Due to high bacteria levels, portions of the San Bernard River have been designated unsuitable for recreational activities, such as swimming. In addition, excessive nutrients and low dissolved oxygen levels have also been found which may negatively affect fish and other aquatic life. The Houston-Galveston Area Council will develop the San Bernard Watershed Protection Plan (San Bernard WPP) over the next two years. This project is funded by a grant from the Texas Commission for Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). H-GAC will work with community stakeholders to develop the plan.
What is a Watershed Protection Plan?
A watershed is an area of land that drains to a common waterway, such as a stream, river or ocean. Watershed protection plans provide a framework to restore and protect water quality in areas affected by run-off pollution. The plan outlines Best Management Practices (BMPs) that address issues in the watershed and offers a guide for local governments to manage the impacts of future growth on water quality, health risks and ecological resources.
How it works
The watershed protection plan is designed to give water quality managers the tools needed to help make decisions to maintain or improve water quality within the region by:
|
•
•
•
|
providing a basis for a largely rural watershed to prepare for anticipated growth and urbanization
helping local governments incorporate appropriate BMPs in their jurisdictions, ensuring that resources are not wasted on BMPs that will not work for their area
analyzing run-off pollution problems with geographic information systems (GIS) to strengthen watershed modeling efforts
|
Important Links
Stakeholder Meeting Presentation February 17, 2011 (PDF) 190K
BMP Prioritization Activity (PDF) 265K
San Bernard River Watershed Map (PDF) 892K
San Bernard River Monitoring Stations Map (PDF) 3.9M
San Bernard River Public Participation Plan (PDF) 340K
San Bernard River_Inventory and Characterization (PDF) 2M
San Bernard River Water Quality (PDF) 1.3M
San Bernard River Watershed Ambient Monitoring Tour (PDF) 5.1M
Best Management Practices, Transect Approach (PDF) 520K
San Bernard River Monitoring QAPP Overview (PDF) 801K
San Bernard River Modeling Overview (PDF) 72K
Water Quality Management Plans in the San Bernard Watershed (PDF) 3.96M
Watershed Short Course Overview (PDF) 695K
The Nature Conservancy in the Columbia Bottomlands: Brazos River Project (PDF) 4.34M
San Bernard Monitoring/Modeling Update/Nine Elements of Watershed Protection Planning (PDF) 1.9M
Riparian Areas, What are They Worth? (PDF) 6.03M
Upcoming Grant Opportunities (PDF) 549K
OSSF Map for the San Bernard Watershed (PDF) 7.03M
Stakeholder Meeting Presentation April 28, 2011 (PDF) 820 K
The TCEQ Non-Point Source Program (PDF) 1.2 M
2006 Land Cover Map (PDF) 2.79 M
SELECT Modeling Updates (PDF) 1.55 M
SWAT and Tidal Prism Modeling (PDF) 1.07 M
Watershed Protection Plan Updates (PDF) 1.14 M
San Bernard River Mouth Opening (PDF) 3.74 M
CDM Presenation on SWAT and Tidal Prism (PDF) 1.97M
Stakeholder Survey Results and RUAA Updates (PDF) 1.72 M
Next Stakeholder Meeting:
Thursday, February 16
5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
West Columbia Civic Center
516 E. Brazos Ave.
West Columbia, TX 77486
Press Release About Private Water Well Testing Program in Brazoria County March 2012
Press Release
RUAA Meeting Presentations 6/24/11
TCEQ Presenation
UofH/EIH Presentation
*NEW 11/17/2011 - WATERSHED PROTECTION PLAN DRAFTS*
Chapter 1 - Watershed Introduction
Chapter 2 - Watershed Inventory and Characterization
Chapter 3 - Public Participation
Chapter 4 - Watershed Analysis
Chapter 5 - Causes and Sources of Pollution (Element A)
Chapter 6 - Estimated Load Reductions (Element B)
Chapter 7 - Management Measures (Element C)
Chapter 8 - Technical and Financial Needs (Element D)
Chapter 9 - Outreach and Education (Element E)
Chapter 10 - Project Implementation and Interim Milestones for Progress(Elements F & G)
Chapter 11 - Water Quality Monitoring and Measures of Success (Elements H & I)
San Bernard Watershed Signs
Sponsored by the Texas Clean Rivers Program, 15 signs have been installed around the border of the San Bernard River watershed to increase awareness of one of our local watersheds. All too often we pass our rivers, lakes, and bayous without realizing how they are connected to other bodies of water. These signs help people to ‘get to know’ their watersheds.
The signs were designed in coordination with the Friends of the River – San Bernard organization, whose mission is to restore, protect, promote and ensure a clean, healthy, flowing San Bernard River. For more information about the Friends of the River, visit their website at: www.sanbernardriver.com.
Below is a map of the locations of the San Bernard River watershed signs:
