# Presentation: 948834

## Texas’ Contributions to the National Wadeable Streams Assessment and Future Direction of the States’ Biological Monitoring Program

*TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY*
*SURFACE WATER QUALITY MONITORING PROGRAM*
*Anne Rogers and Bill Harrison*

**Notes:**
This is a review of the work the Environmental Resource Management division has been doing over the past 5 years to understand how PAH’s, and specifically PAH’s from coal-tar based parking lots sealants are affecting the health of the streams in the Austin area.
First we will give a brief background on PAH’s, pavement sealers and the aquatic environment.
Then we will review the chemical data ERM staff has collected over the past 10 years.
Then we will review recent experimental work that has been done evaluating how PAH’s are affecting our stream ecosystems.
Finally,  we will summarize overall coal tar pavement concerns, alternative sealant options and ramifications of a ban.

## Texas’ Involvement with Large Scale Biological Monitoring Projects

- In the late 1980s, a statewide biological survey of reference conditions in 11 of Texas’ 12 Level III ecoregions was conducted, called the Texas Aquatic Ecoregion Monitoring Project
- Involved considerable resources to conduct monitoring by a centrally-based team over a state as big and as varied as Texas

## National Wadeable Streams Assessment

- In 2004, EPA initiated the National Wadeable Stream Assessment (NWSA) Project and asked all states to become involved
- Ecological assessment of streams throughout the US
- Sample survey stratified by ecoregion (Level II) adhering to statistically valid design allowing extrapolation of condition throughout each ecoregion and aggregation to the national level
- Conducted by States using a common biologically-based protocol
- Complements State monitoring programs

## Objectives

- Provide status report on condition and health of the wadeable streams of the U.S. using collaborative State effort.
- Help build State capacity for monitoring and assessment
- Provide a means to assess comparability of State methods with those employed in the study

## N.A. Level II Ecoregions and Candidate Sites in Texas

- 8.3: Southeastern Plains
- 9.4: S. Central Semi-Arid Prairies
- 9.5: TX-LA Coastal Plain
- 9.6: Tamaulipas-TX Semiarid Plain
- 10.4: Chihuahuan Desert

## Diversity of WSA Sites in Texas BetweenEcoregions (N.A. Level II)

- Diversity of WSA Sites in Texas BetweenEcoregions (N.A. Level II)

**Pecos River**
**Chihuahuan Desert**

**Theuvenins Creek**
**Southeastern Plains**

**Spring Creek**
**Texas-Louisiana Coastal Plain**

**Cowhouse Creek**
**South-Central Semi-Arid Prairies**

## Texas Participation in the NWSA 

- Participated independently instead of through a grant
- Worked cooperatively with:
- TCEQ Central and Regional Offices
- Central Plains Center for BioAssessment at the University of Kansas
- United States Geological Survey
- Sampled in four of the five Level II Ecoregions in Texas

## Key Components

- Randomized design for sample site selection
- Benthic macroinvertebrate collections
- Physical habitat assessment
- Water samples for selected chemical parameters
- Comprehensive quality assurance program
- Standardized data management system
- Analysis plan for an ecological assessment

**Notes:**
10. PAH’s and Coal Tar Sealants - Effects on lab organisms/Toxicity.
The first data presented is from lab studies using standard Ambient Toxicity methods on organisms found in our streams (H. Azteca), a prey species of the BS Salamander.
Next, the field study is reviewed which looked at biology upstream and downstream of sealed parking lots (bugs and diatoms).
Next, the mesocosm experiment, which isolates coal tar as the manipulated treatment in a more controlled environment, using stream sediment-dwelling organisms from Barton Creek.
Coal-Tar Sealants are toxic to benthic organisms in lab toxicity studies.
Sub-lethal effects (changes in stream communities) are seen at and below literature values in field study.
Dose response documented in controlled mesocosm study

## Texas Study Participants

- TCEQ Central Office:
- Surface Water Quality Monitoring Program staff (9)
- Water Quality Standards Team staff (1)
- Clean Rivers Program staff (1)
- TCEQ Regional Offices:
- Region 12 staff (3)
- Region 5 staff (1)
- Central Plains Center for BioAssessment (Sampled the South-Central Semi-Arid Prairies Ecoregion)
- USGS (Sampled one site in South-Central Semi-Arid Prairies)

