Watershed Counties: Dallas, Ellis, Kaufman,
Navarro, Parker, Tarrant
Parameter: Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)
River Basin: Trinity River
Segments: 0805, 0806, 0829, 0841
Background and
Goals
In four segments of the upper Trinity River, concentrations of
polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are elevated in fish tissue. As a
result, the Texas Department of State Health Services has issued a
fish possession ban and a fish consumption advisory for various
portions of the affected segments of the Upper Trinity River
(Segment 0805), the Lower West Fork Trinity River (Segment 0841),
the Clear Fork Trinity River Below Benbrook Lake (segment 0829),
and the West Fork Trinity River Below Lake Worth (Segment 0806).
The combined watersheds of all four segments cover 1,540 square
miles.
The goal of this project is to reduce PCBs in fish tissue so
that it is safe to eat fish caught in the affected segments through
development of total maximum daily loads. 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.
A TMDL is part of the state's Water Quality Management Plan after
it is adopted by the commission and approved by the United States
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
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Public Participation
Project personnel are informing the public about this project
through a series of public meetings. The meetings are open to
everyone. None are currently scheduled.
Meeting Documents
The documents below are provided as PDF files unless otherwise
noted. (Help with PDF.)
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For More Information
For more information regarding the project, please contact Dania
Grundmann at 512/239-3449. Or e-mail us at tmdl@tceq.state.tx.us, and
reference the Trinity River PCBs project in the subject line.
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