13
Texas Clean Rivers Program LCRA Water Quality Protection
Texas
Clean
Rivers
Program
LCRA
Water
Quality
Protection
Texas Clean Rivers Program
• Texas Clean Rivers Act passed in 1991
• Partnership between state and regional entities
• Provides funds for
– Monitoring
– Assessment
– Outreach
Where Does the Money Come From?
$422,000 per year goes to the Colorado River basin
• Water quality monitoring
• Reporting
• Special studies
• Public involvement
CRP Activities
in the
Colorado River basin
Colorado River in Wharton
Who’s Monitoring and Where
• UCRA
• LCRA
• City of Austin
• TCEQ
• USGS
Water Quality Monitoring
• 173 sites monitored in
the basin
• Reservoirs, rivers and
small streams
• Physical and chemical
constituents and
biology
Annual Water Quality Reports
• Basin Highlights Report
• Basin Summary Report
How’s the water?
• Good overall – 95
evaluated
• 20 didn’t meet state
standards
Water Quality in Your Region
• Drought
• Skull Creek
• Caney Creek
Get Involved with Keeping Water Clean
Water Quality Advisory Committee
• Public Involvement is Imperative
• Gain a more comprehensive understanding of
waterways in your area and how to protect them
• Join the Water Quality Advisory Committee!
EXPECTATIONS
– Attend 1 annual committee meeting
– Provide feedback via email or phone a few times per year
– Share your knowledge on water quality to the rest of the
regional council and within your community
Special Studies
• Illegal Dumping Project
• Saltcedar outreach
• Zebra mussel outreach
In Summary
• CRP is a statewide mechanism for funding water
quality monitoring assessment and outreach
• It is managed statewide by TCEQ, locally by LCRA
with input from the public
• It has the capacity to develop regional special
projects to address local water quality concerns
• We’re looking for a few good people to serve as
water quality advisory committee members.
Questions?
Lisa Benton
Lower Colorado River Authority
Water Quality Coordinator
(512) 578-2151
(800) 776-5272
David Cowan
Lower Colorado River Authority
CRP Coordinator
(512) 578-2495
(800) 776-5272
