Water Quality Monitoring on Mud Creek

The Authority’s Environmental Staff has already begun monitoring and testing water quality in the Mud Creek Subwatershed in anticipation of the reservoir construction. It is important to know in advance if there are sources of pollution so steps can be taken to correct them prior to reservoir completion.

The testing is being funded by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality under the Clean Rivers Program which is operated by the Authority in this basin. The program has set up five additional stations to look for a variety of pollutants. In 2008, the Texas Water Development Board awarded a grant in the amount of $97,434.00 to fund additional water quality sampling in the Mud Creek watershed. The purpose of the testing was aimed at determining water quality in preparation for designing water treatment systems for the production of potable water for the participants of Lake Columbia.

Monitoring Sites

Monitoring Station ID Location
10532 Mud Creek at US 84 SW of Reklaw
10536* Mud Creek at FM 2064
10538* West Mud Creek at FM 3052
14477 Mud Creek at US 79
16586* Mud Creek at SH 110
17103* Mud Creek at SH 135
AN001* Kickapoo Creek at SH 110
10539* West Mud Creek at FM 344

*Monitoring at this site has been completed, and is halted.

Field Parameters Monitored

In-stream Flow pH Transparency
Water Temperature Dissolved Oxygen Present Weather
Air Temperature
Conductivity Days Since Last Rainfall
Flow Severity    

Monthly Laboratory Analyses

Routine Nutrient Parameters Bacteriology Additional Parameters
  • Ammonia-Nitrogen
  • Nitrate-Nitrogen
  • Nitrite-Nitrogen
  • Total Phosphorus
  • Ortho-Phosphorus
  • Sulfate
  • Chloride
  • Total Suspended
    Solids
  • Total Dissolved
    Solids
  • Chlorophyll-a
  • Pheophytin
  • Total Coliform
    E. coli
  • Carbonate
  • Bicarbonate
  • Sodium
  • Fluoride
  • Alkalinity as CaCO3
  • Hardness, Total
  • Hardness, Calcium
  • Hardness, Magnesium
  • Calcium
  • Magnesium
  • Total Solids
  • Biochemical
  • Oxygen Demand
  • Chemical Oxygen
  • Demand
  • Total Kjeldhal
  • Nitrogen
  • Turbidity
  • Color
  • Total Petroleum
  • Hydrocarbons

Quarterly Laboratory Analyses

Metals Organics Additional Parameters
  • Arsenic
  • Barium
  • Cadmium
  • Chromium
  • Lead
  • Mercury
  • Selenium
  • Silver
  • Antimony
  • Thallium
  • Aluminum
  • Copper
  • Iron
  • Manganese
    Zinc
  • Herbicides
  • Pesticides
  • Total Organic Carbon
  • Cyanide
  • Phenols
  • Bromide
  • Laboratory Analyses Performed Semi-Annually

    Organics
  • Volatile Organics
  • Semi-Volatile Organics
  • Polychlorinated
  • Biphenyls (PCBs)
  • Final Report