Plum Creek Watershed Protection Plan
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Plum Creek Watershed Protection Plan 11 Developed by THE PLUM CREEK WATERSHED PARTNERSHIP February 2008 Photos courtesy of Nikki Dictson, Texas AgriLife Extension Service JupiterImages Corporation USDA-NRCS All uncredited images courtesy of Matt Berg, Texas AgriLife Extension Service Plum Creek Watershed Protection Plan Prepared for the Plum Creek Watershed Partnership by Matt Berg, Mark McFarland, and Nikki Dictson Texas AgriLife Extension Service, College Station, Texas Funding for the development of this Watershed Protection Plan was provided through a federal Clean Water Act §319(h) grant to the Texas AgriLife Extension Service, administered by the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Plum Creek Watershed Protection Plan i Acknowledgments This document and the efforts behind its completion are the result of collaboration and cooperation between many different groups and individuals. Each has played an important role in the Plum Creek Watershed Partnership and its activities. First and foremost, the Partnership wishes to express thanks to members of the Steering Committee for their investments of time and energy in participating throughout the process. Without their direction and support, progress would have been impossible. Through the Plum Creek Watershed Protection Plan, their efforts serve as an example to all watershed stakeholders of the importance of active stewardship of water resources. The Plum Creek Watershed Partnership also would like to thank the members of the Technical Advisory Group, who provided their expertise and specialized knowledge in dealing with several key issues and offered critical guidance in development and refinement of portions of the Plum Creek Watershed Protection Plan: -Texas Commission on Environmental Quality -Texas AgriLife Extension Service -Texas Department of Agriculture -Texas Department of Transportation -Texas Farm Bureau -Texas Parks and Wildlife Department -The Railroad Commission of Texas -Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board -Texas Water Development Board -USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service -U.S. Environmental Protection Agency -U.S. Geological Survey In addition, the Partnership is grateful for cooperation and participation from representatives of key local groups who will play a vital role in protecting water quality: -Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority -The City of Kyle -The City of Lockhart -The City of Luling -The City of Uhland -The City of Buda -The City of Niederwald -Hays County -Caldwell County -Plum Creek Conservation District -Caldwell-Travis SWCD -Hays County SWCD -Texas Watch -First-Lockhart National Bank -Lockhart State Park -Luling Foundation -San Marcos River Foundation -Plum Creek Community The Partnership expresses thanks to Dr. Meghna Babbar-Sebens, Aarin Teague, and Dr. R. Karthikeyan of the Texas A&M University Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department and Jennifer Jacobs and Dr. Raghavan Srinivasan of the Texas A&M University Spatial Sciences Laboratory for their diligence and tremendous help in analyzing water quality in Plum Creek. We are especially grateful to the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board and the Environmental Protection Agency for their vision of a strong and influential stakeholder-led watershed planning process in the Plum Creek Watershed. Funding provided through these agencies provided support vital for the development of this Watershed Protection Plan and established a solid foundation for watershed stewardship in Plum Creek. Plum Creek Watershed Protection Plan ii Statement of Purpose Plum Creek has historically played a critical role in the growth and development of the area, from its appeal as a reliable water source for settlers and livestock to recreation opportunities in the watershed. The landscape around the stream is diverse, ranging from one of the state’s most rapidly growing population centers in the north to rural bottomlands dominated by agriculture in the south. However, beginning in 2004, the stream was listed by the State of Texas as having E. coli bacteria levels that impaired contact recreation use of the stream, as well as having elevated nutrient concentrations. As a result, the Plum Creek Watershed Protection Plan was developed by the Plum Creek Watershed Partnership using a stakeholder process driven by public participation to provide a foundation for restoring water quality in Plum Creek and its tributary streams. By identifying key water quality issues in the Plum Creek Watershed and determining the factors contributing to these issues, management programs and public outreach efforts will be targeted to restore and protect the vital water resource of this watershed. The Plum Creek Watershed Protection Plan incorporates an analysis of existing water quality data and an investigation into potential pollutant sources based on local knowledge and experience to develop a strategy for addressing concerns related to water quality and watershed health. Stakeholders are any individual or group that may be directly or indirectly affected by activities implemented to protect water quality, such as citizens, businesses, municipalities, county governments, river authorities, nonprofit organizations, and state agencies. This document is a means by which stakeholders can become more familiar with the Plum Creek Watershed and actively make a difference in the quality and health of their streams through voluntary management practices. It is a starting point to focus restoration efforts and enable financial and technical assistance to facilitate improvements in Plum Creek. This Watershed Protection Plan is intended to be a living document, adjusted to include new data and modified as conditions in the watershed change over time. It will evolve as needs and circumstances dictate and will be guided by the stakeholders themselves as they undertake active stewardship of the watershed. Plum Creek Watershed Protection Plan iii Table of Contents List of Figures ............................................................................................................ vi List of Tables ............................................................................................................ ix Executive Summary ................................................................................................... xi 1. Watershed Management ......................................................................................... 1 Watershed Definition ..................................................................................... 1 Watersheds and Water Quality ..................................................................... 1 Benefits of a Watershed Approach ................................................................ 2 Watershed Protection Planning .................................................................... 3 2. State of the Plum Creek Watershed ...................................................................... 5 Geography ....................................................................................................... 5 History of the Plum Creek Watershed ........................................................... 8 Current Conditions ....................................................................................... 11 Water Quality ............................................................................................... 17 3. The Plum Creek Watershed Partnership ............................................................. 25 Watershed Selection ..................................................................................... 25 Partnership Formation and Mission ........................................................... 25 Partnership Structure ................................................................................... 26 4. Methods of Analysis ............................................................................................. 29 Land Use Classification ............................................................................... 29 Determining Sources of Pollution ............................................................... 32 Data Limitations…….. .................................................................................. 34 5. Estimate of Pollutant Loads and Required Load Reductions ............................. 35 Bacteria ......................................................................................................... 36 Nutrients ....................................................................................................... 40 6. Pollutant Sources in the Plum Creek Watershed ................................................. 46 SELECT Results ............................................................................................ 47 Urban Runoff ................................................................................................ 48 Pets ................................................................................................................ 50 Septic Systems............................................................................................... 51 Wastewater Treatment Facilities ................................................................ 53 Agriculture .................................................................................................... 57 Wildlife .......................................................................................................... 62 Oil and Gas Production ..............................................................................