Big Thicket National Preserve, Water Quality

Pine Island Bayou and the headwaters of Big Sandy Creek exceed limits for E. coli. In March 2010 the Texas Department of State Health Services issued a fish consumption advisory for the entire reach of Village Creek and the Neches River upstream of Evadale due to elevated levels of mercury.

Depressed oxygen may be caused by a combination of natural hydraulic conditions; warm water and low gradients. Reduced summer flows allow little aeration and the warmer the water the less oxygen can be dissolved. Low dissolved oxygen may also indicate eutrophication; the processes of a water body receiving excessive nutrients. Our data suggest that most dissolved oxygen violations are naturally caused. Most freshwater fish need at least 4 to 5 mg/l of dissolved oxygen.

E. coli is a naturally-occurring bacteria found in intestines and feces of warm-blooded animals. While not generally a human pathogen (a substance that causes harm to people), some Village Creek at McNeely Road, May 14, 2010. Image by Joe strains of E. coli, 0157:H7 for example, have been linked to Meiman. illness in contaminated foods. As E. coli are associated with pathogens, they are considered an indicator species, and thus used for a measure of water quality. E. coli bacteria enters a Water Defines the Preserve stream or river by point source (direct entry at specific points), Water is the unifying resource at Big Thicket National and non-point source (run-off over a broad area). Point Preserve. The 42,640 ha (105,360 ac) Preserve is essentially sources include failing septic systems and inadequate waste a series of riparian corridors centered on the Neches River, water treatment facilities. Non-point sources include surface Beech, Menard, Big Sandy, Hickory and Village Creeks, and run-off from livestock pastures and wildlife habitat. Pine and Little Pine Island Bayous. An average of 14,500 visitors find recreation in Preserve waters each year. Preserve While the above issues originate from within the watershed, managers are met with the task of conserving water resources likely mercury sources are atmospherically derived. Coal- of 930 km (578 mi) of streams – home to 92 species of fish and burning power plants are the nation’s leading emitter of 16 species of freshwater mussels – ranging from headwater mercury. Mercury is deposited into streams and is converted streams to a major river. The challenge lies in that the by sulfur-reducing bacteria into the neurotoxin methyl-mercury Preserve represents only about 1.6% of the 26,000 km2 which bio-accumulates through the aquatic food chain. 2 (10,000 mi ) Neches River watershed. Water Quality Standards Water Quality Water Temperature < 32.2oC (35) Water quality and quantity is monitored quarterly at six Dissolved Oxygen > 5.0 mg/l, > 4.0 mg/l* locations within the Preserve, (directed by the Gulf Coast pH Between 6.0 and 8.5 SU Inventory and Monitoring Network) by the Lower Neches Valley Escherichia coli < 394 MPN/100ml** Authority (LNVA), 13 sites proximal to the Preserve by the Chloride <150 mg/l (50) LNVA, and six stations in the Lower Neches Valley by the Sulfate < 50 mg/l [75] United States Geological Survey. Considering the landscape Total Dissolved Solids < 300 mg/l (200) of the Preserve has been completely altered from its natural (Neches River only) *Pine Island Bayou condition it is encouraging that most waters are in good [Village Creek only] **Single Sample condition for most measured parameters.

The first water quality survey was done between 1977 and What Can You Do? 1981 (Lamar University). Results showed severe impacts from Water quality issues at Big Thicket National Preserve are oil field brines (chloride) in Little Pine Island Bayou and similar to many watersheds throughout the nation. Threats are depressed oxygen levels in Little Pine Island Bayou and Big generally local or regional in scope. Do your part and get Sandy Creek. While large-scale brine events have not been involved in watershed activities and planning efforts. The fact seen in recent years, many miles of streams are still failing to that our waters at times exceed bacteria limits or fish cannot be meet standards established by the state of Texas (see map on consumed is a reminder that we still have a way to go in the reverse side). conservation of our nation’s natural resources.

Each stream is assigned a designated use reflective of how the Water quality data are available upon request to the Gulf Coast water is used; recreational, aquatic life, and public water Network or our website: supply for example. All of Pine Island and Little Pine Island http://science.nature.nps.gov/im/units/guln/index.cfm Bayous within the Preserve have low dissolved oxygen. Little

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