transportation Research 11. Contract or Grant No. The University of Texas at Austin 0-4252 3208 Red River, Suite 200 Austin, TX 78705-2650 12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address 13. Type of Report and Period Covered Texas Department of Transportation Research Report Research and Technology Implementation Office January 2002 to August 2003 P.O. Box 5080 14. Sponsoring Agency Code Austin, TX 78763-5080 15. Supplementary Notes Project conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, and the Texas Department of Transportation. 16. Abstract The objectives of this research are to help TxDOT anticipate the requirements of the TMDL process and to have the data at hand to respond if TxDOT is identified as contributing to the impairment. An interactive GIS map of the impaired streams was created in ArcGIS to aid TxDOT in identifying where the impaired segments are in relation to major highways and roads. Runoff quality data from TxDOT facilities in the state were compiled and compared to water quality standards to determine constituents of concern. Existing BMPs were assessed for their effectiveness in treating highway runoff. A toolbox of appropriate BMPs for specific pollutants was developed from this assessment. The results from this study indicate that the major causes of impairment of water bodies in Texas are bacteria and low dissolved oxygen concentrations. Unfortunately, there are currently no BMPs that effectively address pathogens and nutrients. It is recommended that TxDOT pursue a pollutant trading program as an alternative to implementing BMPs if required to reduce loadings of pollutants to impaired segments. 17. Key Words 18. Distribution Statement stormwater, water quality, best management No restrictions. This document is available to the practices, BMPs, TMDL, highway runoff public through the National Technical Information Service, Springfield, Virginia 22161. 19. Security Classif. (of report) 20. Security Classif. (of this page) 21. No. of pages 22. Price Unclassified Unclassified 246 Form DOT F 1700.7 (8-72) Reproduction of completed page authorized Process Framework for Identifying and Prioritizing Water Quality Improvement for Meeting TMDLs in Texas Samantha L. Hon Michael E. Barrett Joseph F. Malina, Jr. CTR Research Report: 0-4252-1 Report Date: August 2003 Research Project: 0-4252 Research Project Title: Process Framework for Identifying and Prioritizing Water Quality Improvement for Meeting TMDLs in Texas This research was conducted for the Texas Department of Transportation in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration by the Center for Transportation Research, Bureau of Engineering Research, The University of Texas at Austin. Center for Transportation Research The University of Texas at Austin 3208 Red River Austin, TX 78705 www.utexas.edu/research/ctr Copyright © 2004 Center for Transportation Research The University of Texas at Austin All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America iv Disclaimers The contents of this report reflect the views of the authors, who are responsible for the facts and the accuracy of the data presented herein. The contents do not necessarily reflect the official view or policies of the Federal Highway Administration or the Texas Department of Transportation. This report does not constitute a standard, specification, or regulation. NOT INTENDED FOR CONSTRUCTION, BIDDING, OR PERMIT PURPOSES. Project Engineer: Michael E. Barrett, Ph.D., P.E. Professional Engineer License State and Number: Texas No. 82582 P. E. Designation: Research Supervisor v Acknowledgments The authors would like to express their thanks to the TxDOT project director, Norm King, for his helpful suggestions and guidance during the course of this project. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION.............................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Problem Identification................................................................................................. 1 1.2 Background Information about TMDLs...................................................................... 3 1.3 Study Objectives.......................................................................................................... 6 1.4 Scope of Work............................................................................................................. 6 2 IMPAIRED WATERBODIES OF TEXAS....................................................................... 7 2.1 Development of a GIS Geodatabase of Impaired Water Bodies in Texas .................. 7 2.2 Distribution of 303(d) Listed Streams and their Respective Impairments ................ 20 2.2.1 Water Bodies Impaired by Bacteria.................................................................... 20 2.2.2 Water Bodies Impaired by Low Dissolved Oxygen Levels ................................. 22 2.3 Summary Guide for Identifying Water Quality Issues.............................................. 23 2.4 Guidelines for Updating Geodatabase....................................................................... 24 3 STORMWATER RUNOFF QUALITY OF URBAN TEXAS HIGHWAYS................. 25 3.1 Compilation of Highway Runoff Monitoring Data ................................................... 25 3.2 Analysis of Compiled Highway Water Quality Monitoring Data............................. 30 4 ASSESSMENT OF BMPS FOR TREATMENT OF HIGHWAY RUNOFF ................. 43 4.1 Sand Filters................................................................................................................ 44 4.2 Extended Detention Basins........................................................................................ 47 4.3 Wet Basins................................................................................................................. 49 4.4 Infiltration Basins...................................................................................................... 52 4.5 Infiltration Trenches.................................................................................................. 54 4.6 Vegetated Swales....................................................................................................... 55 4.7 Vegetated Buffer Strips ............................................................................................. 57 4.8 BMPs that Address Specific Water Quality Constituents ......................................... 61 5 ASSESSMENT OF CURRENTLY INSTALLED BMPs ............................................... 63 6 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS........................................................... 73 vii 6.1 Conclusions ............................................................................................................... 73 6.2 Recommendations ..................................................................................................... 74 REFERENCES ....................................................................................................................... 75 APPENDIX A......................................................................................................................... 77 APPENDIX B ....................................................................................................................... 159 viii LIST OF TABLES Table 1-1: Major Causes of Water Body Impairments in Texas .............................................. 2 Table 1-2: Summary of Water Bodies with Current EPA-Approved TMDLs ......................... 4 Table 2-1: Summary of Definitions of Rankings in 303(d) List............................................... 9 Table 2-2: Characteristics of the Shackelford Projection ....................................................... 13 Table 3-1: Summary of Monitoring Sites in Texas ................................................................ 25 Table 3-2: Description for Each Site for Each City................................................................ 26 Table 3-3: List of Constituents Measured............................................................................... 29 Table 3-4: List of Information about Sampling Locations and Rain Events .......................... 30 Table 3-5: Probability that the Concentrations at Different Monitoring Sites are Not Significantly Different ............................................................................................................ 32 Table 3-6: Summary of Results of ANOVA........................................................................... 32 Table 3-7: Summary of Average Concentrations ................................................................... 34 Table 4-1: Performance of Austin Sand Filters ...................................................................... 46 Table 4-2: Performance of Delaware Sand Filters.................................................................. 47 Table 4-3: Performance of Unlined Extended Detention Basins...........................................