Photo courtesy of City of Austin

BACKGROUND AND GOALS

Water quality testing found that that bacteria concentrations are elevated in Gilleland Creek, located in northeastern Travis county. High bacteria concentrations pose a risk to people who swim or wade in the creek. Swimming and wading are called “contact recreation” in the state’s standards for water quality; the term refers to all recreation in which people come in direct contact with the water. The goal of this project is to reduce bacteria concentrations to within acceptable risk levels for contact recreation.

The Lower Colorado River Authority is working with the TCEQ to review the history of the problem, collect additional data, and determine the sources of the impairment.

TEXAS STREAM TEAM ACTIVITIES IN GILLELAND CREEK

Texas Stream Team staff have been participating in the Gilleland Creek TMDL since its inception.  In coordination with the Lower Colorado River Authority, TMDL Stakeholder Groups, and other resource conservation and outreach entities, Texas Stream Team will conduct activities to support overall Implementation objectives.  

During 2007 Texas Stream Team staff coordinated with GBRA and TMDL project managers to conduct both watershed education and volunteer water quality monitoring training for volunteers and staff. Three major efforts are currently underway at Texas Stream Team in the Gilleland Creek watershed including an intensive E. coli survey and a watershed protection/regional meeting in the watershed.  Over the next two years, Texas Stream Team also plans to conduct a minimum of 6 NPS outreach events in the watershed.

TMDL

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality adopted this TMDL on August 8, 2007.

• One TMDL for Bacteria in Gilleland Creek, Segment 1428C (Help with PDF.)
• Response to Public Comment on the Gilleland Creek TMDL

FOR MORE INFORMATION

For more information regarding the project, please call Ward Ling at 512/239-6238. Or e-mail tmdl@tceq.state.tx.us, and reference the Gilleland Creek bacteria project in the subject line.