Texas Surface Water Quality Standards Update Nutrient Criteria

Texas Surface Water Quality Standards Update Nutrient Criteria Development Advisory Workgroup, November 2012 Jill Csekitz Water Quality Standards Group Leader

2010 EPA Action • EPA Action Letters • June 29, 2011 • August 24, 2012 • Action letters posted on TCEQ Website • Highlighted 2010 rule indicates status of approval

Approvals • Human Health Criteria(all proposed except mercury) • Bacteria • Recreation use criteria categories • Removal of single sample • Procedures to assign presumed PCR and SCR 1 uses (unclassified waters) • Appendix G • Appendix B • Appendix E • Partial approval of Appendices A, C and D • §§ 307. 1 – 307. 3, § 307. 5

Conditional Approval • Approval subject to consultation with USFWS • Partial approval of aquatic life criteria in Appendices A and D • Partial approval of segment boundaries in Appendix C • Toxic Aquatic Life Criteria – Table 1

Disapprovals Deferred aquatic life listings (§ 307. 9) High flow exemption for bacteria (§ 307. 9) Mercury human health criterion Appendix A: North Sulphur River, Oso Bay, Laguna Madre • Appendix D: Lavaca River • •

Still Under Review • Portions of § 307. 7 and § 307. 9 • § 307. 8 (relating to application of standards) • Site-specific aquatic life and general use criteria for numerous segments (Appendix A) • Segment description for Black Cypress Bayou (Appendix C) • Site-specific aquatic life uses and dissolved oxygen criteria for two unclassified water bodies (Appendix D) • Numeric nutrient criteria for selected reservoirs (Appendix F)

Timeline 2013 Revision • • Preliminary comments received (July, 2011) Advisory Workgroups (March, May 2012) IP Revisions Proposed (April, 2013) 45 -day public comment period Public hearing (June, 2013) Comment period ended (June, 2013) Adoption Agenda (October, 2013)

2013 Nutrients • Nutrient Criteria Development Plan • Last updated in 2006 • Workgroups • June 20, 2011 • Nov. 7 2012 • Continued progress • Estuaries • Streams and Rivers

Updating the Plan: Key Steps Workgroup – discuss updates (March 2012) Develop draft (May 2012) Workgroup – Comment (June 2012) Release finalized plan Review updated draft with NCDAWG and EPA (Nov. 2012) TCEQ review of comments and revision (July 2012)

Comments Received • SWQAWG Meeting May – Received 4 comments by June 22 • Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, EPA, Texas Water Conservation Association, and City of Austin • Comments were considered and discussed by staff and management • Edits based on those comments and further staff edits

Minor Comments and Editorial • Update of wetland guidance • TPWD suggested use of groundwater report dealing with non-detects • Overhauled Appendix E – the TCEQ Timeline for revising a rule

Substantial Comments • General support for methodologies and plans for progression • Support use of periphyton and macrophytes • Suggestion of considering a watershed approach • Concerns the plan did not take a balanced approach and did not focus on problem situations

Plan Highlights • Data Analysis • Determining threshold responses (UA) • Chl-a, biological communities, periphyton, DO swings • Existing conditions • Criteria Development Options • Groupings • Frequency distributions of nutrient conc. • Watershed characteristics • Stand alone criteria based on thresholds • Prevention of problem areas • Problem areas associated with nutrient concentration • Weight of evidence • Considering response variables in addition to nutrient concentrations for criteria development, assessment and permit implementation • 2010 Implementation Procedures framework

Geographic Scales • River Basin • Downstream uses • Effects of upstream criteria • Ecoregion/River Basin • Frequency distribution of medians (UA) • <HUC-8 • Landuse and cumulative municipal discharge (Jason Godeaux) • Segments and Monitoring Station • Threshold response and weight of evidence

Milestones and Progress • • • Update completed milestones Statistical analysis results: Sept. 2013 Consider additional criteria in 2016 Study results will influence priority of development Stakeholder input

Contact Information Jill Csekitz Jill. Csekitz@tceq. texas. gov (512) 239 -3136 Email general questions to: Standards@tceq. texas. gov