County: Harris
Parameter: Dissolved oxygen
Coastal Basin: San Jacinto–Brazos
Coastal
Segment: 1113
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Armand Bayou
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Background
and Goals
Armand Bayou is a tidal tributary of Clear Lake, located in the
San Jacinto–Brazos Coastal Basin. Armand Bayou is rich in
plant and animal life and attracts canoeists, kayakers, fishermen,
and birdwatchers daily. There are several parks and other
recreational areas along Armand Bayou, including Bay Area Park and
Armand Bayou Nature Center.
Since monitoring began during the 1970s, water quality testing
has indicated that concentrations of dissolved oxygen in Armand
Bayou were sometimes less than optimal for the support of fish and
other aquatic life. Oxygen, which dissolves in water, is essential
for the survival of aquatic life. While the amount of dissolved
oxygen in water fluctuates naturally, various human activities can
cause unusually or chronically low dissolved-oxygen levels which
may harm fish and other aquatic organisms. Over the past 50 years,
land-surface subsidence has dramatically altered regional drainage
gradients and the depth and width of Armand Bayou.
The project evaluated the effects of low dissolved oxygen on
aquatic life to determine the actions necessary to improve water
quality in the lake.
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Public
Participation
An ad hoc stakeholder group was formed during the project under
the auspices of the Texas Sea Grant of Texas A&M University.
This group continues to meet intermittently to identify ways to
protect Armand Bayou. For more information about this group,
contact Michi Vojta at Texas Sea Grant, 281/335-3170 or mvojta@tamu.edu. Or visit the Web site
for the Coastal Watershed Program of
the Texas Sea Grant.
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Project Status and Implementation
Analyses of the data collected for the project revealed that
concentrations of dissolved oxygen are often relatively low during
hot weather, but also found no indication of aquatic-life
impairment or limitation related to the dissolved-oxygen regime.
The data set has several unconventional aspects that are related to
unique hydraulic characteristics of the Armand Bayou system.
A TMDL allocation related to dissolved oxygen is not deemed
appropriate at this time, since available data do not indicate
impairment of the aquatic life community, nor identify a pollutant
that needs to be controlled. Additional data are needed to provide
satisfactory understanding of the causes and effects of the Armand
Bayou dissolved-oxygen regime. The TCEQ will continue working to
gather more data, and to develop protocols suitable for evaluating
dissolved oxygen and aquatic life conditions in tidal streams, in
conjunction with the Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife.
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For More Information
For additional information regarding this project, please call
Larry Koenig at 512/239-4533. Or e-mail us at tmdl@tceq.state.tx.us, and
reference the Armand Bayou project in the subject line.
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