North Central Texas Water Quality

Water quality in North Central Texas reservoirs is a growing concern. Six of the major reservoirs in the Trinity River Basin managed by Tarrant Regional Water District (TRWD) now serve 1.6 million people across 11 counties and are expected to serve 2.66 million by 2050. The Texas Water Resources Institute and Texas A&M AgriLife are collaborating with TRWD to study water quality protection and potential improvements in these five reservoirs with regard to the major problems of sediment and nutrient loading. Sediment loading affects reservoir capacity and water clarity; nutrient loading results in algae growth that impacts water treatment and recreational use.

In 1989, TRWD began addressing these water quality issues with a monitoring program and a modeling program that calibrates water quality models for each reservoir and allows TRWD to assess loadings and impacts to these reservoirs. A team of Texas AgriLife Research scientists and Texas AgriLife Extension specialists and agents and selected private consultants are assisting TRWD in preparing information for the development and implementation of watershed protection plans.

TRWD’s ultimate goal is to accommodate a growing population and increased urbanization without sacrificing water quality. With the watershed management plan, TRWD can use scientifically based methods to not only identify sources for water quality impairment, but also to evaluate the costs and benefits of addressing these sources. This watershed management plan will produce useful planning tools for TRWD as well as other groups or entities.

Objectives

Assemble information on sediment and nutrient loads for specific TRWD-managed reservoirs and associated streams.
Use computer modeling to analyze the biological, physical, and economic feasibility of alternative management practices and facilities.
Conduct public meetings and provide educational programs about water quality protection for stakeholders and customers.
Identify the pollutants that are discharged from point source (i.e. municipal and industrial wastewater treatment plants) that may affect water quality in TRWD reservoirs

Components

Model Development: The team is using a suite of three EPA-supported computer models: SWAT to model watersheds for both point source and nonpoint source nutrient and sediment loads; QUAL-2E to route and attenuate the SWAT-generated loadings to the water supply reservoir; and WASP to take these loadings and forecast the impact to the reservoir.
Model Application: Once the watershed, tributary and reservoir models are calibrated, nutrient/sediment reduction scenarios will be run with varying nonpoint source and/or point source loadings. This approach considers best management practices for nonpoint source control and best available technologies for point source control.
Economic Analysis: The team is conducting financial and budget analyses to estimate costs and returns for alternative management practices simulated with SWAT, QUAL-2E and WASP.
Education: The team is developing generalized and watershed-specific educational programs about pollutant loadings and management practices. Additionally, the team is working to provide better information to the public about needed changes in activities in the watershed to effect lake water quality improvements.

Accomplishments

Developed a watershed protection plan for Cedar Creek Watershed.
Developed alternative best management practices strategies for the Cedar Creek watershed and began evaluation of the impacts on water quality.
Created a curriculum guide for Texas AgriLife Extension Service personnel to demonstrate the effects of soil erosion and sediment transport in the region. This guide is used in conjunction with demonstration trailers to illustrate to youth and adults the importance of watershed management.
Conducted more than 90 educational programs dealing with watershed management and water quality for over 6,000 school-age children and 900 adults.
Published educational bulletins on watershed management, stormwater management, rainwater harvesting and nutrient management used by AgriLife Extension agents and natural resource agency personnel to inform communities about best management practices that can be adopted to decrease runoff and improve water quality.
Taught watershed management training sessions in North Central Texas for city and county officials, state and federal agency personnel and community members.

Collaborators

Tarrant Regional Water District
Texas Water Resources Institute, Texas A&M AgriLife
Texas AgriLife Research
Texas AgriLife Extension Service
Spatial Sciences Laboratory
Alan Plummer Associates, Inc.
Espey Consultants, Inc.

Funding Agencies

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service