Section 319
NONPOINT SOURCE PROGRAM SOCCESS STORY
Forestry Outreach and Conservation Practices on Poultry and Grazing
Operations Improves the Tenaha Creek Arm of the Toledo Bend Reservoir
Waterbodv Improved Low dissolved oxY9en
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Specifically, in the Tenaha Creek watershed, a total
of 26 water quality management plans (WQMPs)
were developed on agricultural operations covering
4,155 acres. The USDA NRCS developed conserva-
tion plans on 31,142 acres, with practices consisting
of nutrient management, poultry mortality manage-
ment, forestry practices and grazing management
on agricultural and silvicultural operations in the
watershed.
In addition, from 2002 to 2009, the TSSWCB partnered
with the Texas A&M Forest Service (formerly Texas
Forest Service) to administer the Texas Silviculture
Nonpoint Source Abatement project. This effort
included forestry BMP education and technical
assistance for foresters, landowners and loggers, in
coordination with local, state and federal agencies, as
well as forestry BMP effectiveness monitoring.
Results
Water quality monitoring data from the assessment
period of 2007-2009 showed the 24-hour average
and the 24-hour minimum sample for DO levels was
above 5.0 mg/L and 3.0 mg/L, respectively, indicat-
ing that this waterbody complied with the state's
water quality standards (Figure 2). As a result, TCEQ
removed the Tenaha Creek Arm of the Toledo Bend
Reservoir (segment 0504 _ 06) from the state's CWA
section 303(d) list of impaired waters in 2010 for DO.
The success of this effort is attributed to the
voluntary implementation of BMPs by landowners
and the use of education and outreach paired with
technical assistance. Landowners have continued to
implement agricultural BMPs with assistance from
TSSWCB, Shelby County SWCD and NRCS after
the assessment period. This, along with continued
12.0
10.0
2.0
DO 24 hr Minimum (Standard = minimum of 3.0 mg/L)
— DO 24 hr Grab Average (Standard = minimum of 5.0 mg/L)
§ § § §
Date
Figure 2. Dissolved oxygen data for the Tenaha Creek
Arm of the Toledo Bend Reservoir (station 20283),
24-hour average and 24-hour minimum.
forestry BMP education and implementation, will
ensure the success of this restoration effort.
Partners and Funding
The TSSWCB provided $1,060,565 in CWA section
319(h) funds and $73,448 in state funds paired
with $180,000 in nonfederal funds from Texas A&M
Forest Service and $567,756 from local landowners
to support implementation efforts in the Toledo
Bend watershed. USDA NRCS provided more than
$209,000 in federal Farm Bill funding to producers in
the watershed.
ss
HI
O
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
Washington, DC
EPA841-F-15-001GG
July 2015
For additional information contact:
T.J. Helton
Texas State Soil & Water Conservation Board
254-773-2250 • thelton@tsswcb.texas.gov
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