White Oak Creek. Recreational Use Attainability Analysis Summary of Findings. Texas Institute for Applied Environmental Research Stephenville, Texas

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1 White Oak Creek Recreational Use Attainability Analysis Summary of Findings Texas Institute for Applied Environmental Research Stephenville, Texas August 8, 2016 Sulphur Springs, Texas August 9, 2016 Mount Pleasant, Texas 1

2 Project Partners Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board (TSSWCB) Texas Institute for Applied Environmental Research (TIAER) 2

3 TSSWCB Provide state oversight Management and coordination of project activities Project partners Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) Provide project funding 3

4 TIAER Project administration Develop & maintain stakeholder relations Perform RUAA survey activities GIS inventory Facilitate meetings Develop final technical reports 4

5 How did we get here? White Oak Creek is not meeting the water quality standard for primary contact recreation Due to elevated levels of E. coli Requires action to meet the standards that are set by the State of Texas and EPA. 5

6 What is the Texas 303 (d) List? Texas 303 (d) List of Impaired Water bodies Requirement of the Clean Water Act Developed by TCEQ to summarize the condition of the state s surface waters, including concerns for public health, fitness for use by aquatic species and other wildlife, and specific pollutants. 6

7 Impaired Stream Segments White Oak Creek (0303B) 2006 Texas Water Quality 303(d) List Bacteria Current Geometric mean = 186 cfu/ 100mL 7

8 RUAA One method of removing the White Oak Creek from the impaired list for bacteria Assess if the recreational standard is appropriate Recreational use attainability analysis (RUAA) 8

9 Purpose of RUAA To determine if primary contact recreation is the correct use or if another recreational use category may be more appropriate. 9

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14 Site ID WH01 TCEQ Station Site Description Latitude Longitude White Oak Creek about 1.09 miles from the confluence with the Sulphur on White Oak Creek Wildlife Management Area Distance from Confluence (mi) [1] Distance from Previous Site (mi) Access NA Public WH02 WH03 WH04 WH05 WH06 WH07 WH WH09 WH10 White Oak Creek about 2.25 miles from the confluence with the Sulphur on White Oak Creek Wildlife Management Area White Oak Creek about 3.46 miles from the confluence with the Sulphur on White Oak Creek Wildlife Management Area White Oak Creek about 4.61 miles downstream from State Highway 259 on White Oak Creek Wildlife Management Area White Oak Creek about 3.36 miles downstream from State Highway 259 on White Oak Creek Wildlife Management Area White Oak Creek about 2.11 miles downstream from State Highway 259 on White Oak Creek Wildlife Management Area White Oak Creek about 0.84 mile downstream from State Highway 259 on White Oak Creek Wildlife Management Area White Oak Creek at State Highway 259, approximately 7.5 miles north of Omaha, Texas White Oak Creek about 1.81 miles upstream from State Highway 259 on White Oak Creek Wildlife Management Area White Oak Creek about 6 miles upstream from State Highway 259 and about 1.04 miles downstream from Interstate Highway 30 on White Oak Creek Wildlife Management Area Public Public Public Public Public Public Public Public Public 14

15 Site ID TCEQ Station Site Description Latitude Longitude Distance from Confluence (mi) [1] Distance from Previous Site (mi) Access WH11 WH12 WH13 WH WH15 WH16 White Oak Creek at Interstate Highway 30, about 21.8 miles northeast of Mt. Pleasant, Texas White Oak Creek 1.7 miles upstream from Interstate Highway 30 on White Oak Creek Wildlife Management Area White Oak Creek 2.5 miles upstream from Interstate Highway 30 on White Oak Creek Wildlife Management Area White Oak Creek at a WMA road crossing about 1.06 miles east of County Road 3445 and about 3.3 miles upstream from Interstate Highway 30 on White Oak Creek Wildlife Management Area White Oak Creek about 4 miles upstream from Interstate Highway 30 on White Oak Creek Wildlife Management Area White Oak Creek on private property, about 4.2 miles downstream from Farm Road Public Public Public Public Public Private WH17 WH18 White Oak Creek on private property, about 3.46 miles downstream from Farm road 1402 White Oak Creek on private property, about 0.72 mile downstream from Farm road Private Private WH White Oak Creek at Farm Road Public WH20 White Oak Creek about 0.33 mile downstream from County Road Public 15

16 Site ID TCEQ Station Site Description Latitude Longitude Distance from Confluence (mi) [1] Distance from Previous Site (mi) Access WH21 White Oak Creek at County Road Public WH22 WH23 White Oak Creek about 0.44 mile upstream from County Road 1905 White Oak Creek about 1.3 miles downstream from US Highway Public Public WH White Oak Creek at US Highway Public WH25 White Oak Creek about 0.76 mile upstream from US Highway Public WH26 White Oak Creek at County Road Public WH27 White Oak Creek about 0.48 mile downstream from State Highway Public WH28 White Oak Creek at State Highway Public WH29 White Oak Creek on private property about 5.15 miles upstream from State Highway Private WH White Oak Creek at Farm Road Public 16

17 Site ID TCEQ Station Site Description Latitude Longitude Distance from Confluence (mi) [1] Distance from Previous Site (mi) Access WH31 WH32 WH33 WH34 White Oak Creek on private property about 6 miles upstream from Farm Road 900 White Oak Creek on private property about 4.4 miles downstream from Farm Road 69 White Oak Creek on private property about 2.79 miles downstream from Farm Road 69 White Oak Creek on private property about 2.1 miles downstream from Farm Road Private Private Private Private WH White Oak Creek at Farm Road Public WH36 White Oak Creek on private property about 0.31 mile downstream from County Road Private WH37 White Oak Creek at County Road Public WH38 White Oak Creek on private property about 2.2 miles upstream from County Road Private WH39 White Oak Creek at State Highway Public WH40 White Oak Creek on right-of-way about 0.52 mile downstream from Farm Road Public WH41 White Oak Creek at Farm Road Public 17

18 Findings for First RUAA Survey White Oak Creek (0303B) Conducted: June 22 24, 2016 July 18 22, 2016 Summary Sufficient water for swimming, boating, and fishing in the downstream portion of White Oak Creek Thick vegetation & steep banks making it difficult to access water No direct primary contact recreation observed 18

19 White Oak Creek Photographs WH01 150m Downstream WH06 0m Upstream 19

20 White Oak Creek Photographs WH11 300m Upstream WH11 Snake 20

21 White Oak Creek Photographs WH18 0m Downstream WH20 150m Upstream 21

22 White Oak Creek Photographs WH33 Logjam WH36 300m Downstream 22

23 White Oak Creek Photographs WH38 150m Downstream WH39 0m Upstream 23

24 Next Steps Second RUAA Survey To be conducted: August 7 12, 2016 August 21 26, 2016 Interviews on-going TIAER is collecting feedback on current and past recreational uses of White Oak Creek 24

25 Next Steps Draft Technical Report To be completed by September 2017 Final Public Meeting To be held following completion of draft technical report Opportunity to review draft technical report Begins the 30 day comment period 25

26 Contact Information Leah Taylor Office Phone: Sarah Robinson Office Phone:

27 Questions? Project Website: Funding Provided through a State Nonpoint Source grant from Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board. Leah Taylor Senior Project Director Texas Institute for Applied Environmental Research ltaylor@tiaer.tarleton.edu (254)