Project Goals/Objectives: Through this project, GBRA will continue to collect surface water quality monitoring (SWQM) data to characterize the Plum Creek watershed, including the contributing wastewater effluents. Monitoring data will be used to assess and evaluate the effectiveness of the BMPs that have been or will be implemented in the watershed as a result of the Plum Creek WPP. The sampling regime will include diurnal, springflow, storm event and targeted monitoring under more typical base flow conditions over the next three years. This will provide a more complete and representative data set to characterize the Plum Creek watershed and document water quality improvements.
Project Background: Plum Creek rises in Hays County north of Kyle and runs south through Caldwell County, passing Lockhart and Luling, and eventually joins the San Marcos River at their confluence north of Gonzales County. Plum Creek is 52 miles in length and has a drainage area of 389 mi2. According to the 2008 Texas Water Quality Inventory and 303(d) List, Plum Creek (Segment 1810) is impaired by elevated bacteria concentrations (category 5c) and exhibits nutrient enrichment concerns for ammonia, nitrate+nitrite nitrogen and total phosphorus.
Originally, the Plum Creek WPP was to be developed using only existing water quality data. However, discussions with stakeholders identified data gaps which would make source identification and establishment of water quality goals difficult. Accurate source identification is key to prioritizing implementation projects for funding. Through TSSWCB project 03-19, Surface Water Quality Monitoring to Support Plum Creek Watershed Protection Plan Development GBRA collected water quality data to fill the identified data gaps. During the project, sampling of water quality data was severely hampered by a prolonged drought that covered the watershed, causing the tributaries to run dry and the springs to slow to almost negligible flow.
Project Location: Plum Creek Watershed (1810)
Website: http://www.gbra.org/plumcreek/
Project Costs: Federal ($ 485,545), Non-Federal ($ 257,165), Total ($742,710)
Project Participation: TSSWCB, Guadalupe-Blanco River Authoriy, Plum Creek Conservation District, Texas AgriLife Extension Service, Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, U.S. Geological Survey
Project Workplan: 10-07
Project QAPP: 10-07