CypressCreekBasin
Clean Rivers Program
Steering Committee Minutes
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Executive Office of
Northeast Texas Municipal Water District
Hughes Springs, Texas
The meeting began at 1:00 p.m. The following persons were present:
Walt Sears, Jr.
Tommy Spruill
Ric Blevins
Mike Buttram
Marty Muse
Beverly Allen
Jennifer Delk
Art Crowe
Randy Rushin
Anthony Castilaw
Adam Whisenant
Michele Blair
Aaron Wendt
Leroy Biggers
Dwight Slaback
Mike Prater
Dr. Roy Darville
Paul Prange
Nancy Rose
Jennifer Meyer
Lewis Brockette
Jason Hoffman
Leah Cooper
Mitch Conine
Mike Van Buskirk
Guests and committee representatives were recognized and welcomed to the meeting by Marty Muse of NETMWD.
By consensus, the minutes of the November 7, 2007 meeting were approved.
Marty informed the group of the coordinated monitoring meeting held earlier this day and asked if there were questions or comments.
During comments from TCEQ managers, Jennifer Delk stated that TCEQ was working on extending the holding time for water samples.
Randy Rushin and Anthony Castilaw, with Water Monitoring Solutions, updated the group on sampling and said they had completed a rough draft version of the Basin Highlights. They reported intentions to do aRapid Biological Assessment (RBA) in May on Hughes Creek. Water Monitoring Solutions is working on compiling historical data on CaddoLake including mapping and land use which would be included in future reports.
Beverly Allen gave a Power Point Presentation on Caddo Watershed Protection Program, outlined work being done in Texas and Louisiana to control Giant Salvinia and listed area lakes that had recently found Giant Salvinia. Beverlystated that local residents and officials have spent over 1500 hours in monitoring, removal and spraying of the plants on Caddo. She said that Giant Salvinia was especially hard to detect because it is mixed with Water Hyacinth. Tommy Spruill informed the group of efforts being made at Lake Bob Sandlin including signs and lake patrol checking public boat ramps and the lake in general for both Salvinia and Water Hyacinth. Adam Whisenant then reassured the group that TPWD routinely checked area lakes as part of their vegetation surveys.He said if invasives are identified, those lakes are surveyed more routinely based on the conditions of the lake.
Art Crowe, TCEQ-Tyler, gave a presentation on Tarrant Regional Water District’s constructed wetlands near the Richland Chambers Reservoir. Benefits, from significant nutrient removal to diverse wildlife habitat, were discussed. It was mentioned that when fully complete, the 1000 acre wetlands could process up to 150 MGD. The wetlands are located on Richland-Chambers wildlife management land and open to the public. Tommy Spruill noted that North Texas Municipal Water District was in the process of constructing wetlands downstream of Lake Ray Hubbard. Walt Sears commented that the success of these wetlands was something the District would take into consideration when evaluating wetlands as part of a further way to remove phosphorus from entering Lake O’ the Pines. Michelle Blair raised the topic of maintenance issues associated with these wetlands. Art discussed maintaining levees, sediment and management of nuisance plants and how the effectiveness of the wetlands might change with age.
Aaron Wendt, TSSWCB, addressed the group concerning a TMDL for Hart, Tankersley, and Big Cypress above Hwy. 259. He said Texas A&M is currently conducting a land use survey and discussed what partsthe TCEQ and NETMWD maybe involved in. Walt Sears commented that this could play a part in the I-Plan for the TMDL for Lake O’ the Pines.
Walt Sears, NETMWD, informed the group of a public hearing on the Implementation Plan to address Low Dissolved Oxygen in the Lake O’ the Pines Watershed. The meeting will be held at NETMWD offices at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 29. Walt noted that further monitoring will be needed to ensure the I-Plan has had an effect on phosphorus entering Big Cypress. Walt asked for further guidance on how this could be done. Tommy Spruill commented on low and high flows making a difference in the sampling and noted that Bob Sandlin was now releasing water for the first time in 3 years and 8 months, directly affecting Big Cypress.
Ric Blevins updated the group on the continuous monitoring stations in Lake O’ the Pines.There were concerns that some of the sensors are not calibrated correctly. Michelle Blair offered to contact a Hydrolab representative, and have them get in touch with NETMWD staff. Mike Prater of the TCEQ-Tyler offered his assistance as well.
Ric then informed the group that all 319(h) Edge of Field Study equipment has been removed from the field and all information and reports had been given to TSSWCB. Dr. George Ward would be working on the modeling of the lab results.
Leah Cooper with U. S. Steel (formerly LSS) gave a Power Point presentation about the status of the fish advisory for Ellison Creek Reservoir. Leah showed how fish advisories changed from state to state and explained the testing procedure used to enact the advisory. Michelle Blair asked if the DSHS had changed their status.Leah said they had expanded it in a different way on their web site.
Marty then showed pictures of 2000 cypress trees that NETMWD had planted on Watt’s Island.This is part of the mitigation process for crossing Lake O’ the Pines with a treated water line to serve the south side of the lake. Comments and general discussion on the planting process followed.
There were no additional public comments or input.
The next meeting was set for November, 2008, with the date to be determined later.
The meeting was adjourned at 3:00 p.m.