The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality is seeking public comment on a draft water quality plan, called a total maximum daily load, for bacteria in Peach Creek (Segment 1803C) of the Guadalupe River Basin, located in Gonzales, Fayette, and Bastrop counties.

The public comment meeting will be held on April 15, 2008, 7:00 p.m., at the Waelder Community Center, 311 Highway 90 West, Waelder, Texas, 78959. At this meeting individuals will have the opportunity to present oral statements when called upon in order of registration.

The state of Texas requires that the water quality in Peach Creek, Segment 1803C, be suitable for swimming, wading, fishing, and a healthy aquatic ecosystem. Water quality testing has found that bacteria levels are sometimes higher than the established standard for safe contact recreation. For information see: http://www.tceq.state.tx.us/implementation/water/tmdl/tmdlcalendar.html.

The meeting provides the public an opportunity to comment on the draft TMDL. The commission requests comment on each of the nine major components: problem definition, endpoint identification, source analysis, seasonal variation, linkage between sources and receiving waters, margin of safety, pollutant loading allocation, public participation, and implementation and reasonable assurance. After the public comment period, TCEQ staff may revise the TMDL, if appropriate. The final TMDL will then be considered by the commission for adoption. Upon adoption by the commission, the final plan and a response to comments will be posted on the TCEQ Web site. The TMDL will then be submitted to EPA Region 6 for approval and it will be certified as an update to the State of Texas Water Quality Management Plan.