## Distribution of WSA sites

- Candidate Sites: 99
- Target Sites: 35-40
- TCEQ: 29 Sites
- CPCBA: 10 Sites
- USGS: 1 site
- Total Sites Sampled: 40

**Notes:**
10. Distrubution of PAH Hits
	-13% creeks above PEC
	- 35% above the TEC
	- 53% below the TEC (and non-hits)

## Slide 11

## Locating the Sample Sites

## Target Site Evaluation

- Stream channel present?
- Water present?
- Is the stream wadeable?
- Is the site accessible?
- Physically
- Landowner Permission

**Wadeable? Maybe at first!**

## Sample Site Activities

- Locate the index (“X”) site
- Layout the sample reach
- Benthic Macroinvertebrate Sample
- Physical Habitat Measurements
- Water Chemistry Sample
- RBP Habitat Evaluation
- Discharge Measurement

- Reconnaissance and marking the “X”

## Best Practice Found for Site Work

- Use morning to prepare crew, equipment, etc. for trip
- Arrive at site in afternoon
- Perform reconnaissance and mark the “X” site
- Mark the “X” site as transect “F”, measure widths and determine reach length
- Work from “F” mark and label transects downstream to “A” (staying out of stream as much as possible)
- Return to “F” and mark and label transects upstream to “K”
- Head to hotel to allow stream to equilibrate overnight

_**Day 1:**_

## Best Practice Found for Site Work (cont.)

- Arrive at site and deploy multiprobe instrument at transect “F”
- Benthic crew begins sampling at transect “A”
- Habitat crew falls in behind benthic crew at transect “A”
- Upon arrival at transect “F”, benthic crew records multiprobe measurements
- Chemistry samples/flow measurement collected by benthic crew after their work is complete, usually just above upstream end of reach
- RBP Habitat Assessment performed by entire crew at end of day

_**Day 2:**_

## Challenges Faced...

- 	and Overcome!

**Non-Wadeable Pools**

**Extremely slippery banks!**

-  Gear hauled in sometimes a mile or so to a site through thick brush and brambles
-  Sometimes deeply incised channel made bank traverse difficult to impossible
-  Challenge to haul in all that was needed for the day and keep up with it all

## Massive Debris Jams at Many Sites Would Slow Work Considerably...Not to Mention Adding One Heck of a Woody Debris Count Challenge!

## Other Challenges Included:

-  Working without waders became the norm
-  Often working in barely wadeable stream with no shade
-  Critter hazards...snakes, wild boars, etc.

## Future Directions for Biological Monitoring in Texas

- Scale issues with monitoring a state as large as Texas requires a new approach to monitoring biological resources in the state.
- Based on past experience in the Texas Aquatic Ecoregion Monitoring Project and the NWSA, the idea of forming a “virtual” biological monitoring team is being considered
- Work cooperatively accomplished with TCEQ central and regional offices, river authorities, possible contracted entities, universities, etc. in conducting strategic biological assessments to cover the entire state.
- The NWSA set the stage for future developments in large-scale approaches to monitoring such varied and often difficult to reach waters in the state.
- The NWSA provided a first test for this new approach and provided TCEQ with a successful experience with which to move forward in developing a statewide approach to biological monitoring.

## Greetings from Texas WSA!

- Anne Rogers – Aquatic Habitat Lead

- Bill Harrison – Project and Benthic Lead

**Greetings from Texas WSA!**

- _SPECIAL THANKS TO:_
- Don Huggins, Debbie Baker, Irene Beeman, Andy Dzialowski – CPCBA
- Chris Kolbe, Michele Blair, Steven Earnest, Pat Bohannon, Robin Cypher, Renee Fields, Shawna Baker – SWQM-CO
- Rob Cook, Marty Kelly, Eli Landrau, Lythia Metzmeier – SWQM-RO
- Gregg Easley – WQS
- Patricia Wise – CRP
- Bruce Moring - USGS

## A GUIDE TO 

**A GUIDE TO **
**FRESHWATER**
**ECOLOGY**

**Texas Commission on Environmental Quality**

**GI-034 Revised 8/05**

**Now Available from TCEQ Publications and as PDF on the TCEQ Web site.**
**http://www.tceq.state.tx.us/comm_exec/forms_pubs/pubs/gi/gi-034.html**

- Questions ?