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Rio Grande Basin REGIONAL ASSESSMENT OF WATER QUALITY 2008 RIO GrANDE BASIN Texas Clean Rivers Program International Boundary and Water Commission, United States Section PREPARED IN COOPERATION WITH THE Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. The preparation of this report was financed through grants from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. PARTICIPATING AGENCIES Federal International Boundary and Water Commission, United States Section United States Geological Survey Big Bend National Park Service Natural Resource Conservation Service State Texas Commission on Environmental Quality Local Sabal Palm Audobon Center and Sanctuary The City of El Paso, Public Service Board The City of Laredo Environmental Services Division The City of Laredo Health Department The Rio Grande International Study Center Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Texas Cooperative Extension, Fort Stockton The University of Texas at El Paso The University of Texas at Brownsville El Paso Community College Regional Assessment of Water Quality in the Rio Grande Basin III TABLE OF CONTENTS Participating Agencies ........................................................................................................... III Table of Contents .................................................................................................................. Index of Figures ..................................................................................................................... VIII Index of Tables ........................................................................................................................ VIII List of Acronyms .................................................................................................................... X Executive Summary ............................................................................................................... XI 1.0 INTRODUCTION RIO GrANDE WATERSHED ............................................................................................ 1 Watershed Characteristics ................................................................................................. 2 USIbwc Clean Rivers Program ....................................................................................... 3 History of the International Boundary and Water Commission ..............................3 History of the Clean Rivers Program .............................................................................. 5 DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS .......................................................................... 5 PARAMETERS ........................................................................................................................ 6 ALIDATING WATER QUALITY DATA ........................................................................ 7 REAL-TIME MONITORING STATIONS ........................................................................ 8 PARTNERS .............................................................................................................................. 8 2.0 PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT BASIN ADISORY COMMITTEE ..................................................................................... 13 ADOPT A RIER CAMPAIGN.......................................................................................... 14 FrIENDS OF THE RIO GrANDE.................................................................................... 14 OLUNTEER MONITORING- TEXAS STREAM TEAM ...........................................14 RIO GrANDE CITIZENS’ FORUM ................................................................................ 15 RIO GrANDE BASIN CLEAN RIERS PROGRAM WEBSITE ...............................15 3.0 TECHNICAL SUMMARY TEXAS WATER QUALITY INENTORY- 305(B) AND 303(D) REPORT ............23 DESIGNATED USES ............................................................................................................. 24 ScrEENING WATER QUALITY FOR TrENDS ..........................................................28 WATERSHED SUMMARIES ............................................................................................... 31 Pecos River Sub-Basin .......................................................................................................... 31 Watershed Overview ............................................................................................................... 31 Red Bluff Reservoir - Segment 2312 .................................................................................... 31 Regional Assessment of Water Quality in the Rio Grande Basin Upper Pecos River - Segment 2311 ...................................................................................... 32 Lower Pecos River - Segment 2310 ....................................................................................... 33 Basin Concerns ......................................................................................................................... 33 Special Studies .......................................................................................................................... 34 Upper Rio Grande Sub-Basin ............................................................................................. 36 Watershed Overview ............................................................................................................... 36 Rio Grande above International Dam - Segment 2314 .....................................................37 Rio Grande below International Dam - Segment 2308......................................................37 Rio Grande below Riverside Diversion Dam - Segment 2307 ...........................................38 Rio Grande above Amistad Dam - Segment 2306..............................................................39 International Amistad Reservoir - Segment 2305 ...............................................................40 Devils River - Segment 2309 .................................................................................................. 41 Basin Concerns ......................................................................................................................... 41 Special Studies in the Upper Rio Grande ............................................................................. 44 Middle Rio Grande Sub-Basin ............................................................................................ 44 Watershed Characteristics ...................................................................................................... 44 San Felipe Creek-Segment 2313 ........................................................................................... 45 Rio Grande below Amistad Reservoir-Segment 2304 .........................................................45 International Falcon Reservoir-Segment 2303 .....................................................................48 Basin Concerns ......................................................................................................................... 48 Special Studies .......................................................................................................................... 50 Lower Rio Grande Sub-Basin ............................................................................................. 50 Watershed Characteristics ...................................................................................................... 50 Rio Grande below Falcon Reservoir-Segment 2302 ............................................................50 Rio Grande Tidal-Segment 2301 ............................................................................................ 52 Basin concerns .......................................................................................................................... 52 4.0 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS CONCLUSIONS ................................................................................................................... 57 Pecos River Sub-Basin .......................................................................................................... 57 Upper Rio Grande Basin Sub-Basin .................................................................................. 58 Middle Rio Grande Sub-Basin ............................................................................................ 58 Lower Rio Grande Sub-Basin ............................................................................................. 58 RECOMMENDATIONS ...................................................................................................... 58 Water Quality Monitoring .................................................................................................. 58 Intensive Studies .................................................................................................................... 58 Steering Committee Development .................................................................................. 59 i Regional Assessment of Water Quality in the Rio Grande Basin APPENDIX I. Texas Surface Water Quality Standards Texas Surface Water Quality Standards For The Rio Grande Basin ........................61 APPENDIX II. Draft 2008 Texas Water Quality Inventory LOWER RIO GRANDE SUB-BASIN .............................................................................. 63 MIDDLE RIO GRANDE SUB-BASIN .............................................................................. 64 UPPER RIO GRANDE SUB-BASIN ................................................................................. 66 PECOS SUB-BASIN .............................................................................................................
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