TCEQ TO HOST MEETINGS ON BAY SYSTEM WATER QUALITY

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality is hosting three public meetings at the end of February about a water quality project being initiated in to address bacterial concerns in Upper Galveston, Trinity, East, West, Chocolate, and Lower Galveston Bays. Bacteria concentrations are sometimes elevated in these bays, leading to closing the areas to shellfish harvesting.This project is developing total maximum daily loads (TMDL) to reduce bacteria concentrations so that oysters may be harvested from the affected bays. A TMDL is like a budget for pollutants. It estimates the amount of a pollutant that a water body can receive and still support its designated uses. The load is then allocated among the sources of pollution within the watershed, and measures to reduce pollutant loads are developed as necessary.

The meetings are:

Wednesday, February 27, from 9 to 11:30 am, at White Memorial Park Exhibit Hall, 225 White Memorial Drive, Hankamer.

Thursday, February 28, from 5:30 to 8 pm, at Clear Lake Park Meeting Room, 5001 NASA Road 1, Houston.

Friday, February 29, from 2 to 4:30 pm at National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Galveston Laboratory Ballroom, 4700 Avenue U, Building 216, Galveston.

Everyone is invited to attend any of the meetings. Each meeting will cover essentially the same information. For more information call Casey Johnson at (512) 239-1505 or Ron Stein at (512) 239-4507 or e-mail tmdl@tceq.state.tx.us and reference the Upper Coast Oyster Waters TMDL in the subject line.