A Report to the Texas Water Quality Board on Galveston Bay Project Problem Areas
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This report addresses the Problem Area Section (Task II-B-4) of the Gulf Coast Waste Disposal Authority-Texas Water Quality Board Contract. Primary Problem Area data was obtained from the Marine Science Institute in the forms of reports by Copeland and Fruh, Some Environmental Limits of Six Important Galveston Bay Species, and Parker, Proposed Environmental Limits for Galveston Bay, with additional information supplied by conversations with Dr. Neal Armstrong. Data was also obtained from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Coastal Fisheries Report and the Texas Water Quality Board Standards. Espey-Huston and Associates supplied the computer model read-out for present and predicted dissolved oxygen and salinity in the Galveston Bay System. The data was qualified and parameter comparisons of TWQB Standards and MSI Environmental Limits with the Espey-Huston model read-outs were attempted to determine Problem Areas. It was found that of the dissolved oxygen, temperature, salinity, and nutrient parameters, only the dissolved oxygen had adequate data available to accomplish a proper comparison. Problem Areas that were indicated by the dissolved oxygen comparison are delineated in part IV - Comparison of Data and Definition of Problem Areas. Model predictions of dissolved oxygen were compared with TWQB Water Quality Standards indicating Problem Areas where predicted levels of DO (Dissolved Oxygen) were less than those standards for each segment using model condition A and C (Appendix A), segment 1005 had deficiencies below the TWQB DO Standards under conditions A, B, C, D, I, and K (Appendix A) ranging from 0.7 to 2.0 mg/l for 1006 and 0.1 to 1.0 mg/l in 1007. Segment 2429 (Scott Bay) was deficient under conditions A and C (Appendix A) ranging from 0.2 to 0.5 mg/l. Segment 2430 (Burnett Bay) indicated deficiencies with conditions A, B, C, D, and K (Appendix X) ranging from 0.1 to 2.9 mg/l. Other Problem Areas were included in the form of comments presented during discussions with Marine Science Institute personnel and an additional listing of problems were included from discussions with Bernard Johnson Incorporated personnel. This report is a prelude to the final Gulf Coast Waste Disposal Authority's input to the Galveston Bay Project which is Task IV - Recommended Procedures for Implementation, scheduled for completion on October 31, 1974.