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Surface Water Quality Monitoring to Support Implementation of the Plum Creek Watershed Protection Plan

 Background:  Plum Creek rises in Hays County and runs south through Caldwell County and eventually joins the San Marcos River at their confluences north of Gonzales County.  Plum Creek is 52 miles in length and has a drainage area of 389 square miles.  According to the 2012 Texas Water Quality Inventory and 303(d) List, Plum Creek (Segment 1810) is impaired by elevated bacteria concentrations (category 4b) and exhibits nutrient enrichment concerns for ammonia, nitrate+nitrite nitrogen and total phosphorus. 
TSSWCB and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension established the Plum Creek Watershed Partnership in April 2006, and the PCWP Steering Committee completed the "Plum Creek Watershed Protection Plan" in February 2008.  Sources of pollutants identified in the Plum Creek WPP include urban stormwater runoff, pet waste, failing or inadequate on-site sewage facilities, wastewater treatment facilities, livestock, wildlife, invasive species, and oil and gas production.  Through TSSWCB projects 03-19, Surface Water Quality Monitoring to Support the Plum Creek Watershed Protection Plan Development, and 10-07, Surface Water Quality Monitoring and Additional Data Collection Activities to Support the Implementation of the Plum Creek Watershed Protection Plan, GBRA collected water quality data to fill data gaps. 

Project Goals/ Objectives: Through this project GBRA will generate water quality data of known and acceptable quality for surface and groundwater on main stem and tributary stations; continue to support the implementation of the Plum Creek Watershed Protection Plan by collecting water quality data of known and acceptable quality for use in evaluating the effectiveness of BMPs; and in assessing water quality improvement and progress in achieving restoration. GBRA will communicate water quality conditions to the public and the Plum Creek Watershed Partnership Steering Committee in order to support adaptive management of the Plum Creek WPP and to expand public knowledge on Plum Creek water quality data.

Location: Plum Creek Watershed (Segment 1810)

Website: plumcreekwatershed.org

Cost: Federal ($174,764), Non-Federal ($117,336), Total ($292,100)

Project Participation: TSSWCB, Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority

Project Workplan: 17-09

Project QAPP: 17-09

Project Final Report: 17-09

Past Project Workplans: 03-1910-07; 14-11

Past Project Final Reports: 03-19; 10-07; 14-11

"Protecting and Enhancing Natural Resources since 1939."

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