Watershed Characteristics

The streams addressed by this project are located within the Lake Houston watershed of the San Jacinto River Basin. The southern part of the watershed includes portions of the city of Houston and its northern suburbs. The Woodlands and the City of Conroe are the largest municipalities located entirely within the watershed. Other smaller municipalities located in the watershed include Cleveland, Cut and Shoot, Magnolia, New Waverly, Pinehurst, Splendora, Tomball, and Waller. The northern part of the watershed is relatively rural, and includes portions of the Sam Houston National Forest. The total drainage area for Lake Houston is 2,850 square miles. The TMDL watersheds are located primarily within Montgomery and San Jacinto Counties, but also include portions of Grimes, Harris, Liberty, and Walker Counties.

About the TMDL Project

The Lake Houston, East Fork & West Fork San Jacinto, and Crystal Creek Watersheds TMDL project was initiated through a contract between the TCEQ and Texas Institute for Applied Environmental Research (TIAER). The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) first identified the bacteria impairments within the West Fork San Jacinto River in 2002, and within East Fork San Jacinto River, Crystal Creek, and Lake Houston in 2006 and each subsequent edition through the 2012 Texas Water Quality Integrated Report for Clean Water Sections 305(b) and 303 (d) (formerly called the Texas Water Quality Inventory and 303(d) List).

This project considered bacteria impairments in 4 water bodies (segments) consisting of 7 total assessment units (AUs). The complete list of water bodies and their identifying segment_AU number are as follows:

  1. Lake Houston 1002_06
  2. East Fork San Jacinto River 1003_01, 1003_02, 1003_03
  3. West Fork San Jacinto River 1004_01, 1004_02
  4. Crystal Creek (unclassified water body) 1004D_01

Watershed stakeholders and interested organizations met between 2014 and 2017 to discuss the TMDL, considered the best approaches to reduce fecal bacteria and determined to join the Bacteria Implementation Group (BIG) and implement the BIG's Implementation Plan developed to reduce fecal bacteria. The East and West Fork of the San Jacinto River joined the BIG in October 2016. The stakeholders continue to meet annually to discuss implementation.

Additional TMDL Information

Please see the TCEQ's website for more information.

Meetings

March 17, 2016
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6:00 PM Thursday

San Jacinto River Authority, 1577 Dam Site Rd., 3rd Floor
Conroe, TX 77304

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has scheduled this meeting to take public comment on the East and West Forks of the San Jacinto River, Lake Houston, and Crystal Creek TMDL and Implementation Plan project. At the public comment meeting, individuals will have the opportunity to present oral statements when called upon in order of registration. An agency staff member will give a brief presentation at the start of the meeting and will be available to answer questions before and after all public comments have been received.

April 13, 2015
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Coordination Coomittee Meeting
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

San Jacinto River Authority - Conroe Building
1561 Dam Site Road
Conroe, TX 77304

November 3, 2014
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Coordination Coomittee Meeting
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Humble Civic Center
8233 Will Clayton Pkwy
Humble, TX 773338

October 1, 2014
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Coordination Coomittee Meeting
10 AM - 12 PM

San Jacinto River Authority - Conroe Building
1561 Dam Site Road
Conroe, TX 77304

Issue Specific Workgroup Meetings

September 3, 2014
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Public Outreach and Education
10 AM – 12 PM

Humble Civic Center
8233 Will Clayton Pkwy
Humble, TX 77338

September 3, 2014
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Development 
2 PM – 4 PM

Humble Civic Center 
8233 Will Clayton Pkwy 
Humble, TX 77338

August 25, 2014
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August 22, 2014
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Monitoring / Research
10 AM – 12 PM

Houston Advanced Research Center
(Located on the Lone Star College System Campus)4800 Research Forest Drive
The Woodlands, TX 77381

August 21, 2014
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Wastewater Infrastructure
10 AM - 12 PM

San Jacinto River Authority - Conroe Building
1561 Dam Site Road
Conroe, TX 77304

July 8, 2014
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Enforcement
10 AM – 12 PM

Cleveland Civic Center
210 Peach Ave
Cleveland, TX 77327

July 8, 2014
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Agriculture / Silviculture / Wildlife
2 PM – 4 PM

Cleveland Civic Center 
210 Peach Ave 
Cleveland, TX 77327

July 9, 2014
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Residential Development
10 AM – 12 PM

Humble Civic Center
8233 Will Clayton Pkwy
Humble, TX 77338

July 9, 2014
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Commercial and Industrial Development 
10 AM – 12 PM

Humble Civic Center 
8233 Will Clayton Pkwy 
Humble, TX 77338

June 26, 2014
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Wasteater Infrastructure
10 AM – 12 PM

Houston Advanced Research Center
(Located on the Lone Star College System Campus)4800 Research Forest Drive
The Woodlands, TX 77381

June 25, 2014
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Monitoring / Research
10 AM – 12 PM

San Jacinto River Authority - Conroe Building
1561 Dam Site Road
Conroe, TX 77304

June 25, 2014
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Public Outreach and Education 
2 PM – 4 PM

San Jacinto River Authority - Conroe Building 
1561 Dam Site Road 
Conroe, TX 77304

Round 3 - Meetings

March 5, 2014
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10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Cleveland Civic Center
210 Peach St., Cleveland, TX

March 5, 2014
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5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Humble Civic Center
8233 Will Clayton Pkwy, Humble, TX

March 6, 2014
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10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Montgomery County Public Library - Conroe Location
104 Interstate 45 N, Conroe, TX